These pan-seared scallops with lemon butter sauce are delicious, elegant, and ready in less than 10 minutes!

These pan-seared scallops with lemon butter sauce are delicious, elegant, and are ready in less than 10 minutes!

I served scallops for one of the first “fancy” meals I made for my husband when we were first married and it’s been a favorite date night-in dish ever since. Scallops seem sophisticated and special, but the truth is scallops are so simple to prepare. They are naturally sweet and creamy, and only need a little seasoning and a sear in a hot pan with butter to make them shine.

This seared scallops recipe requires just 5 ingredients, including fresh lemon juice and thyme, and only a few minutes to prepare. They’re uncomplicated, but so good. You can serve them over a bed of pasta or risotto, or keep things really easy and pair them with a big salad, a crusty baguette to help mop up the delicious sauce, and a dry white wine. Skip the restaurant, this is better anyway!

These pan-seared scallops with lemon butter sauce are delicious, elegant, and are ready in less than 10 minutes!

How to shop for scallops

  • For this recipe I like to use large sea scallops which are usually about 10 scallops per pound.
  • Deciding to use fresh or frozen scallops will likely depend on where you live. If you’re near the coast, fresh scallops from a reputable retailer are a great option. For the rest of us, frozen works just fine. I always get mine frozen from behind the seafood/meat counter at a grocery store that I trust sells great quality.
  • If you use frozen scallops, thaw them in the fridge overnight, drain away any excess liquid, and pat dry with paper towels.

Shop tools for this recipe


These pan-seared scallops with lemon butter sauce are delicious, elegant, and are ready in less than 10 minutes!

Seared Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce

Servings: 2 servings
Prep Time: 3 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes
These pan-seared scallops with lemon butter sauce are delicious, elegant, and ready in less than 10 minutes!

Ingredients
 

  • 1 lb large sea scallops
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 1 teaspoon fresh thyme
  • Juice of half a lemon

Instructions
 

  • Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and sprinkle generously with salt and pepper.
  • Melt butter in a large skillet set over medium high heat. Add thyme.
  • Add scallops seasoned side-down and cook without disturbing for 3-4 minutes, until well browned.
  • Flip scallops over and cook until browned, about 2-3 minutes. While scallops are cooking, spoon the butter over the tops to infuse more flavor.
  • Squeeze lemon juice over the scallops and serve.
Calories: 152kcal, Carbohydrates: 1g, Protein: 1g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 11g, Cholesterol: 45mg, Sodium: 150mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 572IU, Vitamin C: 2mg, Calcium: 5mg, Iron: 1mg
Cuisine: French
Course: Main Course
Author: Annalise
Have you tried this recipe?I’d love to hear about it! Leave a rating and review below, or take a photo and tag it on Instagram @completelydelicious with #completelydelicious.