Lemon Butter Scallops (Printable)

Seared sea scallops coated in a zesty lemon butter sauce for a fresh, elegant spring dish.

# What You Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 1 pound large sea scallops, patted dry

→ Sauce

02 - 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
03 - 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
04 - 3 cloves garlic, minced
05 - Zest of 1 lemon
06 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
07 - 1/4 cup dry white wine or chicken broth
08 - 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
09 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

10 - Lemon wedges for serving

# Steps:

01 - Pat scallops thoroughly dry with paper towels. Season both sides lightly with salt and pepper.
02 - Heat 1 tablespoon butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Once hot and shimmering, add scallops in a single layer without crowding. Cook in batches if necessary.
03 - Sear scallops undisturbed for 2 to 3 minutes until a golden crust forms. Flip and cook for another 1 to 2 minutes until just opaque. Transfer to a plate and cover loosely to keep warm.
04 - Reduce heat to medium. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the skillet. Add minced garlic and sauté for 30 seconds until fragrant.
05 - Pour in wine or broth, lemon juice, and lemon zest. Simmer for 2 to 3 minutes while scraping up browned bits from the pan bottom until slightly reduced.
06 - Return scallops and accumulated juices to the skillet. Spoon lemon butter sauce over scallops and sprinkle with chopped parsley.
07 - Transfer to serving plates immediately and garnish with lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • Scallops cook faster than you'd think, making this feel like restaurant-quality food on a weeknight without the stress.
  • That bright lemon butter sauce is addictive and transforms the delicate sweetness of the scallops into something memorable.
02 -
  • Overcrowding the pan is the quickest way to steam scallops instead of sear them, so work in batches if you need to—patience pays off here.
  • Don't let the sauce reduce too much or it becomes one-dimensional; stop while it's still bright and lively with that sharp lemon edge.
03 -
  • Buy scallops the day you plan to cook them and ask your fishmonger if they've been treated with preservatives—untreated scallops brown better and taste cleaner.
  • If your pan isn't large enough for all the scallops at once, cook them in two batches rather than packing them in; a crowded pan steams instead of sears.
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