Garlic Butter Scallop Recipe | Damn Delicious (2024)

5 stars (4 ratings)

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The butteriest, garlicky scallops ever! It just melts in your mouth! Served with the best cilantro lime rice + pico de gallo!

Garlic Butter Scallop Recipe | Damn Delicious (1)

Say hello to your summer diet of 2018.

I’ve taken my favorite garlicky lemon butter scallops and turned them into the best summer bowl ever.

Made with a simple yet completely homemade zesty cilantro lime rice and pico de gallo!

Now both the rice and pico de gallo can be made ahead of time so you can cook the scallops right before serving, which takes less than 10 minutes.

I know. It’s super quick. I always have you guys taken care of, right?

Just be sure to use up every single drop of the garlic butter sauce. We can’t let any of that go to waste!

Garlic Butter Scallop Recipe | Damn Delicious (2)

Garlic Butter Scallop Recipe | Damn Delicious (3)

Garlic Butter Scallop Bowls

Yield: 4 servings

Prep: 20 minutes minutes

Cook: 25 minutes minutes

Total: 45 minutes minutes

Garlic Butter Scallop Recipe | Damn Delicious (4)

The butteriest, garlicky scallops ever! It just melts in your mouth! Served with the best cilantro lime rice + pico de gallo!

5 stars (4 ratings)

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Ingredients

  • 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
  • 1 pound scallops
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

For the cilantro lime rice

  • cup white long grain rice
  • ¼ cup chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 tablespoons butter
  • 2 tablespoons pine nuts
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice

For the pico de gallo

  • 2 Roma tomatoes, diced
  • ¼ cup diced red onion
  • ½ jalapeno, seeded and minced, optional
  • 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro leaves
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice
  • Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Instructions

  • To make the cilantro lime rice, cook rice according to package instructions. Stir in cilantro, butter, pine nuts and lime juice until butter has melted, about 1-2 minutes; set aside.

  • To make the pico de gallo, combine tomatoes, onion, jalapeno, cilantro and lime juice in a medium bowl; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Set aside.

  • Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large skillet over medium high heat.

  • Remove the small side muscle from the scallops, rinse with cold water and thoroughly pat dry.

  • Season scallops with salt and pepper, to taste. Working in batches, add scallops to the skillet in a single layer and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and translucent in the center, about 1-2 minutes per side. Set aside and keep warm.

  • Melt remaining 2 tablespoons butter in the skillet. Add garlic and cook, stirring frequently, until fragrant, about 1 minute. Stir in lemon juice; season with salt and pepper, to taste.

  • Serve scallops immediately with cilantro lime rice and pico de gallo, drizzled with garlic butter mixture.

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posted on June 26, 2018under entree, summer
22 CommentsLeave a Comment »

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22 comments
  1. Melissa Reid August 7, 2021 @ 6:20 PM Reply

    So simple but delicious!! My husband, who is Mexica,n LOVED IT!! I added some shrimp as well. Thanks so much for sharing an amazing recipe.

  2. Jessica June 9, 2021 @ 12:05 PM Reply

    Made this last summer and it was delicious. Super easy. Making it again now the weather has turned warm and realised I didn’t leave a review. Highly recommend was definitely the best dish j in cooked last year – 🙂 thank you!

  3. Michelle April 9, 2020 @ 11:20 AM Reply

    This is my hubby’s FAV meal. I’ve made it several times now and add a pound of shrimp to the recipe when we are feeding more people. It has a lot of steps, but is simple to create! All of the flavors combined are DELISH!
    PS.. we love to make extra pico de gallo and have it as an appetizer with tortilla chips.

  4. Jane Kon August 27, 2019 @ 7:31 PM Reply

    Yummy fresh and easy. Peak tomatoes made this stellar. Did jumbo shrimp as well. Great colors.

  5. marisa a figueiredo October 25, 2018 @ 12:40 PM Reply

    These are such a hit!! I’ve made these so many times. Super easy and so tasty!!! I love all your recipes!!

  6. Teresa S. August 28, 2018 @ 1:54 PM Reply

    This Garlic Butter Scallop Bowl recipe is beyond delicious. Oh my gosh….perfect combination of flavors.
    I’ve made it twice in last 2 weeks. yum!

  7. Bridget August 1, 2018 @ 3:44 PM Reply

    I really enjoyed this recipe–it was so fresh tasting! I do have one question though. When I tried making the garlic butter, it turned into a burnt mess after I added the garlic and lemon juice. I only cooked the garlic for about 30 seconds. Then I remembered the same thing happened when I tried making your original scallop recipe. Would you suggest turning down the heat and letting the pan cool off for a bit before adding the garlic? The recipe was still really good without the garlic butter, but I want to make it work sometime.

    • Chungah @ Damn Delicious August 1, 2018 @ 3:52 PM Reply

      Hi Bridget! It sounds like your pan is too hot so yes, turning down the heat may be best.

  8. Lisa July 15, 2018 @ 6:19 PM Reply

    YUMMY!! we made this for dinner and loved it so much we want to make it again soon!!

    • Chungah @ Damn Delicious July 15, 2018 @ 8:12 PM Reply

      I’m so glad! It’s one of my summertime favorites!

  9. Karyn July 5, 2018 @ 8:07 PM Reply

    Love, Love, Love this recipe. I swapped out long grain rice for cauliflower rice. It worked perfectly. This one is definitely going into the rotation.

  10. Jana @ Damn Delicious July 3, 2018 @ 11:21 PM Reply

    Thanks!

  11. Connie Poppleton June 30, 2018 @ 9:04 AM Reply

    My favorite receipe so far is the Red lobster shrimp scampi

  12. Betty Kozlowski June 29, 2018 @ 5:54 AM Reply

    I WISH YOU WOULD INCLUDE THE NUTRITION INFO WITH ALL YOUR RECIPES.

    YOU’RE AN AMAZING COOK!

    • Jana @ Damn Delicious June 29, 2018 @ 8:03 AM Reply

      Thank you Betty! We do try but unfortunately it’s not available for all recipes at this time. We recommend you use free online sources to obtain such information. Hope that helps!

  13. Patricia June 28, 2018 @ 3:19 AM Reply

    This recipe sounds wonderful but just to get it right: If I do the rice before, can I warm it up in the microwave?

    • Chungah @ Damn Delicious June 28, 2018 @ 7:55 AM Reply

      Absolutely!

  14. sabrina June 27, 2018 @ 4:09 PM Reply

    gorgeous, what a wonderful recipe, great for summer too, and love the garlic-scallops pairing for the flavor combo, so thank you!

  15. Ask Reddit Food June 27, 2018 @ 1:53 PM Reply

    Garlic butter is perfect for scallops. I really like the combo with the cilantro-lime rice.

  16. Paige Flamm June 27, 2018 @ 1:09 PM Reply

    This looks so fresh and beautiful! I need this in my life asap!

    Paige
    http://thehappyflammily.com

Garlic Butter Scallop Recipe | Damn Delicious (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak scallops in milk before cooking? ›

Eliminates Mild Fish Odor From Your Scallop

Soaking scallops in milk before cooking can help alleviate this odor. Milk can neutralize or mask the fishy smell, resulting in a milder scent. The milk helps to reduce the intensity of the fish odor, making the scallops more pleasant to cook and easier to consume.

What is the best cooking method for scallops? ›

extra-virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until the oil is very hot and shimmering. Use tongs to gently place the scallops in the pan, leaving plenty of room around each scallop. Cook scallops, undisturbed (repeat: do not move them), until they are deeply golden-brown on the first side, 3–4 minutes.

Is it better to fry scallops in oil or butter? ›

Let that butter brown a bit. Then the scallops go in. Scallops are low-fat and high in protein with lots of vitamins, minerals and antioXidant. while I recommend cooking them in butter for the best Sear,you can cook them in vegetable, canola or grapeseed oil if prefeerd.

Should you flour scallops before searing? ›

Some cooks will toss their scallops in a light dusting of flour or cornstarch before cooking. This is simply to add a little bit more crustiness to the exterior. It is not a necessary step, but some prefer to do this. You could try a few scallops dredged in a light coating and leave a few alone to see which you prefer.

How long do you let scallops soak in milk? ›

Select a bowl or dish that is large enough to hold all of the scallops and deep enough that they can all be covered with milk. After rinsing, place the scallops in the bowl or dish and pour enough milk over them to cover completely. Cover the bowl, and place it in the refrigerator. Allow them to soak for one hour.

What happens if you don't rinse scallops before cooking? ›

A: You should always rinse scallops thoroughly to remove grit, but there shouldn't be so much grit that you have to soak them. In fact, soaking isn't recommended because the scallops can absorb water and get soggy, less flavorful and difficult to sear properly.

How many scallops per person to eat? ›

How many scallops should you serve? If you're serving scallops as a main course with sides, plan on around 6 ounces per person. That would be 4-6 large (U10) sea scallops and 8-10 medium sized.

How do you cook scallops without making them rubbery? ›

Two answers here: don't over cook them. Just a sear and flip. Make sure your buying dry and not wet scallops. Dry scallops are simply shucked and sold.

Should scallops be room temperature before cooking? ›

Place scallops on rimmed baking sheet lined with clean dish towel. Place second clean dish towel on top of scallops and press gently on towel to blot liquid. Let scallops sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while towels absorb moisture.

Should you season scallops before cooking? ›

The Best Techniques

Thankfully, we have you covered: Dry Your Scallops: We mentioned this before, but it bears repeating—be sure to dry your scallops before placing them on the pan. Season Them Before You Cook Them: You should sprinkle your salt and pepper onto your scallops before cooking, not during or after.

How to cook scallops Martha Stewart? ›

Heat oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the scallops to skillet and cook, flipping once, until golden brown and cooked through, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with remaining scallops, adding more oil to the skillet as needed.

How to cook scallops like a pro? ›

Instructions
  1. Remove the side muscles from the scallops if needed. ...
  2. Pat dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper. ...
  3. Heat the pan. ...
  4. Add the scallops to the pan. ...
  5. Cook the scallops for 2 minutes, then flip. ...
  6. Cook the scallops for another 2 to 3 minutes. ...
  7. Serve immediately.
Dec 21, 2023

How do you tell if pan seared scallops are done? ›

Scallops are quick-cooking shellfish, so it's key not to overcook them or they'll dry out. Generally, sea scallops take between 3 and 5 minutes to cook. How to know when scallops are done cooking? They'll be golden brown on both sides, just-firm at the edges and opaque and succulent in the center.

What oil is best for searing scallops? ›

What type of oil should you use to cook scallops? A light, neutral oil with a high smoke point. Extra virgin olive oil will begin to smoke immediately over high heat. Instead, reach for grapeseed oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil.

Do you rinse fish after soaking in milk? ›

Online research had recommended letting the fish soak submerged in milk for around 20 minutes, before rinsing and cooking in your preferred fashion.

What does soaking seafood in milk do? ›

Before cooking, soak the fish in milk for 20 minutes

In this scenario, the protein in the milk binds with the compounds that cause that fishy odor, in essence extracting if from the fish.

What happens if you don't rinse scallops? ›

A: You should always rinse scallops thoroughly to remove grit, but there shouldn't be so much grit that you have to soak them. In fact, soaking isn't recommended because the scallops can absorb water and get soggy, less flavorful and difficult to sear properly.

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