Seared Scallops with Lemon Garlic Butter
Sweet sea scallops with a deep golden crust, finished in a lemony garlic butter and served over garlicky wilted spinach. A restaurant-style dinner in under 25 minutes.
Nutrition per serving
about 6 scallops + spinach- Net carbs
- 8.1g
- Calories
- 334kcal
- Protein
- 23g
- Fat
- 23g
- Total carbs
- 9.9 g
- Fiber
- 1.9 g
Calculated from USDA FoodData Central values for each ingredient (optional ingredients excluded). Brands vary — check your labels if you track closely.
Ingredients
Brown butter, sage & hazelnut: Nutty brown butter, crisp sage leaves and toasted hazelnuts instead of the garlic butter. An autumn version that’s great with cauliflower mash.
- After searing the scallops, lower the heat to medium and add the butter. Swirl it 2–3 minutes, until it foams, then smells nutty and the milk solids turn golden brown.
- Add the sage leaves for 30 seconds, until crisp, then take the pan off the heat and stir in the hazelnuts and 1 tbsp of the lemon juice. Spoon over the scallops; serve over cauliflower mash instead of spinach if you like.
Bacon-wrapped: Each scallop is wrapped in smoky bacon and roasted until the bacon is crisp, a classic steakhouse pairing.
- Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). Par-cook the bacon on a sheet pan for 5–6 minutes, until it starts to render but is still pliable.
- Wrap each scallop in a half slice of bacon, secure with a toothpick and set on a rack in a sheet pan. Roast 12–15 minutes, until the bacon is crisp and the scallops are opaque (145°F/63°C). Skip searing, but make the lemon garlic butter and spinach as written.
Dairy-free: A warm lemon-garlic olive oil replaces the butter sauce. It’s lighter and lets the sweetness of the scallops come through.
- Warm the olive oil over medium-low heat, cook the garlic 1 minute until fragrant, then stir in the lemon juice, zest and parsley off the heat.
- Scallops
- Lemon garlic butter
- Garlicky spinach
- Scallops
- Lemon garlic butter
-
3 cloves garlicleave out - Garlicky spinach
- Also add
- Scallops
- Lemon garlic butter
- Garlicky spinach
- Also add
- Scallops
- Lemon garlic butter
- Garlicky spinach
Estimated cost $35.06 for 4 servings ($8.76 each) · how we estimate
Instructions
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Pat the scallops very dry with paper towels and let them sit on a fresh layer of towels for 10 minutes. A dry surface is the secret to a good crust. Season with the salt and pepper just before cooking.
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Meanwhile, warm the olive oil and sliced garlic in a large pot over medium heat until the garlic sizzles, about 1 minute. Add the spinach in handfuls with a pinch of salt and toss 2–3 minutes until just wilted. Divide among warm plates.
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Heat the avocado oil in a large stainless or cast-iron skillet over high heat until it shimmers and just begins to smoke. Add the scallops in a ring, flat-side down, with space between them; work in two batches if needed.
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Don’t move them for 1½–2 minutes, until a deep golden crust forms and they release easily. Flip and cook 1–2 minutes more, until the sides are opaque all the way through and they feel springy when pressed (145°F/63°C). Set them on the spinach.
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Lower the heat to medium and add the butter. When it foams, add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds, until fragrant. Off the heat, stir in the lemon juice, zest and parsley.
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Spoon the lemon garlic butter over the scallops and serve right away.
Tips for success
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Buy “dry” scallops if you can. “Wet” scallops are soaked in a phosphate solution, so they release water in the pan and steam instead of searing. - Pull off the small, tough side muscle on each scallop. It peels away easily with your fingers.
- Nonstick pans don’t get hot enough for a proper sear. Use stainless steel or cast iron and resist the urge to move the scallops early.
Nice to have, not needed
- A fish spatula slides under the scallops without tearing the crust — thin tongs work too.
Storage & meal prep
- Keeps 2 days in the fridge
- Doesn’t freeze well
Reheat: Warm very briefly in a little butter over medium heat, 30–60 seconds per side, or slice cold into a salad.
Best eaten right away. Refrigerate leftovers up to 2 days and warm them very briefly in butter; reheated scallops toughen quickly.
Variations
3 variations, each with its own ingredients and macrosBrown butter, sage & hazelnut
FlavorNutty brown butter, crisp sage leaves and toasted hazelnuts instead of the garlic butter. An autumn version that’s great with cauliflower mash.
- + 12 fresh sage leaves
- + ¼ cup hazelnuts
- no garlic
8 g net · 377 kcal · 24 g protein · 27 g fat · ≈$9.03 per serving (−0.1 g net carbs vs the original)
Bacon-wrapped
FlavorEach scallop is wrapped in smoky bacon and roasted until the bacon is crisp, a classic steakhouse pairing.
- + 10 slices thin-cut bacon
8.4 g net · 428 kcal · 30 g protein · 30 g fat · ≈$9.06 per serving (+0.3 g net carbs vs the original)
Dairy-free
DietA warm lemon-garlic olive oil replaces the butter sauce. It’s lighter and lets the sweetness of the scallops come through.
- butter → extra-virgin olive oil
8.1 g net · 322 kcal · 23 g protein · 22 g fat · ≈$8.84 per serving (same net carbs as the original)
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