Seared scallops with a delicious lemon garlic sauce. For maximum flavor and texture, I brine them first. After a brief sear, I make a simple pan sauce using all the amazing flavors leftover. It’s a gourmet meal all made in one pan!
Let’s forgo expensive restaurants and make elegant seared scallops right at home. Often times it can be a bit intimidating to tackle seafood, but I’m going to break down the process and show you how to do it. It’s not as hard as it seems. I’ve added in one extra simple step to ensure that scallops are super flavorful and don’t dry out.
I find that a brine enhances the naturally sweet and light saltwater flavor of scallops. To get a nice caramelized surface, we’re going to thoroughly dry the scallops then sear in a hot pan without moving them. A creamy lemon garlic sauce is made right in the same skillet for extra flavor to drizzle on top.
How to cook seared scallops
- Brine scallops in salt water.
- Dry scallops with paper towels.
- Heat a large pan with olive oil.
- Sear scallops for 3 minutes.
- Flip and baste with butter.
- Remove scallops and saute garlic.
- Add lemon juice and zest.
- Turn off heat, whisk in mustard and cream.
- Garnish with dill and pepper.
Why do you brine scallops before cooking?
Brining scallops in a salt solution helps to more deeply season them inside, not just on the surface while retaining moisture. They are very lean in protein with little fat. Without the insulation, there’s a greater chance for them to become rubbery and dry. The saltwater adds a little extra insurance, and only take 10 minutes.
How do you get a golden color on the scallops?
To achieve the attractive caramel kissed surface, the scallops must be as dry as possible. Use plenty of paper towels to soak up the moisture after brining. This ensures the scallops will brown instead of steam when they hit the hot pan. Further drying them uncovered in the refrigerator can also help remove extra moisture.
I found that stainless steel or cast iron gives a nice deep color, however, nonstick pans work well too but should not be used over high heat. Basting the scallops in the final minutes of cooking with butter adds a little extra boost of vibrancy. The milk proteins and lactose in the butter brown which sticks to the outside for an irresistible crust.
Purchasing wet vs. dry
Wet scallops are soaked in additives called sodium tripolyphosphate to help extend shelf life, keep them whiter in color, and they soak up more moisture. Dry scallops have no chemicals added, just shipped on ice, and I prefer to use them. They have a pinkish or ivory hue, feel stickier, and smell like the sea.
The downside to wet scallops
Sometimes they have an unpleasant chemical soapy taste and release too much moisture in the pan which prevents a nice golden crust from forming. If you’ve ever tried caramelizing scallops and it never seems to happen, this chemical could be the culprit.
How do you thaw frozen scallops?
There are two methods to use to defrost scallops without negatively impacting their texture. 1) Defrost them overnight in a single layer on a plate covered with plastic wrap in the refrigerator for at least 24 hours. 2) Place scallops in a resealable plastic bag, air removed and using a bowl, run cool water over them until defrosted, this could take about 30 minutes per pound.
How do you know when seared scallops are fully cooked?
Scallops are very lean, so they cook within minutes in hot oil and on high temperatures. They should have a golden crust and the interior should be opaque in color. The texture should be firm, yet easy to cut through with a fork or knife with little resistance.
What do you serve with scallops?
- Angel hair noodles like this lemon caper pasta
- Cauliflower mashed potatoes
- Zucchini noodles
- Spaghetti squash
How does a salty brine make scallops more tender?
The saltwater solution dissolves and reshapes some of the protein in the scallops. The protein is then able to create a gel that likes to trap water inside keeping it tender after cooking.
Pan Seared Scallops with Lemon Garlic Sauce
Ingredients
Brine
- ⅓ cup kosher salt
- 1 cup hot water
- 4 cups ice cubes
- 1 pound scallops
Scallops
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon dijon mustard
- 2 tablespoons heavy cream
- 1 teaspoon chopped dill
- black pepper, as needed for seasoning
Instructions
Brine
- Combine salt and hot water in a medium bowl, stir until the salt is mostly dissolved. Add ice cubes, once the water is cold add scallops. Brine scallops for 10 minutes.
- Drain and rinse the scallops under cold water. Transfer to a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Place another sheet of paper towel on top of scallops, gently pressing until each piece is dry. The drier the scallops, the better the sear.
- Allow scallops to sit for 10 minutes at room temperature before cooking. Right before cooking, lightly season both sides with salt.
Scallops
- Heat a large 12-inch pan over medium-high heat. Add olive oil. Once hot, add scallops to the pan in a single layer. Gently press on them with a spatula so they make direct contact with the pan. Pan sear until golden brown on the surface, not moving them, about 3 minutes.
- Add butter to the pan and allow it to melt. Flip scallops over, use a spoon to baste with butter, tilting the pan as needed. Cook until firm but tender, about 1 to 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and transfer to a clean plate.
- Using the same pan to cook the scallops, turn the heat up to medium. Add in garlic and saute until fragrant, 30 seconds. Add in lemon juice and lemon zest, scrape the pan to remove any browned bits and stir into the sauce, cook for about 1 minute. Turn off the heat and whisk in Dijon mustard and heavy cream. If needed, add in some water to the sauce if you want a thinner consistency. Taste and season with salt and pepper as desired.
- Add scallops back to the pan, and warm over low heat, 2 minutes. Garnish with chopped dill and black pepper, serve warm.
Recipe Video
Equipment
- Skillet
Notes
- Scallop Size: Use jumbo scallops, 8 to 10 pieces per pound (about 2 ounces per scallop), or smaller scallops that are 14 to 16 per pound (about 1 ounce per scallop). Adjust cooking times based on size after flipping the scallops over.
- Using Wet Scallops: If you don’t have the option to purchase dry scallops, just add about 1 teaspoon of lemon juice to the brine and that will help remove some of the chemicals and mask the soapy taste.
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Jeffrey Zabner says
Jessica,
The creamy scallops look wonderful. How to adapt this recipe for a dairy allergy. Use Ghee instead of butter? Use cashew based cream cheese instead of cream?
Thank you in advance for your consideration.
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Jeffrey- I think those are great dairy-free substitutions. Are you okay with Ghee even though it’s from milk? Just adjust the cream amount, may need less since cream cheese is thicker than heavy cream.
Jeffrey Zabner says
Thanks, Jessica.
Yes, Ghee is fine since the solids containing the casein protein (which is my particular allergy) are gone. There is Ghee and then the is maitre d’Hotel clarified butter which is not as clarified as Ghee.
Thanks for the tip on the cream cheese. I’ll report back and share my results.
Linda says
Is this dish good heated up the next day? Thinking of making it a day ahead.
Michelle says
No, scallops need to be eaten that day, they are chewy reheated.
Stacy Bleiweis says
This was soooo yummy. I added some shrimp and it went well with the scallops. Definitely will make again!!!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you for your feedback Stacy!
Karen says
The instructions call for brining the scallops. what about dry scallops? Why would you brine dry scallops? Are the scallops you are using wet scallops?
Jessica Gavin says
Yes, you can brine dry scallops, those are the types that I use.
Eleanor Cook says
This is a Great recipe, super easy and quite flavorful.
Nanette says
Where does one get dry scallops?
Richard says
Deelish!
Next time a bit of white wine to thin the sauce.
Linda Wainright says
Can you make this dish a day ahead?
Jessica Gavin says
The scallops taste best when they are cooked the same day.
Cat Ng says
Are those frozen ones found in supermarkets considered dry or wet?
Jessica Gavin says
It’s hard to tell unless they list the sodium tripolyphosphate on the label. I’ve noticed that if the scallops bubble with moisture instead of brown, they are likely wet.
Awnalee says
Easy, quick and delicious! I didn’t have dijon so I used maybe a 1/2 teaspoon of grated horseradish. YUM! I also added zucchini noodles (cooked about 3-4 min) before putting the scallops back in the pan.
Jessica C. says
I made these for Valentine’s Day – they turned out great! I used frozen sea scallops from wegmans, my husband was quite impressed 🙂
Jessica Gavin says
Great job Jessica! Glad to hear that the frozen scallops worked well too.
Kate says
This may be my own faux pas, but my end result of this dish was good but alittle overly salty for my taste buds and next time I’d put in a little less mustard.
Also I made this with 1/2 lbs. scallops and 1/2 lbs. of calamari for some seafood variation, which I thought was going to be a mistake, but was actually quite good.
Thank you for this recipe and I will try it again now that I am more acquainted with the process.
Roxanne says
Loved the results, will definitely use this recipe again as I’ve never made such delicious scallops.
George Spatz says
Looking at these pics it looks like you are using Bay Scallops.(kinda small) Will Sea Scallops survive this recipe?
Jessica Gavin says
Sea scallops would work too! Just make need a few more minutes to cook due to the large size.
Kathi V says
Delicious! Used a non stick pan as suggested. Browning took more time than stated.
Otherwise followed directions exactly other then using salted butter as that was all I had.
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for you feedback Kathi! Definitely use your senses to see the color change as out stoves power can differ slightly. How was the salted butter? Sounds lovely!
Skipper Plitt says
Jessica these are amazing!!! I passed this recipe to my my six adult children. I really like how you explain the difference between wet and dry scallops. That’s not something you find in 99% of the cooking blogs/sites. Thank you for everything you do. You are amazing.
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you so much for your feedback Skipper, I’m happy to hear that you find the info insightful!
Maria Terry says
I love scallops, my husband doesn’t. I substituted shrimp and tossed the whole thing over linguine. It’s a winner!
Jessica Gavin says
Great to hear that shrimp works well for this recipe too, nice swap!
Judy says
My 2nd-time making this recipe and definitely not my last.
Absolutely love the sauce, the Dijon Mustard is a nice twist.
Bob Britcher says
Lemon and cream: how do you prevent curdling?
Wendy says
I made this with scallops I bought down in Everglade City Fl. Both my husband and I loved it!. It was so creamy and so much flavor we couldn’t stop eating. I served it with coconut ginger rice and fresh asparagus. One of those meals my husband still talks about.
Jessica Gavin says
Wow, the combination of scallops, rice and asparagus sounds incredible!
Rolf says
I have not been good at cooking scallops but I will definately use your recipe next time. It appears to be very efficient and simple. Thank you. I really enjoy being on your email. Rolf
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for following along Rolf! I can’t want to hear what you think about the scallops.
ted hall says
Great instructions on how to prepare the scallops. The browing and texture was perfect. I did not like the mustard taste though. Thought it was to heavy for scallops. Can you suggest an alternative to mustard?
Jessica Gavin says
Thanks for making the recipe! You can use less mustard, perhaps start with 1 teaspoon for a less intense taste. Or you can add in some capers for a similar tangy taste.
Bridget says
Excellent recipe I followed it precisely and also watched your video. My husband loved it and although the dry scallops were expensive it was worth it. Thanks Jessica