Kitchen notes · a little help before you start
Pan Seared Scallops (With Garlic Butter)
A browned crust gives way to the soft center of each scallop, with garlic butter pooling around the edges. Fresh herbs and lemon keep the richness lively. It is a small plate of food with plenty to enjoy in every buttery bite.
- Prep
- 5 min
- Cook
- 5 min
- Total
- 10 min
- Original yield
- Serves 4
- Ingredients
- 9 listed
Make it part of your week
Recipe categories & planning details
- Meal type
- Main course
- Primary protein
- Seafood
- Cuisine
- American
- Preparation & total time
- Prep: 15 minutes or less · Total: 30 minutes or less
A few quick notes
1. Dry the scallops
Pat the scallops dry before seasoning so their surfaces can form a crust in the hot oil.
2. Keep them separate
Place the scallops in one layer with space between them, then leave them alone during the first sear.
3. Butter after flipping
Turn the scallops before adding pieces of garlic herb butter around them, ready for basting as they finish.
Get to know the ingredients
Sea scallops
Use large sea scallops and thaw frozen ones in the refrigerator before patting them dry for the pan.
Softened butter
Softened salted butter is easier to mash with the garlic and herbs before the scallops go into the skillet.
Lemon juice
The lemon juice may stay slightly separate when mixed with the butter; that is fine for this mixture.
Let’s make it
Choose your servings, then check things off as you go.
Original recipe: Serves 4. Original quantities shown.
Check ingredients as you prepare them. These checks stay on this page.
How to make it
0 of 5 steps completeMake room for Pan Seared Scallops (With Garlic Butter)
Review ingredients in your pantry before anything is added. Meal plans use your household size; grocery-only additions use the servings selected above.
The last little job
Baste as they finish
Spoon the melted garlic herb butter over the scallops occasionally as their second sides develop a crust.
A little more help as you go
Look for shimmering oil
Heat the olive oil until it shimmers before adding the scallops to the cast iron skillet.
Mix the butter first
Prepare the garlic herb butter before searing and keep it close by for the moment you turn the scallops.
A few questions you might have
Should the scallops touch in the skillet?
Keep them in a single layer without touching so each scallop has room to sear against the pan.
When should I flip the scallops?
Leave the first side undisturbed for two to three minutes, until a crust forms on the bottom.
Does the lemon need to mix fully into the butter?
No. It is fine if the lemon juice does not fully incorporate when you mash the garlic herb butter.
When do I add the garlic butter?
Add it in pieces around the scallops immediately after flipping them, then baste occasionally as they cook.
How long does the second side cook?
Sear the second side for another two to three minutes, until it has a crust and the scallops are cooked through.
Storage & reheating safety
For cooked, perishable leftovers, refrigerate within 2 hours (1 hour above 90°F), using shallow containers for prompt cooling. Keep the refrigerator at 40°F or below, use refrigerated leftovers within 3–4 days, and reheat hot leftovers to 165°F, checked with a food thermometer. Follow any shorter package limit.
These are general safety limits, not a tested storage or freezing recommendation for this particular dish. USDA leftovers guidance · Safe cooking temperatures
Recipe source: wholesomeyum.com. Ingredient names and quantities may be adapted for the pantry.
Preparation notes follow the recipe shown here.
