If you’ve followed me for a while, you know that scallops are my favorite protein on the planet. And these broiled scallops with garlic butter sauce definitely keep my love aflame!
Sweet, tender sea scallops are broiled quickly then drenched in melted butter infused with lots of fresh garlic. Serve with a simple garnish of chopped fresh parsley and lemon wedges (seafood and lemon juice were made for each other!), but a sprinkle of fresh Parmesan would be great too!
You’ll love these as an appetizer or light main course in a Feast of the Seven Fishes, or for any night that calls for simple, high quality ingredients that deliver big flavor. Plus, scallops just feel special!
How To Clean Scallops
First, what’s the difference between sea scallops and bay scallops? For this recipe, we’re cooking dry sea scallops. They’re the larger of the two. By dry we mean scallops that are free from additives, such as water. Bay scallops are smaller, sweeter, and generally more tender. Either is fine for this recipe, but if you’re using bay scallops, note that the cook time will decrease by 1-2 minutes.
To clean scallops, pull of the side muscle — it literally just peels off — then place the scallops on a paper towel lined plate to absorb any excess liquid. Let them sit for around 10 minutes, flipping once halfway through. No need to rinse the scallops first.
We have a strong preference for fresh scallops, but if you’re working with frozen, allow them to that overnight in a fridge before cooking, and make sure to absorb as much water as possible with paper towels beforehand.
How To Make Garlic Butter Sauce For Seafood
Place 1 stick of unsalted butter in a medium saucepan. Add 4 peeled, minced cloves of garlic, then heat over medium heat until butter has melted and garlic has infused the sauce. Set the pan over the lowest heat and keep warm until ready to serve.
You could pour this quick garlic butter sauce over just about anything, from scallops, shrimp, and salmon, to potatoes or pasta!
Can you get away with using garlic powder instead? It won’t have the same intensity — we recommend using fresh garlic.
How To Broil Scallops
Set the broiler to high to heat up. Place cleaned scallops into a large skillet, baking dish, or shallow baking pan. Season liberally with Kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper, then place the scallops in the oven on a rack about 6 inches from the broiler and cook for 6 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
Congratulations, you’ve just broiled scallops like a pro! It’s seriously easy!!
Note: broiled scallops will not get a golden brown crusty sear the way that pan seared scallops will. This is an alternative method for cooking a large quantity of scallops for a crown without standing over a stove top. It’s splatter-free, easy to make, and if you don’t overcook the scallops, they will be plenty tender and delicate, just as they should be!
Tips For The Best Broiled Scallops Recipe
- Be sure to dry the scallops on paper towels or at the very least pat them dry to absorb excess water. Liquid or moisture will prevent browning in the oven!
- To ensure even cooking (and help not to overcook) flip the scallops halfway through cooking. Simply broil on first side 2-3 minutes (they won’t take on a lot of color, this is fine), then remove the pan from the oven, flip each scallop over, and cook on the second side for an additional 3 minutes.
- Pour the garlic butter sauce on as soon as you pull the pan from under the broiler! Get ready, your kitchen is about to smell amazing.
What To Serve With Broiled Scallops
Any type of potato would be great: mashed potatoes, crispy roasted potatoes, or potato wedges!
A really delicious salad would also do the trick. Our house salad is a go-to, and for good reason. It’s quick, economical, and usually helps us use randomly leftovers that from the refrigerator.
Other scallop recipes to check out!
- Scallop Crudo
- Lemon Garlic Pasta with Shrimp and Scallops
- Pan Seared Scallops
- Simple Thai Curry with Scallops and String Beans
This is definitely for garlic and butter lovers, so if that’s you, hop on the broiled scallops train!
If you make this Broiled Scallops recipe with Garlic Butter Sauce, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below!
Our Remaining 2021 Feast Of The Seven Fishes Menu:
- Salmon Rillettes
- Crab Stuffed Shrimp
- Baked Cod With Panko
- Moules Marinières
- Baked Crab Legs
- Pan Seared Chilean Sea Bass with Lemon Beurre Blanc
And make sure to sign up for our newsletter and follow along on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Pinterest, and Facebook for more Well Seasoned recipes! DON’T FORGET to tag us on social channels when you make a recipe at #wellseasonedstudio !! We LOVE seeing what you’re up to in the kitchen!
More seafood recipes to try
- Crab Stuffed Shrimp
- Butter Poached Cod
- Moules Marinières
- 10 Salmon Dinner Recipes You Can’t Live Without
- Sous Vide Lobster Tail
Broiled Scallops With Garlic Butter Sauce Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 ¼ – 1 ½ lb sea scallops muscle removed
- ½ tsp Kosher salt
- pinch of freshly ground black pepper
- 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil or other light neutral oil
- 1 stick (8 Tbsp) unsalted butter
- 4 large garlic cloves minced, about 2 Tbsp
- 1 Tbsp finely chopped parsley
- Lemon wedges for serving
Instructions
- Broil the scallops. Set the broiler to high to heat up. Drizzle a large skillet or shallow baking pan with 1 Tbsp grapeseed oil. Season scallops liberally with ½ tsp Kosher salt and a pinch of black pepper, then place the scallops in the pan or dish. Transfer to an oven rack about 6 inches from the broiler and cook for 6 minutes, flipping once halfway through.
- Make the garlic butter sauce. Place 1 stick of unsalted butter in a small saucepan. Add 4 peeled, minced cloves of garlic, then heat over medium heat until butter has melted and garlic has infused the sauce. Set the pan over the lowest heat and keep warm until ready to serve.
- Pour the sauce on top, then serve. As soon as the scallops come out of the oven, pour the garlic butter sauce on top. Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley, then serve immediately with lemon wedges.
Notes
- Serves 6 as an appetizer (~4 scallops) or 4 as an entrée with sides (~6 scallops).
Let us know your thoughts!