These pan seared scallops are super easy to make at home with a delightfully golden crust on absolutely tasty restaurant-quality scallops! Cooking your sea scallops to perfection is much easier than you think! They are a real treat to enjoy on special occasions, date nights, or when entertaining guests!
Perfect Pan-Seared Scallops
There's a reason these golden beauties are a select offering at fine dining restaurants! The supremely tender, slightly sweet, and to-die-for delicious pan-seared scallops are the most amazing seafood to enjoy when cooked correctly!
But did you know that they're incredibly easy to cook to restaurant-quality at home too?! They are! It's true.
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Plus, they are literally ready in 10 minutes. Start to finish! You'll spend more time on the sides. 🙂
Now that you're ready to serve up your own perfectly pan-seared scallops, be sure to check out 'What to Serve with Scallops' too! Seriously, all I need are these scallops with some Parmesan risotto and drawn butter. Yum!!
🥘 Pan-Seared Scallops Ingredients
Quality ingredients matter in this decadent dish! You're only using a handful of ingredients, so make sure your grab high-quality ones!
- Sea Scallops - 6-10 sea scallops. Nice, plump sea scallops will be needed for this appetizer or entree. You can read all about selecting quality scallops for searing in my guide.
- Cooking Oil - 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Use a good quality cooking oil with a high smoke point that will match your planned meal. If serving your scallops with risotto, definitely stick with olive oil for great-tasting scallops! *I mention this because most of the flavorless cooking oils are not ones that I would use for cooking scallops.
- Salt & Pepper - ½ teaspoon of both salt and pepper to taste. I prefer to season my scallops solely with salt when finishing them with butter and lemon zest. Do use both salt and pepper if that is your preference.
- Butter - 1 tablespoon of butter. A better quality butter is definitely a big plus with scallops! Think rich, creamy European butter or Ghee (clarified butter) for your basting.
- Lemon - ½ of a lemon. Zest half a lemon then save it to squeeze into the butter sauce when finishing the scallops. The combination is divine!
*Be sure to see the free printable recipe card below for ingredients, exact amounts & instructions with tips!*
🔪 How To Pan Sear Scallops
Super fast to make, but easy to ruin. See my tip section to make sure you get them right! A cast-iron skillet does a great job of caramelizing your scallops! However, any good heavy-bottomed skillet or frying pan will do the job!
This recipe is for 2 servings, but you can easily scale the ingredients to make more!
- Prep the scallops. Prepare 6-10 scallops by making sure they are as dry as you can get them. If you are thawing frozen scallops, allow them to thaw completely. Also, set the scallops at room temperature for about 30 minutes. This will help the scallops to cook quickly and evenly.
- Preheat. Preheat your skillet, cast-iron skillet, or non-stick frying pan to medium-high heat with 1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. The oil should shimmer when ready to add the scallops.
- Season. Season the scallops with ½ teaspoon of both salt and pepper, then place the seasoned side down in your preheated skillet. Leave spacing between the scallops for the best sear. Then season the upward-facing side of the scallops.
- Sear. Cook the scallops for 2 minutes on the first side. You should see a golden crust forming on the bottom surface of your scallops.
- Flip. Using tongs, flip the scallops and cook the second side for an additional minute.
- Baste. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice, then baste (arroser) the scallops by spooning the melted butter over the tops of each scallop.
Serve with more lemon wedges and garnish with lemon zest and fresh parsley! Pair this with some Parmesan risotto for a satisfying meal! Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- There are a couple of things to note before starting, and these will help to prevent any mistakes! Firstly, you want your pan and oil to be fully heated. The oil should not only be shimmering but also on the verge of smoking. If not actually smoking a bit.
- Secondly, you want to place your scallops with enough room between them so that they can cook evenly. Crowded scallops will tend to boil more than sear. We don't want this!
- Once cooked, it is important to not only remove your pan from heat but also to transfer the scallops to your serving plate. *The heat from the pan will continue to cook the scallops if set aside.
- And last but definitely NOT LEAST. Do not move your scallops while they are cooking. The searing process would be interrupted if you wanted to move or check your scallops during the cooking time. Plus, your seared meats will release from the cooking surface when they are done. Trust the process.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
Keep your pan-seared scallops in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating Scallops
You won't want to use the microwave to reheat your scallops as it could overcook them. Instead, add a small amount of extra virgin olive oil to a skillet over medium-low heat. Reheat the scallops for about one minute per side.
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❓ FAQ
Nothing is worse than overcooked scallops, so make sure to take them off of the heat and remove them from the pan when they are done! You'll know they are perfectly cooked when they have a golden crust and are opaque with a center that is somewhat translucent. They should also be firm to the touch.
Scallops are a very quick-cooking meal. The first side will cook for about 2 minutes and the second side will cook for approximately 1 minute more. Be careful not to overcook them!
If you've ever taken a look at the packaging on scallops, you might have noticed that they are commonly labeled as either wet or dry. Wet scallops have been soaked in a preservative, which causes them to absorb more water. As a result, they shrink when cooked and are hard to get a golden crust on. The preservative can also make them taste slightly off.
Dry scallops have not been treated with anything and have a better flavor. You should always opt for using dry scallops!
🥗 Side Dishes For Scallops
I have a ton of great options for what to serve with scallops. Here are a few to make your dinner even better.
- Steak Bite Tips - Sirloin steak tips are cooked with fresh herbs and basted with butter for an out-of-this-world flavor!
- Zucchini & Yellow Squash - This simple squash side dish is the perfect vegetable companion for your scallops!
- Sauteed Asparagus - Asparagus and cherry tomatoes are sauteed together with some garlic and herbs and then topped with Parmesan cheese!
- Pesto Pasta - Pesto sauce can be added to any of your favorite pasta dishes!
- Asian Cucumber Salad - This cool and refreshing cucumber salad is packed with so much flavor!
- Cream Cheese Pasta - Adding cream cheese to this pasta dish always makes a ridiculously rich and creamy meal!
📋 Recipe
Pan Seared Scallops
Ingredients
- 6-10 sea scallops
- 1 tablespoon olive oil (extra virgin)
- ½ teaspoon each, salt & pepper (to taste)
- 1 tablespoon butter
- ½ lemon (zested and squeezed)
Instructions
- Preheat your skillet, non-stick frying pan, or cast-iron skillet to medium-high heat with olive oil. Your oil should begin to shimmer and start to smoke at this heat when it is ready for the scallops.
- Rinse and pat the sea scallops dry. You want them to be as dry as possible for the best sear.
- Season the dry scallops with salt and pepper right before placing them into your preheated skillet. Place the scallops with the seasoned side down, leaving spacing between the scallops. Then season the upward-facing side of the scallops.
- Sear the scallops for 2 minutes without moving the scallops. *This interrupts the searing.
- Use tongs to flip the scallops and sear the second side for 1 minute.
- Add the butter and a squeeze of lemon, then spoon the melted butter over the searing scallops in the last minute of cooking time.
- Once the second side is seared, remove the scallops from the skillet and transfer them to plates to serve. Garnish with zested lemon and parsley.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
- There are a couple of things to note before starting, and these will help to prevent any mistakes! Firstly, you want your pan and oil to be fully heated. The oil should not only be shimmering but also on the verge of smoking. If not actually smoking a bit.
- Secondly, you want to place your scallops with enough room between them so that they can cook evenly. Crowded scallops will tend to boil more than sear. We don't want this!
- Once cooked, it is important to not only remove your pan from heat but also to transfer the scallops to your serving plate. *The heat from the pan will continue to cook the scallops if set aside.
- And last but definitely NOT LEAST. Do not move your scallops while they are cooking. The searing process would be interrupted if you wanted to move or check your scallops during the cooking time. Plus, your seared meats will release from the cooking surface when they are done. Trust the process.
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Deb J says
My scallops didn't sear. Instead, after they were thawed, dried, and let come to room temperature, they cooked in the hot oil and exuded water. Therefore the boiled themselves. Tasty, okay, but disappointing.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
This is an issue with many packaged scallops; they are packed with water. See my scallops guide here.
To help the scallops wick away the excess liquid, salt the packaged scallops and set them out on a paper towel-lined plate.
William B says
Turned out perfect, so good!
Anonymous says
so crispy!
Michael says
Amazing scallops, done so easily in a pan. Made these for the wife tonight, she loved em' wow!
Anonymous says
Most invigorating dish
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
Thank you! I love pan searing scallops for the best delightfully tender scallops every time! It's my no-fail go-to!!