Description
A quick and elegant Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops recipe featuring perfectly seared scallops glazed with a zesty lemon and garlic butter sauce, garnished with fresh parsley. Ideal for a flavorful and impressive seafood dish ready in under 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Scale
Seafood
- 1 lb large sea scallops, patted dry
Cooking Fats
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
Flavorings
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- Juice of 1 lemon
- Zest of 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley, chopped
Seasoning
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Prepare scallops: Pat the scallops thoroughly dry using paper towels to ensure a good sear and season both sides evenly with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
- Heat skillet and oil: Place a large skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. Heat until the oil shimmers but does not smoke to create the perfect searing temperature.
- Sear scallops: Arrange the scallops in a single layer in the skillet without overcrowding. Sear them for 2 to 3 minutes on each side until they develop a beautiful golden crust. Once seared, remove them from the skillet and set aside.
- Sauté garlic in butter: Reduce the heat to medium and add unsalted butter and minced garlic to the skillet. Sauté for about 1 minute until the garlic is fragrant but not browned.
- Add lemon juice and zest: Pour in the fresh lemon juice and zest, stirring the mixture and scraping up any tasty browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan for extra flavor.
- Glaze scallops: Return the scallops to the skillet and spoon the lemon garlic butter sauce over them to coat thoroughly and warm through briefly.
- Serve and garnish: Remove the skillet from heat. Garnish the scallops with freshly chopped parsley and serve immediately, ideally accompanied by crusty bread or your favorite pasta.
Notes
- Patting the scallops dry is crucial for a good sear and to avoid steaming them.
- Do not overcrowd the skillet when searing scallops to ensure they caramelize properly.
- Use fresh lemon juice and zest for the best citrus flavor.
- Serve immediately to enjoy the scallops at their optimal tenderness and flavor.
- This dish pairs wonderfully with a side of pasta or a crisp green salad.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Keywords: lemon garlic butter scallops, seared scallops, seafood dinner, easy scallop recipe, quick seafood dish
