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Craving restaurant-worthy scallops but short on time? Look no further than this incredibly easy pan-seared scallops recipe! These tender, melt-in-your-mouth scallops are ready in just 10 minutes, perfect for a quick and delicious weeknight meal for one.
Enjoy your scallops alongside any of our tempting side dishes. Choose from smooth buttered noodles, crisp sautéed green beans, or a slice of classic French bread for a complete and satisfying meal.
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Why You’ll Love This Seared Scallops Recipe
- Fast & Easy: This recipe is ready in 10 minutes flat, making it a lifesaver for busy weeknights.
- Restaurant-Quality Scallops: Pan-searing creates a beautiful golden brown crust with a perfectly tender interior.
- Simple Ingredients: This recipe uses just a handful of fresh ingredients.
- Healthy & Light: Scallops are a great source of protein and low in calories, making them a guilt-free indulgence.
- Endless Variations: This recipe is easily customizable with different herbs, spices, and sauces.
Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this easy pan-seared scallops recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder.
- Scallops: For this recipe, a quarter-pound of sea scallops should suffice, which typically amounts to about four or five large scallops.
- Olive Oil: Extra virgin olive oil is recommended due to its high quality and rich, authentic olive flavor. It’s the least processed form, retaining more natural flavors and nutrients. However, a lighter olive oil can be used if preferred.
- Salt and Black Pepper: These seasonings bring out the scallops’ inherent sweetness. Experiment with different kinds of salt, like sea salt or smoked salt, for varied taste profiles.
- Butter: Adds a creamy, indulgent touch to the scallops. For those avoiding dairy, feel free to substitute with a dairy-free alternative.
- Lemon Wedge: This is optional, but a squeeze of fresh lemon juice adds a refreshing touch.
Recipe Variations
- Garlic Butter Scallops: Add a teaspoon of minced garlic to the pan with the butter for extra flavor.
- Herb Crusted Scallops: Chop fresh herbs like parsley, thyme, or chives and sprinkle them on the scallops before searing.
- Spicy Scallops: Add a pinch of red pepper flakes to the pan for a touch of heat.
- Lemon Butter Sauce: Once the scallops are cooked, swirl in a tablespoon of butter and a squeeze of lemon juice to create a simple sauce.
- Asian-inspired: Consider using sesame oil for searing and finish with a soy or teriyaki glaze.
Buying, Cleaning, And Cooking Scallops: A Simple Guide
Making restaurant-quality scallops at home is easier than you think! Here’s a breakdown of everything you need to know:
Buying Scallops
- Freshness is key! Look for scallops with a pearly white color, a slightly moist but firm texture, and a pleasant ocean smell. Avoid any scallops that are slimy, dried out, or have a strong fishy odor.
- Choose a reputable seafood section or fishmonger.
Cleaning Scallops
Scallops are easy to prep. Simply rinse them gently under cold water and pat them dry with a paper towel.
Cooking Scallops
The secret to perfectly cooked scallops is high heat and short cooking times. Using a combination of olive oil and butter over medium-high heat, sear the scallops quickly to create a beautiful golden crust. This seals in the tender, juicy flesh inside. Be careful not to overcook them, as they can become tough and chewy.
Wet vs. Dry Scallops
Choosing between “wet” and “dry” scallops is an important part of buying this seafood favorite. Here’s how they differ:
- Dry Scallops: These are preferred by many chefs for their superior flavor and texture. They are shucked and packed without added chemicals, and may have a slightly pink or off-white color.
- Wet Scallops: Soaked in a phosphate solution to extend shelf life, wet scallops can have a slightly diluted flavor and softer texture. They may also release more water while cooking, making it harder to achieve a good sear.
Choosing Between Wet and Dry
While dry scallops offer the best flavor and sear, wet scallops are still a good option, especially if you’re using them right away. The best way to identify the type of scallop is to ask your fishmonger or grocery store employee.
How To Pan Sear Scallops
These step-by-step photos and instructions help you visualize how to cook sea scallops. See the recipe box below for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions.
- Begin by arranging the scallops on a plate lined with paper towels. Use additional paper or cloth towels to pat the scallops dry gently. This step is crucial for achieving a good sear since damp scallops won’t brown properly in the pan.
- Season one side of the scallops with salt and pepper while they’re still on the paper towel. I prefer to season the other side when I flip them in the pan.
- Heat a skillet over medium-high heat and add olive oil. I use half a tablespoon of oil for a 6.5-inch skillet. For a larger skillet, increase the oil to a full tablespoon.
- Once the oil is heated, place the scallops in the skillet, seasoned side down. The scallops should sizzle immediately upon contact—if not, the pan isn’t hot enough yet. Be sure to leave enough space between the scallops to ensure even cooking. As they cook, season the second side of the scallops. Allow the scallops to sear undisturbed for 2 minutes on the first side, which will achieve a deeper golden-brown crust than the second side.
- Carefully flip each scallop using tongs. If the scallops are sticking to the skillet, give them another moment or two—they will release from the pan when they’re ready to be flipped. Add butter and cook for another minute. As the butter melts, baste the scallops with it, which will start to brown and lend a wonderful nuttiness to the sauce.
- Remove the scallops from the skillet using tongs and serve immediately.
Optional: For an additional burst of flavor, consider adding a bit of lemon juice and freshly chopped parsley to your seared scallops before enjoying them.
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Expert Tips
- Dry the Scallops Well: Make sure your scallops are really dry before you cook them. This helps them get a nice, crispy outside.
- Heat the Pan First: Get your pan hot before you put the scallops in. This helps them get a golden color.
- Don’t Put Too Many in the Pan: Give each scallop some space in the pan. If they’re too close together, they’ll steam instead of sear.
- Flip Only Once: Let them cook on one side until they’re crusty, then flip them just once to get the same on the other side.
Frequently Asked Questions
Scallops have a mildly sweet taste, much like lobster, and are full of rich flavor. You don’t need many to enjoy their taste. When cooked correctly, scallops become soft and tender, almost melting in your mouth. This makes them a delightful and satisfying choice for a meal.
Yes, but make sure to thaw the scallops in the refrigerator and pat them dry before searing.
A cast iron skillet is great for searing scallops because it retains and distributes heat really well, which helps in getting that golden-brown crust. But if you don’t have a cast iron skillet, you can still sear scallops in other pans. For a single serving, a small 6.5-inch cast iron skillet works best as it’s the right size for cooking a few scallops to just the right level of doneness.
Yes, but a cast iron or stainless steel skillet can yield a better crust.
When searing scallops, I prefer using both olive oil and butter. Olive oil offers a high smoke point for achieving a nice sear without burning, but lacks rich flavor. To compensate, I add butter after flipping the scallops. Our method combines the best of both worlds, resulting in perfectly seared scallops with a decadent buttery finish.
In total, cook the scallops for about 5 minutes. Sear them undisturbed for 2 minutes on one side, then gently flip them and cook for another minute or so, until desired doneness is reached.
Knowing when your pan-seared sea scallops are done is simple: look for a golden brown color on both sides and an opaque center (no translucence). If they’re sticking to the pan, give them a moment to finish searing for easier flipping. This ensures a delicious sear and perfectly cooked, juicy scallops.
Ways To Use Leftover Ingredients
If you have any ingredients leftover from this recipe, check out our Leftover Ingredients Recipe Finder or you might like to consider using them in any of these single serving and small batch recipes:
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Pan Seared Scallops For One
Equipment
Ingredients
- 5 large sea scallops (approximately 4 to 5-ounces)
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt -divided
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper -divided
- ½ tablespoon olive oil
- ½ tablespoon salted butter
Instructions
- Put the scallops on a plate lined with paper towels. Dry them well and season one side with half of the salt and half of the pepper.
- Heat a small skillet over medium-high heat for 30 seconds. Add olive oil. When the oil is hot and shimmery, put the scallops in, seasoned side down, and cook for 2 minutes without moving them until golden brown.
- Season the other side of the scallops with the remaining salt and pepper. Flip the scallops using tongs only when they release easily from the pan. Note: If the scallops stick to the skillet, they're not ready to be turned yet. Leave them for another moment or two. When they are ready to be turned, they will let go of the pan.
- Add butter to the skillet and cook the scallops for another 60 to 90 seconds until they are opaque in the center.
- Remove the scallops with tongs and serve immediately.
Notes
- Dry the Scallops Well: Make sure your scallops are really dry before you cook them. This helps them get a nice, crispy outside.
- Heat the Pan First: Get your pan hot before you put the scallops in. This helps them get a golden color.
- Don’t Put Too Many in the Pan: Give each scallop some space in the pan. If they’re too close together, they’ll steam instead of sear.
- Flip Only Once: Let them cook on one side until they’re crusty, then flip them just once to get the same on the other side.
Nutrition
The information shown is an estimate provided by an online nutrition calculator. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Such a wonderful recipe for tasty restaurant worthy scallops! I had stopped buying them because other recipes did not come out well and they’re expensive even buying just for one person. The notes at the end really are great; I used an 8.5″ skillet and would not have increased the oil & butter amount if not for the notes and I think that really helped make this the only successful seared scallop recipe that I have used in many, many years.
Thank you so much for recipes for one or two people. I am so tired of leftovers so I appreciate you scaling down recipes for single serve.
What size cast iron pan is best to buy for searing sea scalllops for 2?
Thank you.
You can really use any size cast iron skillet. I use a 6.5-inch which works very well for searing a small amount of scallops and it’s also a size that is used in many of our other recipes.
Just made your Baked Shrimp recipe last night…..absolutely scrumptious! And so easy!
Looking forward to trying this scallop recipe. However, I prefer bay scallops, bottom or off-bottom cultured, if I can find them; sometimes this can’t be determined. Many scallops are harvested by towed dredging, causing environmental concern because of concurrent damage to other species of seafood.
I’m not much of a seafood lover but these looked so delicious I had to try them. OMG, they were out of this world! I’ve only ever had the bay scallops wrapped in bacon, appetizer style. But I will definitely make these again, maybe even for company. The best part – searing them in butter after turning them which was the finishing touch.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the scallops, Jan!
The only additional spice that I add is a pinch of a good quality paprika to each scallop. This gives a deeper color to the sear and doesn’t mask the sweet scallop flavor.
Sounds wonderful. Thank you for your feedback.