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Learn how to make perfectly seared scallops with this easy recipe! You only need 5 simple ingredients to make this impressive recipe. Perfect for Valentine’s Day or any special occasion!
How to cook Scallops
Scallops are one of those things that are SO simple to cook, and yet, so simple to screw up. I have to admit I botched a few batches myself back in the day (it was like eating rubber!), but with their hefty price tag, I quickly made it my mission to learn the key to a perfectly seared scallop. And by perfect, I mean a scallop with a flavorful crust and an interior so tender it basically melts in your mouth. That’s perfection!The good thing about this whole post is that perfectly seared scallops are easy as 1-2-3. I totally was going to type “easy as pie”, but ya know, these little guys are so much easier than that whole situation 😉
The first thing you want to do is make sure you have good quality scallops. I know they’re pricey, but I think that if you’re going to put in the effort – especially with seafood – freshness and quality are always key. So get the best you can.
Once you’ve selected your scallops, all you need to do is pat them dry, sprinkle them well with salt and pepper (freshly grated is always the best!), and toss them in a buttered hot skillet.
Now! Here’s where you need to pay attention – do not over cook these babies! I repeat: DO NOT OVERCOOK. Pardon the yelling; but that part is so crucial!!!
Oh, and serve these sensational scallops right away!!! They shouldn’t wait more than a few minutes before entering a mouth. And just a heads up – they always taste best fresh from the skillet, so I’d suggest stealing one or two straight from the pan before serving 😉
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Scallop Recipes
- Pan-Seared Scallops with Lemon Caper Sauce
- Honey-Glazed Scallops
- Pan-Seared Scallops with Tomatoes, Olives, and Capers
Perfectly Seared Scallops
Ingredients
- 1 pound sea scallops, patted dry
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Freshly ground sea salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- Lemon for squeezing, optional
Instructions
- Remove tiny side muscle from the scallops if they have them, then rinse with cold water and pat dry with a paper towel.
- Add the butter and oil to a large saute pan over high heat.
- Generously salt and pepper the scallops. Once the butter/oil combo begins to smoke, gently add the scallops, making sure they are not touching. Sear scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side - not touching them at all while they're searing. The scallops should have a nice golden crust on each side and be translucent in the center. Serve right away!!!
Scallops are one of my all-time favorite foods, especially if they’re cooked perfectly with that golden brown crust. Yours look great. YUM!
I don’t normally make comments, but this recipe is the bomb! I followed the directions as written and used a cast iron frying pan. I thoroughly dried the scallops using paper towels. Cooking on Hi was not an issue. My husband loved it and I’m looking forward to making this dish again. Thanks for the recipe!
It is the bomb. Have used it for years courtesy of Alton Brown 2005.
Nice sauce made of a reduction of coconut milk,lime juice,lime zest and jerk seasoning until thickened. Lay seared scallops on top. Enjoy
Sauce is also great with ANY seared fish. Add a bit of sugar to whatever seasoning you are using for fish so you get a nice crisp crust on fish. When it marries with sauce it’s Amazing
Thanks for the hint!!! I’m going to add sugar the next time I glaze fish!
2020 and I’m still using this recipe
I gave up on scallops years ago because they always came out of the pan tasting like an old tire. But you make it seem to simple! Obviously, I am going to have to give it another shot.
You are over cooking them if the taste like tires ! 1 1/2 minutes, 2. Tops on each side and they will be perfect ! Do not overlook !
YES!!! done right they are sooooo delicious. I add garlic powder to mine……No tire-taste at MY house!
I need to try scollops! These look so good!
SCALLOPS ARE DELICIOUS WHEN COOKED RIGHT I WILL HAVE TO TRY THIS
These certainly look perfect, love the golden sear!
I love how simple these are! We usually steam our scallops, but I’ll definitely have to try searing them next time. 🙂
I was JUST putting together some blog post ideas for scallops. These look seriously perfect, perfectly seared, perfectly brown — just perfect. I agree– you MUST invest in good quality scallops, none of that watery crap will suffice!
Yes……Use SEA scallops, NOT BAY!!!
whats the difference between bay & sea scallops?? mine just say natural & are frozen. please email to [email protected]
tanya
Bay scallops are smaller and thinner. Sea scallops are about the size of a silver dollar and about 1/2 to 3/4 of an inch thick. Mush better than bay.
I have never tried cooking scallops!! I would probably screw them up…I guess there is a first time for everything.
Drool, drool, drool. I LOVE scallops and these are perfectly seared! They look so succulent!
literally want to eat those scallops right off the screen – my favorite seafood and it looks amazing!!!
I looooove seared scallops. When done right, they are definitely one of my favorite things to eat. I have been wanting to make my own for a long time, but I’m always nervous they won’t turn out. These look beeeautiful my friend, and so simple!
I tried scallops for the first time earlier this month, and I am now obsessed! I can’t wait to try your method of cooking them
they look fabulous. I too have tried many times making the perfect scallop & failed. You have given me the urge to give it another shot……Thanks from one scallop lover to another.
Hi Debbie. I know how frustrating it can be to fail at a recipe. I hope you’ll give this cooking method a shot. It’s pretty foolproof! And absolutely delicious. They two real keys are a super hot pan and not overcooking them. Good luck!
What about the butter? It will brown and burn at a high temp. Is that what it is supposed to do?
Hi Patti! They will not burn. They will brown on each side though, keeping the inside nice and tender 🙂 I hope that helps!
Steam them? OMG!
Can FROZEN s scallops work ????? Have a motor large ones that came FROZEN ?
Yes! I get the best, largest scallops I can get, and they work BEAUTIFULLY! If there is leftover juice in the pan, add lemon juice to it.
The addition of the oil will keep the butter from burning.
Would you put the stove on medium heat or medium high?
Hi Allison. You should put the skillet/pan over high heat. Just be sure to use a heavy bottomed skillet or pan 🙂 You want it very hot!!!!
Are you using a non stick skillet (saute pan) or a cast iron skillet?
Hi Mary Ann! I use my cast iron skillet.
I love scallops!! This is the only way they should be prepared. This recipe is classic money!
No one discussed one of THE key instructions. Recipe says to pat them dry. LOL
I fold about 9 layers of paper towel for the top and bottom when I cook a pound. I put them in a single layer between the paper towels and PRESS like the dickens, and then I set another plate on top weighted down with cans, for a bit. This step is very important, to minimize any water leaching out and ruining the quick cook/browning of the scallop.
I absolutely love scallops but up until now I’ve been completely unable to cook them properly. I screw them up every single time. I’m really hoping that this post help. Thanks!
Hi Charlotte! Just be sure to REALLY dry them, and get that skillet SIZZLING hot 😉 xo
This recipe is awesome. Scallop are great seared
To sear, they must be “dry packed” scallops which are not that easy to come by. Ask your fish guy. The other wet pak scallops will emit moisture while cooking and won’t sear until that moisture dries out and then the scallop is overdone. Dry packs are way more money but totally worth it.
I love scallops. But the how do you get rid of the grit. I rinse mine very well and still have a gritty bite at times
Liked your recipes however will never use your site again. So many popup ads I couldn’t read anything. One of the most annoying sites I have ever used
Hi Phil. I actually do not have any popup ads on my blog. However I do have a tune-up bar on the top, which is easily clicked out of. Other than that, all of my ads are silent and on the sidebar.
I did not get any pop ups
It sounds like you have been attacked by adware… same thing happened to me a few months ago.. this site doesn’t have pop ups for me… some other sites do, but not this one. I had to take my computer in for a checkup before it was even usable… very frustrating it was!
Hi Lori. Thank you for your thoughtful comment 🙂 I strive to keep this site as basic with ads as possible, and although the pop-ups pay big $, I don’t place them on this site because they are annoying as heck! Hopefully Mr.Phil gets the adware fixed soon so he can start surfing pop-up free 😉 xo
Alton Brown/ Food Network 2005. They do come out perfect every time!
Just curious, why would post Alton Browns recipe on her website? Did you even try the recipe? Or are you just being rude??
wow,, looks so simple.. I see these WONDERFUL large scallops at SAMs club.. want them sooo bad..ha but soo afraid to try and cook them. You have given me some confidence. I think I”m gonna try!!!!!.
Hi Terri. It really is so simple! I make them all the time (well… at least as often as I allow myself to splurge on scallops!). I hope you give them a go 🙂 xo
best shellfish in the world, amazing dusted in a littlesuperfine crumb of Hazelnuts, maldon and black pepper, super hot pan, tiny drizzle of rapeseed oil, butter, quick sear and serve with ginger and garlic aioli, rocket and lime wedge, mouth watering!!
Ooooh that does sound mouth watering!
Ooh, that’s what I was waiting for- an idea for a dipping sauce!
Hi Deb. These are so flavorful I normally don’t dip them in anything, but I think a simple garlic aioli or even cocktail sauce would be lovely 🙂
Hi there! This recipe looks amazing. I couldn’t find the link for your cast iron suggestion. Could you leave a comment please? I know I need one now because I definitely have to give this recipe a try. 🙂
Hi Casey! The link is right below the instructions in the recipe box above the comments. Let me know if you still can’t find it and I’ll send it to you another way 😉 xo
I’m surprised you didn’t talk about the importance of getting dry-packed scallops. Here in the midwest, most frozen scallops, even expensive ones, are wet-packed in a solution. Patting the outside of them off is uselless. Unless you blot them on towels for 24 hrs, changing the towels several times during that period, they will not sear, only poach.
This is exactly the way my mom used to cook them and in an iron skillet. We got them fresh, straight off the boat because my brother and brother-in-law both were commercial fishermen and Captains of scallop fishing boats in New England. They are melt in your mouth delicious!
There is nothing like scallops fresh off the boat 🙂 We buy them from our farmer’s market stand where they’re caught daily – SO delicious.
So what do you do with the little side muscles?
You just discard them 😉
Your recipe is great! I too saw the Alton Brown show on scallops. I don’t get dry scallops and I blot them lightly with paper towel, salt and pepper them and dredge lightly through flout. Very hot oil, sear outside turn and take up. Then add butter pats and boil water out and brown solids for a poring sauce. Where did all these people find all these problems? Oh yes, pull off the side muscle, It could possibly contain sand.
Looks delish but unfortunately the instructions aren’t great. What tempature do you cook them at i.e. Medium low, Medium high, high? Also, on average how long do you cook them on each side? What are you looking for to know they aren’t under or overlooked? This recipe is too vague..
Hi Lauren. Did you scroll all the way to the bottom of the post and read the recipe? All of the information you mentioned above can be found there.
Are you serious now? I can’t count the times she has said HIGH HEAT…1 1/2 minutes per side and only 2 mins max per side to protect the texture of the inside. I’m blown away that you thought you should launch a scud at this very patient chef/teacher. Read. It does wonders. It’s frustrating to see all of these comments and I’m not even the author!
Do you have to use unsalted butter?or can you use salted?
Do you have to use unsalted butter? Or can you use salted?..also what if i don’t have a cast iron skillet can i use a stainless steel?
I have never eaten or made scallops until just now using this recipe. Pretty good! I tried them because the amount of calories!!!
I did I this recipe it was turned out fantastic my husband wanted me to make more . The recipe you posted was so easy and I k ow I will be making this again for my family . Thank you so much..
Jackie.
This scallop recipe was amazing!
I have a cast iron skillet but I’m also wondering if you’ve tried the same recipe in a high quality stainless steel skillet and if so what were the results.
This is a great way to cook scallops! We use a couple Tablespoons of coleslaw dressing mixing in a teaspoon of yellow mustard for our sauce. Sounds weird, I know, but we like it.
I used my cast iron pan and still this recipe wasn’t very good- definitely didn’t get seared or crispy at all won’t make again
Did you heat it sufficiently so that water droplets popped/bounced? Once it’s there, add butter and oil and then the scallops. If they never got crispy, the temp was too low or they were too wet.
I dip my scallops in egg/lemon juice and gently roll in Italian bread crumbs seasoned with a little garlic and Parmesan cheese. Gives them a light crust but oh so tasty.
OMG….this was the best recipe. Super easy…super quick and unbelievably delicious. I was grilling steaks for hubby’s birthday and decided to add scallops when I saw they were on sale. Found this recipe but he wasn’t keen on the idea. I cooked them anyway. When he saw them, he changed him mind!!!! They looked perfect and they tasted divine!!! Thank you so much for sharing this!!
My husband and I LOVE this recipe! We use it for almost every special occasion. To the point that we hardly ever go out for dinner because we would both rather just have seared scallops. And this recipe is perfect, the scallops come out buttery in texture and flavor and perfectly seasoned every time. Thank you!
These look and sound delicious. Hubby and I always have a seafood meal on Christmas day. Our children spend the day with their family. We have our family celebration later. I had given up on having scallops because they always taste terrible, I can’t wait to try these.
What is the best way to thaw scallops once frozen?
I planned to cook them straight away, but life forced me to freeze them…
Thank you in advance
@bakerbynature Those scallops look devine!! I have made scallops before and they were just so-so. I believe it definitely would have an impact on them being much better if I bought the dry-packed scallops instead of wet-packed ones. I cannot wait to try your recipe! Thank you so much!!
These scallops were amazing!!
This recipe is so easy, quick and delicious! It will be part of the Father’s day meal I am making for my husband tonight
This is the recipe for bay scallops that I have been looking for! Simple. Delicious! Thanks.
Just made these for dinner. They were delicious! Even my husband commented on how good they were, and he doesn’t do that too often.
What would you serve with these scallops? Will be making them this weekend!
What do you think if I lightly dusted them with cornstarch? I serve mine with asparagus when it’s in season. Today I’m going to pair them with sauteed yellow squash, onions, portobello mushrooms and couscous with carmelized onions. SO yummy! I prepare my sides first and keep them warm so that the last thing I do is sear the scallops and serve it all immediately! Thank you for your recipe!
These scollops were THE BEST!!! Thank you for sharing this. We love scollops, but they are pricie but now they aren’t, by fixing them at home! THANKS again. JoAnne
The BEST I’ve ever made ! Thank-you!
Fantastic. I made before but never were this good. you just need to stay on top of every detail just like you mentioned. timing was perfect. Will be making more often now. Delicious!!!,
This recipe is so easy, quick and delicious! It will be part of the Father’s day meal I am making for my husband tonight