American · main

Pan-Seared Scallops with Garlic Butter

Pan-Seared Scallops with Garlic Butter reads richness 6.9, umami 6.1 and citrus 5.9 on Palate's 0–10 flavor X-ray — a American main, about 19 min. Measured from the recipe itself: ingredients and technique.

The flavor X-ray — six axes, 0–10

• Umami & Savory — 7.1 / 10
• Sweet & Fruity — 5.1 / 10
• Sour & Bright — 7.5 / 10
• Bitter & Earthy — 1.2 / 10
• Rich & Fat — 7.0 / 10
• Aromatic & Spice — 4.3 / 10

The measured notes (of 18)

Richness 6.9 · Umami 6.1 · Citrus 5.9 · Sourness 5.3 · Fruity 4.8 · Salinity 4.0 · Marine & Briny 4.0 · Allium 3.8 · Herbaceous 2.8 · Funk & Ferment 2.0 · Floral 1.7 · Warm Spice 1.5 · Sweetness 1.2 · Earthy 1.0 · Bitterness 0.9 · Heat 0.9

What's in it (10)

• medium scallops — 454 g
• salt — 5 g
• black pepper — 3 g
• oil — 27 g
• unsalted butter — 41 g
• garlic — 12 g
• thyme — 4 g
• dry white wine — 59 g
• lemon — 65 g
• parsley — 7 g

Time & effort: about 19 min · effort: involved

Nutrition (per 100 g, engine-estimated): 96.2 kcal, 8.4 g protein, 9.3 g fat, 4.2 g carbs

Dietary: Contains meat · Contains seafood — engine-derived; double-check anything allergy-critical.

How it's cooked (9 steps)

1. Set the scallops on a double layer of paper towels and press another paper towel on top to blot thoroughly; a dry surface is what gives you the crust. Let them sit at room temperature for 10 minutes while you gather everything else, then season both sides with the salt and pepper.
2. Set a large stainless steel or cast iron skillet over high heat and let it heat for a full 2 minutes, until a drop of water skitters and evaporates instantly. Add the oil and swirl to coat.
3. Lay the scallops in the pan flat-side down, in a single layer with space between them (work in two batches if they crowd). Sear undisturbed until a deep golden-brown crust forms on the first side, 2-3 minutes.
4. Flip each scallop and add 1 tablespoon of the butter to the pan. Sear the second side until golden and the scallops feel firm but still give slightly when pressed, and are opaque with a faint translucent center, 1-2 minutes more (internal temperature 115-120F; they will finish carryover-cooking off the heat). Transfer the scallops to a plate and tent loosely with foil.
5. Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the same pan. Once melted, add the garlic and thyme sprigs and cook, stirring, until the garlic is fragrant and just turning pale gold, 30-45 seconds; do not let it brown or it will taste bitter.
6. Pour in the white wine and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon; simmer until the wine reduces by half, about 2 minutes.
7. Remove the pan from heat, discard the thyme sprigs, and stir in the lemon juice and chopped thyme leaves.
8. Return the scallops and any accumulated juices to the pan, spooning the garlic butter sauce over the top to warm through, about 30 seconds.
9. Plate the scallops, spoon over the remaining sauce, scatter with parsley, and serve immediately with the lemon wedges alongside.

Dishes with a similar flavor shape

• Crispy Skin Salmon with Lemon Butter — American
• Shrimp Scampi Linguine — Italian-American
• Baked Salmon with Brown Butter Breadcrumbs — American
• Shrimp Scampi Flatbread — Italian-American
• Lemon Herb Seared Scallops with Orzo — Mediterranean

Keep reading: what richness, umami, citrus mean in the flavor lexicon · the world's cuisines, by flavor.

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Every number above is Palate's engine-measured estimate, computed from this recipe's ingredients and techniques — not human-tasted ratings or reviews.