Carefully flip each scallop using tongs or a metal fish spatula. Add 2 Tbsp. cold cubed butter to the pan, along with any herbs or aromatics of your choosing. Try a dried chile pepper, sprigs of fresh rosemary and thyme, capers, a smashed garlic clove, or a slice of citrus. Use a large spoon to baste the scallops with the butter continuously while they finish cooking, 1–2 minutes more. If you’re not sure if the scallops are done, slice one in half to check: The flesh near the top and bottom edges should look opaque, but there should still be a faintly translucent strip in the middle. Remove the seared scallops from the pan and set them on your serving plate.
To turn seared scallops into a full meal, make a quick pan sauce. Add a splash of liquid to the butter in the pan—you could use lemon juice, white wine, chicken or vegetable stock, dry vermouth, pineapple juice, etc., depending on what flavors would work with your dish. Cook over medium heat for 2–3 minutes, scraping up any stuck-on bits from the bottom of the pan, then remove from heat and add 1–2 Tbsp. cold cubed butter, swirling to emulsify. If using, add fresh herbs, like basil or cilantro, and pour the pan sauce over the seared scallops.
Alternative cooking techniques:
Whether you’re looking for a foolproof seafood main dish or fancy appetizers, we have great options. Some would argue that searing is the best way to cook scallops, but you can try other preparations.
Want to grill scallops? Oil the grates well so the delicate mollusks don’t stick. We also recommend threading scallops on skewers to make flipping easy. Try Grilled Scallops With Nori, Ginger, and Lime, smother them in lemony salsa verde, or rub them with a chile-forward spice blend and serve atop creamed corn.
Try dredging and shallow-frying scallops, as in this recipe for Crispy Scallop Salad. Or don’t follow a recipe at all: Toss seared scallops in a garlic-butter sauce (à la shrimp scampi) or a Parmesan cream sauce (Alfredo, anyone?). Serve them over basil risotto, orzo, or angel hair pasta. Tuck them atop a mountain of mashed potatoes, spooning the pan sauce over the lot like gravy. Pair with some crusty white bread, a simple salad, and a bottle of chilled white wine, and you’ve got an almost-instant, completely elegant dinner—perfect for a romantic date night at home, or just a fancy-feeling Tuesday.
