I love scallops, especially seared scallops! They are so simple to make and takes only 10 minutes, yet they tend to be very expensive at restaurants and are often overcooked. Just sear each side for a minute and a half and serve the beautifully seared scallops with this butter sauce containing crunchy garlic and a hint of fresh lemon juice. Garnish them with fresh chopped parsley and you can have a luxurious looking delicious appetizer or meal in minutes!

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Lemon Garlic Seared Scallops

Prep Time 5 minutes minutes

Cook Time 5 minutes minutes

Total Time 10 minutes minutes

Servings 8 pieces

Ingredients

For the scallops

• 8 large dry sea scallops (8 large scallops = about 1/2 pounds)
• kosher salt sprinkle
• freshly ground black pepper sprinkle
• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

For the sauce

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 cloves garlic minced
• 1/2 lemon juiced
• kosher salt to taste
• freshly ground black pepper to taste

To serve

• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley for garnish

Instructions

Sear the scallops

• Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry with paper towels.
• Sprinkle salt and pepper on each scallop. Don’t put too much pepper as it tends to burn easily.
• Add the olive oil and butter to a large saute pan on medium-high heat.
• Once the butter starts to sizzle, place the scallops one at a time on the pan, ensuring that they are not touching each other.
• Sear the scallops for 1 1/2 minutes on each side. To ensure a good crust, do not lift or move the scallops while searing.
• Transfer scallops to a platter and set aside.

Make the sauce

• Add the butter to the same pan and melt at medium-low temperature.
• Add the minced garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper, to taste.

To serve

• Serve scallops immediately with the sauce. Garnish with chopped parsley.