Pan-Seared Scallops with Champagne Butter Sauce and Asparagus
Delicate scallops seared golden and served with tender asparagus and a luxurious champagne butter sauce, ideal for an elegant Valentine’s Day supper. This French-inspired Valentine’s Day recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs sea scallops, salt, black pepper for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 320 calories and feeds 4, so it slots cleanly into a weekly meal plan and pairs well with a quick salad or grain on the side. Tap "Plan a meal with the AI" below to drop this recipe into your week and send the ingredients straight to Instacart. Nutrition values are approximate, calculated from USDA FoodData Central (fdc.nal.usda.gov) — verify against ingredient labels for any health-driven dietary plan.
Ingredients
- 12 large sea scallops
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp black pepper
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 3 tbsp, divided unsalted butter
- 1/2 cup dry champagne
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 bunch, trimmed asparagus spears
- 2 cloves, minced garlic
The cast-iron skillet we’d sear this in → Best Cast Iron Skillets for 2026: Top Picks + Buying Guide
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Equipment for this recipe
Tools this recipe's steps call for, with a link to each on Amazon.
Instructions
- Step 1: Pat 12 large sea scallops dry with paper towels and season both sides with 1 tsp salt and 1/2 tsp black pepper.
- Step 2: Heat 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering; add scallops and sear for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden crust forms and scallops are opaque, then remove and keep warm.
- Step 3: In the same skillet, add trimmed 1 bunch asparagus spears and 2 minced garlic cloves; sauté for 4-5 minutes until tender-crisp, then transfer to a plate.
- Step 4: Reduce heat to medium, pour in 1/2 cup dry champagne and 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice; simmer for 4-5 minutes until reduced by half.
- Step 5: Whisk in remaining 2 tbsp unsalted butter to create a silky sauce, then return scallops and asparagus to the pan to warm briefly.
- Step 6: Serve scallops atop asparagus spears, drizzled with the champagne butter sauce immediately.









