Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops

Cheaper than going out to a restaurant and just as good as chef made scallops! These crispy, pan seared and juicy Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops are a mouth-watering combination of zesty and buttery. Great to serve as either a starter or a main at your next dinner party. Nothing melts in your mouth quite like these tender-crisp and buttery scallops.

SCALLOPS

With so many amazing shrimp recipes on the blog like our Creamy Shrimp Pasta, Browned Butter Honey Garlic Shrimp and our Creamy Garlic Shrimp With Parmesan, I felt it was high time to shine a light on scallops, and what a recipe to kick us off! You have all been writing in to tell us how much you loved our Garlic Butter Shrimp Scampi recipe and this Lemon Garlic Butter Shrimp recipe, so we figured we would throw together a lemon garlic butter scallops recipe to shake things up.

LEMON GARLIC BUTTER SCALLOPS

Just one of the many ways we love to eat scallops! Most people are extremely intimidated by scallops, especially because of their high price tag. No one wants to spend a mint on scallops, only to have it all go hay-wire once you get them into your kitchen! That’s also the beautiful thing about scallops, they are a luxury and when done right, are decadent and indulgent. Which is why we have put together the perfect fool-proof lemon garlic butter scallops recipe for you to follow.

HOW TO PREPARE SCALLOPS

Try to find scallops without the bright orange or coral coloured crescent-shaped part still attached (or roe). The orange part can be a little bitter, however, some people do enjoy this part of the scallop. It’s personal preference. If you can only find them with the roe attached, you can always pull it off and discard it. If you have bought whole scallops, you will need to remove the roe and the muscle that attaches the scallop to the shell. For this reason, we buy frozen, wild caught scallops without the roe.

HOW TO THAW SCALLOPS

Thaw scallops in a bowl of cold water for about 10-20 minutes until thawed completely, or overnight in the refrigerator. Make sure to thoroughly pat them dry with paper towel to absorb all of the liquid before searing.

HOW TO COOK SCALLOPS

Understanding how quickly scallops cook means you’ll never be intimidated again! They only take four to five minutes to cook — that’s it! You’ll never overcook or undercook your scallops again – guaranteed.

Heat an oiled skillet or pan until it’s sizzling. Key step right here. You want them to sizzle and crisp to a golden colour on the outside. The first scallop should sizzle as soon as it hits the oil. If it doesn’t, wait and let the pan continue heating before adding any more. Use a large pan to avoid over crowding, or cook in batches to make sure they are at least 1-inch apart. Sear them without moving them for about 2-3 minutes on each side. Done! The perfect lemon garlic butter scallops!

Both sides of a scallop should be seared to a perfect golden-brown ‘crust’ with the sides opaque all the way through. They should be firm to the touch, but still slightly soft with a little bounce to them.

WHAT TO SERVE WITH SCALLOPS

What to serve with your scallops is dependent on whether your lemon garlic butter scallops are the star of the show or the appetiser. If you’re enjoying your scallops as a main, they pair well with Buttery Sautéed Green Beans, Lemon Garlic and Asparagus Salad or some Browned Butter Mashed Potatoes.