Description
Tender lemon butter scallops emerge as a quick restaurant-quality seafood delight that delivers pure coastal elegance right to your dinner table. Crispy golden edges and silky centers make this dish a foolproof way to impress dinner guests without complicated techniques.
Ingredients
Scale
Proteins:
- 1 lb fresh sea scallops
Fats and Seasonings:
- 4 tablespoons (½ stick) unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic
- Salt and pepper
Herbs and Citrus:
- 2 medium lemons
- 2 tablespoons fresh parsley
Instructions
- Carefully rinse 1 lb sea scallops under cold water, then thoroughly pat each scallop completely dry with paper towels to ensure perfect searing.
- Place a nonstick skillet on medium-high heat and melt 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter until it starts to sizzle gently.
- Arrange scallops in a single layer across the skillet, ensuring they do not touch each other for even 2-3 minute browning on each side.
- Reduce heat to medium-low and add 3 minced garlic cloves and remaining 2 tablespoons (28 grams) butter, creating a fragrant sauce for 30 seconds.
- Squeeze juice from 1 whole lemon directly over scallops while they simmer, then sprinkle the zest from the same lemon across the pan.
- Gently toss 2 tablespoons fresh chopped parsley into the skillet, coating your scallops with bright herbal flavor.
- Transfer scallops to serving plates, drizzling the pan’s lemon-butter sauce evenly over each portion for maximum flavor distribution.
Notes
- Pat scallops completely dry with paper towels to ensure a perfect golden-brown sear and prevent steaming.
- Use a stainless steel or cast iron skillet instead of nonstick for an even crispier exterior and beautiful caramelization.
- Cook scallops quickly over high heat and avoid moving them around, which helps develop a delicious crunchy crust.
- For a gluten-free version, replace butter with ghee or olive oil and ensure all ingredients are certified gluten-free.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 7 minutes
- Category: Sautéed
- Method: Sautéing
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4
- Calories: 246 kcal
- Sugar: 1 g
- Sodium: 185 mg
- Fat: 14 g
- Saturated Fat: 8 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 5 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 3 g
- Fiber: 1 g
- Protein: 20 g
- Cholesterol: 85 mg