Pan-Seared Scallops Garlic Butter (Printable)

Golden scallops cooked with garlic butter and fresh parsley, delivering a flavorful and elegant seafood dish.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 16 large sea scallops, cleaned and thoroughly dried (about 1.1 lbs)

→ For Searing

02 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
03 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
04 - Kosher salt, to taste
05 - Freshly ground black pepper, to taste

→ Garlic Butter

06 - 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
07 - 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, finely chopped
09 - 1 teaspoon lemon zest
10 - 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

→ Garnish (optional)

11 - Lemon wedges
12 - Extra chopped parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Pat scallops completely dry using paper towels; season evenly on both sides with kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.
02 - Warm 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
03 - Place scallops in the hot skillet spaced apart, searing undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until a deep golden crust forms.
04 - Flip scallops carefully and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes until opaque and cooked through; transfer to a plate and cover loosely with foil.
05 - Reduce heat to medium; add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter to the skillet. Once melted, add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant without browning.
06 - Stir in chopped parsley, lemon zest, and lemon juice, swirling to combine and emulsify the sauce.
07 - Return scallops to the pan, coating them with the garlic butter sauce for 1 minute to absorb flavors.
08 - Plate scallops immediately, garnished with additional parsley and lemon wedges as desired.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It looks and tastes like fine dining but takes less time than ordering takeout.
  • The golden crust on a perfectly seared scallop is one of those small kitchen victories that never gets old.
  • Garlic butter with lemon and parsley turns simple seafood into something you want to soak up with bread.
02 -
  • Wet scallops will never brown properly; they steam instead of sear, so always ask for dry-packed at the counter.
  • Leaving the scallops alone while they cook is the hardest and most important part; moving them too soon tears the crust.
  • Garlic burns fast, so keep the heat moderate and your timing tight once it hits the pan.
03 -
  • Let scallops sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking so they sear evenly without cooling the pan.
  • If your scallops have a small side muscle attached, peel it off before cooking; it turns tough and chewy.
  • Taste the garlic butter before adding the scallops back and adjust lemon or salt to your liking.
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