Garlic Lemon Scallops – Easy Garlic Butter Recipe
Garlic Lemon Scallops are large sea scallops quickly seared in garlic butter.Cook the scallops until golden and opaque, then remove them from the skillet.Finish the butter with fresh lemon juice, salt and pepper, then spoon over the scallops.
Ingredients
- - ¾ cup butter
- - 3 tablespoons minced garlic
- - 2 pounds large sea scallops
- - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
- - 1 teaspoon salt
- - ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Gather and measure all the ingredients. Pat the sea scallops thoroughly dry with paper towels to remove excess surface moisture.
- Melt the butter in a large skillet over medium heat.
- Add the minced garlic and cook briefly, stirring frequently, until fragrant. Avoid letting the garlic brown too much.
- Arrange the scallops in the skillet in a single layer, leaving a little room between them.
- Cook without moving them for about 2 minutes, or until the bottoms develop a beautiful golden color.
- Turn each scallop carefully with tongs. Cook for approximately another 2 minutes, until the scallops are opaque and just cooked through.
- Transfer the cooked scallops to a serving platter, leaving the garlic butter in the skillet.
- Whisk the fresh lemon juice, salt, and black pepper into the warm butter.
- Spoon the lemon garlic butter sauce generously over the Garlic Lemon Scallops and serve warm.
Notes
For the best results, choose large sea scallops that look plump and fresh. Smaller scallops will cook more quickly and may not develop the same substantial golden exterior.
You can replace some of the butter with olive oil for a slightly lighter sauce. Fresh parsley, oregano, or a small pinch of paprika can also be added for another layer of flavor.
Serve these garlic butter scallops with steamed rice, roasted potatoes, pasta, sautéed vegetables, asparagus, or a crisp green salad. Crusty bread is another delicious option for soaking up the extra lemon garlic butter.