These Seared Scallops with a Lemon Paprika Garlic Butter Sauce are so easy to make at home, yet taste like something from a fine dining restaurant.
The recipe sears the scallops to perfection then dresses them with a simple butter sauce that will wow your guests. Serve them for dinner with a side salad and some potatoes, pour them over pasta or plate 3 up as an appetizer.
Versatile, delicious and quick - these Seared Lemon Paprika Garlic Butter Scallops are ready in under 10 minutes!!
Seared Scallops don't have to mean a trip to a fancy restaurant, with this recipe you can make them at home!
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How to cook scallops?
Scallops are very delicate and need to be cooked quickly and briefly. If they are cooked for too long they will be tough and rubbery.
Any recipe that suggests over 2 minutes a side will leave you with a very firm scallop. Anything that suggest 4 minutes will leave you with something almost inedible.
I have found that many people who don't like scallops have been served tough scallops.
Scallops should be almost translucent in the centre and have a soft melt in the mouth texture to them when cooked.
So what is the best way to cook scallops?
Whilst you can bake scallops or cook them on skewers on the BBQ, the most common way is to fry them in oil or butter. The process of frying scallops is called searing them.
How to sear scallops? (how to fry scallops)
Some tips for searing scallops at home.
- Start with very dry scallops.
- To do this, lay your thawed scallops on a sheet of kitchen paper and then pat the tops with a second sheet. Repeat this (swapping both the top and the bottom until the scallops seem almost tacky and sticky.
- Use a heavy base fry pan (cast iron or non-stick are perfect) and get it and the oil hot.
- this means that as soon as the cold scallops hit the pan they will start to sear. This keeps them juicy and tender as they don't release any liquid, which would cause them to steam.
- Salt the scallops just before you add them to the fry pan.
- Salt brings out moisture, so if you salt your scallops before you add them to the pan you will draw moisture to the surface of the scallop. This can make them tough and also you have just spent time drying them off!
- Once you add the scallops to the pan, don't touch them.
- this allows the scallops to form a crust on the bottom. This is the reason for searing them over baking them. The tender centre and outer crust. Plus once the crust has formed you can flip them easily without the fear of them tearing or sticking.
- Add the scallops to the pan in an ordered pattern. I like to add my scallops to the pan using an imaginary clock face. Starting at 12 o'clock and moving around clockwise.
- doing this means you know which scallop was added to the pan first, this ensures you don't put a scallop in first and turn it last. And reduces the risk of over cooking your scallops.
To sear the scallops, cook them for 90 seconds in the hot oil, then turn off the heat, immediately add the butter and flip each scallop. This will give you a delicious crust on the scallop whilst keeping the inside juicy, tender and melt in the mouth. It also has the added advantage that the butter and garlic don't burn.
How to make a simple butter sauce for the scallops
By following the 90 second and flip method, you can easily create a simple butter sauce. In this recipe the butter is flavoured with garlic, lemon and paprika.
The butter is added after you turn off the heat. This stops the butter from burning, but the residual heat, melts the butter and incorporates the garlic lemon and paprika into the sauce.
Can you cook scallops from frozen?
Scallops are very delicate and need little cooking so cooking them from frozen will leave you with a very tough and chewy scallop. Ensure you defrost your scallops fully before cooking.
How to quickly defrost scallops
If you have bought frozen scallops in the vacuum packets then there are two easy ways to defrost them. The slow method and the fast method.
(note the fast method is not advised for loose scallops as they absorb water.)
- Slow: Remove the outer packaging so you are left with the vacuum sealed packet. Place this in a shallow bowl and place in the refrigerator for 4 to 6 hours, or until scallops have thawed all the way through.
- Fast: Place the vacuum sealed packet in a large bowl (or clean sink) of cold water. The scallops will defrost in about 45 minutes. You might need to roll the packet over to ensure all the scallops thaw evenly.
What to serve with Seared Scallops
The beauty of this dish is it is so quick and so versatile!
The dish comes together in 10 minutes so it is perfect for a mid-week meal when you are pushed for time! Serve it with some pasta and enjoy. I recommend a long pasta like spaghetti or my favorite linguine.
Scallops make a great protein to have at a dinner party as so few people cook them at home, so they are associated with fine dining.
You can serve these seared scallops as an appetizer with some crispy bread to mop up the delicious buttery sauce. Or serve them with a side salad and some potatoes. I would suggest something like my hedgehog potatoes or a crispy baked potato.
Enjoy x
If you love seared scallops then why not try these other delicious scallop recipes:
📖 Recipe
Seared Lemon Paprika Garlic Butter Scallops - 10 Minute Meal
Ingredients
- 1 lb cleaned scallops
- salt
- 3 tablespoon butter - room temperature
- 1 teaspoon sweet paprika
- 1 lemon
- 2 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 whole garlic cloves
- 2 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley
Instructions
- Pat the scallops dry on both sides using paper towel (see note 1) and then leave them uncovered on a clean sheet of kitchen paper to air whilst you prepare the butter.
- Stir the paprika and the zest of the lemon through the butter until well mixed. Set to one side.
- Peel the garlic and lightly crush the whole cloves with the back of a knife - see note 2
- Pour the olive oil into a large fry pan and set over a medium high heat. Let the oil get smoking hot.
- Season the scallops lightly with salt.
- Carefully and quickly add the scallops to the fry pan. Do them individually starting at 12 o'clock and working around the outside of the pan and then into the centre.
- Cook the scallops for 90 seconds on one side.
- Turn the heat off under the pan and add the butter mixture and lightly crushed garlic.
- Use tongs to gently turn each scallop over into the sizzling butter, again starting at 12 o'clock.
- Once the butter has stopped sizzling, squeeze over the juice of half the lemon and all of the chopped parsley.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
- To do this, lay your thawed scallops on a sheet of kitchen paper and then pat the tops with a second sheet. Repeat this (swapping both the top and the bottom until the scallops seem almost tacky and sticky.
- To do this cut the root end off the garlic and lay your knife blade flat over the clove. Gently use your palm to squash the garlic clove. The skin should be easy to remove and the garlic should be lightly crushed. You may find the clove breaks in half, this is fine. You just don't want tiny pieces, like you would get if you used a garlic crusher or grater.
Nutrition
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Aimee Shugarman says
Scallops are my favorite seafood. This recipe is perfect, and easy to follow!
Claire McEwen says
Thank you Aimee, so happy you found the recipe easy to follow.....aren't scallops just the best 😀
Sarah Averett says
I don't even like seafood and I want to make this! All the heart eyes!! Beautiful photos and yummy sounding recipe. <3
Claire McEwen says
Awww, thank you Sarah 😀
{The paprika butter sauce is great for chicken too 😀 }