Lemon Butter Scallops
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These lemon butter scallops are so easy to make yet so fancy! Requires only 5 ingredients and 10 minutes for restaurant-quality scallops!
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Why you’ll love lemon butter scallops
- Fool-proof recipe. Cooking scallops may be daunting and intimidating, but this recipe is completely fool-proof with just a few tips and tricks (ex. keep the cook time short and make sure the pan is extra hot – more on that below!).
- Short ingredient list. It really doesn’t take much to cook restaurant-quality scallops right at home with an irresistible lemon butter sauce. All you need is 5 ingredients, 10 minutes, and a single heavy cast iron skillet.
- Easy yet so impressive No reservations required here. These scallops are perfect for a date night in or to impress weekend company, costing just a fraction of the price when ordering out.
Types of scallops
Bay scallops
Bay scallops are bite-sized, about 1/2-inch in diameter, sweeter and more tender.
Sea scallops
Sea scallops are about 2 inches in diameter, saltier, thicker and chewier.
Dry scallops
Dry scallops are not treated with preservatives, therefore their shelf life is much shorter, although much fresher than wet scallops. They have a slightly tan, vanilla color, almost even grey and sometimes pink appearance.
Wet scallops
Wet scallops are treated with water and preservatives, and have a higher water content. They are generally more expensive due to the added weight. Wet scallops will often times look pure snow-white.
How to make lemon butter scallops
- Prep the scallops. Remove the side muscle on the side of each scallop, rinse with cold water, and pat completely dry using paper towels.
- Prep the skillet. Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- Season. Season both sides of the scallops with salt and pepper.
- Sear. Melt the butter, then add the scallops to the hot skillet in a single layer without overcrowding the pan. Let the scallops cook, undisturbed, for about 2-3 minutes.
- Flip. Flip the scallops and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until firm and opaque; set aside.
- Make the lemon butter sauce. Melt the additional butter in the same skillet, then sauté the garlic until fragrant. Finally, stir in the lemon juice, salt and pepper.
- Serve. Serve the scallops immediately, spooning the lemon butter sauce on top and garnishing with parsley.
what to serve with lemon butter scallops
Tools For This Recipe
Lemon Butter Scallops: Frequently Asked Questions
Unsalted butter allows you to add as much salt (or as little) salt in your dish. It allows for more control and consistency.
Yes! You can thaw frozen scallops overnight, transferring it from the freezer to the fridge the day before. For a quick thaw, you can run them under lukewarm water until completely thawed. Pat them dry as thoroughly as possible to remove any excess moisture.
When pan searing, scallops will cook through fairly quickly, about 2-3 minutes per side. Scallops are done when they are opaque and firm around the edges.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 1 day, reheating in a low oven at 200°F, covered in foil, until warmed through.
Lemon Butter Scallops
Video
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound sea scallops
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
For the lemon butter sauce
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 3 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley leaves
Instructions
- Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat.
- Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.
- Season scallops with salt and pepper, to taste. Working in batches, add scallops to the skillet in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and translucent in the center, about 2 minutes per side. Set aside and keep warm.
for the lemon butter sauce
- Melt butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.
- Serve scallops immediately with lemon butter sauce, garnished with parsley, if desired.
Equipment
Notes
- Use a cast iron skillet. A cast iron skillet retains heat exceptionally well, allowing for a deep, golden brown crust on the scallops before the insides become overcooked.
- Prep the scallops. Although safe to eat, gently peel away the small side muscle from the scallops as it is tougher and chewier than the rest of the scallops. Rinse and pat dry to remove as much excess moisture as possible.
- Use dry scallops. Dry scallops are generally preferred over wet scallops as the latter is treated with preservatives, retaining excess water, and will not caramelize properly with a golden brown, crusty sear.
- Cook in batches. Overcrowding the pan will lead to poor searing and chewy, rubbery scallops.
- Serve as an appetizer or main course. Plan for 1-2 scallops per person when serving as an appetizer, and 3-5 scallops per person when serving as a primary protein, pairing with risotto or vegetables.
- Reheat in the oven. Leftover scallops can be rubbery when reheated in the microwave. For best results with leftovers, reheat in the oven at 200°F, covered in aluminum foil, until warmed through.
Did you make this recipe?
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Are your assistants actually corgis?
What can you use vs cast iron skillet?
Anytime I google a recipe and your site is one of the choices, I ALWAYS click Damn Delicious and look no further. You never disappoint!
I have made a very similar version of this and since I don’t live on the coast, frozen scallops are my best option. I just let them drain for a couple of hours in a colander until you are almost ready to sear. Take paper towels and blot well to get the excess water out. Works great every time. I’ve also made this is a bit more sauce and put the dish over angel hair pasta.
Drying is the key. Husband thought too sweet but they were delicious. Served with mash potatoes and garlic spinach.
Love these and would make more frequently, but I’d like to know where you get them for $20 a pound. They’re more like $32-35 here in San Diego. I’m making these as an appetizer for our Valentine’s dinner and just serving 2 for a starter before our pork tenderloin. This recipe is great as is, but I always throw a few capers on before serving.
I just bought some scallops yesterday. I live in NYC. They were $39.50 a pound! Have to find somewhere cheaper.
Chunga posted the recipe back in 2015. So, there’s that with respect to the price.
I purchased one pound of fresh jumbo sea scallops two weeks ago in CT for $20.00; they were on sale. This past weekend, I purchased one pound of fresh jumbo sea scallops for $25.99. A delicacy, for certain.
First recipe for scallops I’ve ever tried that turned out: tender, succulent, absolutely deeeelish! Thank you!
I have scallops in my freezer waiting to be cooked using your recipe. Thanks so much. These will be on the menu tonight.
Delicious! And the scallops are so pretty in the sauce.
The recipe states to use a cast iron skillet (underlined) but the photo shows a nonstick aluminum skillet? I can’t use a cast iron skillet on my stovetop – will the aluminum skillet work just as well? Thanks.
It’s an aluminum skillet, but it doesn’t look non-stick to me.
This was very good great flavor!! I just have one question, do you make the sauce in a separate pan? I made it in the same pan and the garlic started to burn along with thee small bits of scallops left in the pan. So I ended up straining the sauce and it was fine. Thanks!
As a single senior male who loves to eat, I’m often loath to try/cook new things. A creature of habit so to speak.
I tried cooking scallops years ago. If my memory serves me, I believe that I fried them first then added them to a stir fry. I guess that’s why they were rubbery.
Anyway, I came across this recipe and it looked doable. I followed the directions and voila………..Excellent. Man, quick and sooooo easy. I can’t wait to have a dinner guest and impress.
I’ll also give some of your other recipes a try. The Asian Inspired looks interesting.
Thank you.
I make this recipe about every 4 months. I love the outcome.
Simple, fast and flavorful. One of my husband’s (and my) favorite meals. Have made it for guests too, and they love it as well.
I have been making scallops this way for years, I add some capers to the sauce and lightly flour the scallops before cooking.
Made this tonight with side of rice with lime and parsley. I added a touch of white wine. It was so simple and amazing and yummy. I will use this recipe again fore sure.
Delicious and so lemony!
Whipped these scallops up quickly for family with mashed potatoes and it was a hit!!!!
Today (22Sept2022) scallops were $38.00 per pound.
Skip the pepper.
Sear until no more than 120 deg f internal temperature.
Yes, serve immediatly.
So simple and so delicious!
So so SO good! I used the lemon butter sauce & my friend didn’t. We both loved the scallops. Although I want to say the sauce made them even better!!! I’ll definitely be using this recipe again & again.