Lemon Butter Scallops
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All you need is 5 ingredients + 10 minutes for the most amazing, buttery scallops ever. So easy, so simple, so fancy!
As much as I love scallops, I have always been very hesitant to cook with it. At $20 per pound, there is absolutely no room for error when it comes to cooking these.
But little did I know with a few handy tricks, scallops are actually one of the easiest (and quickest) meals to whip up, and they’re just on par with restaurant-quality scallops.
And this lemon butter sauce is absolutely unreal, and the perfect accompaniment to these golden brown oh-so-perfectly seared scallops.
Just remember – you’ll want to have your side dishes and/or light salads ready to go since these scallops will be ready in a flash in just 10 minutes from start to finish!
Tools For This Recipe
Large cast iron skillet
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.
Any of these side dishes and/or light salads would go beautifully with these scallops. Our favorites include glazed carrots, roasted cauliflower, and chicken caesar salad with homemade croutons.
You can also serve this with some light crusty bread to sop up all that leftover sauce!
Lemon Butter Scallops
Ingredients
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 pound 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 1-2 minutes per side. Set aside and keep warm.
- Serve scallops immediately with lemon butter sauce, garnished with parsley, if desired.
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.
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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.
Scallops are always delicious, or else you didn’t make them right.(probably too much heat.) Enjoy this recipe; it is easy-peasy!
Helpful hint : try a touch of lemon cello in this.
Hi,
is Lemon cello . Lemoncello the liqueur
Fabulous; just right amount of lemon and garlic. Flavorful yet delicate. Just right!
Made a little extra of the sauce and tossed it all together with some pasta. Delicious!