Pan-Seared Scallops with Garlic White Wine Sauce
Tender scallops seared to golden perfection served with a rich creamy garlic white wine sauce that enhances their natural sweetness. This French-inspired seafood recipe, ready in about 25 minutes, pairs large sea scallops, unsalted butter, olive oil for a weeknight-friendly dinner that comes together with one pan and minimal cleanup. Each serving lands at about 280 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 pieces large sea scallops
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1/2 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
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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 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1 tablespoon unsalted butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering.
- Step 2: Place the scallops in the pan spaced evenly and sear without moving for 2-3 minutes until the edges are golden brown. Flip and sear the other side for 2 minutes, then remove scallops and set aside on a warm plate.
- Step 3: Reduce heat to medium, add 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 4 minced garlic cloves to the skillet; sauté for 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.
- Step 4: Pour in 1/2 cup dry white wine and simmer for 3-4 minutes until reduced by half and slightly thickened.
- Step 5: Stir in 1/2 cup heavy cream and 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice, cooking for another 2 minutes until the sauce thickens and coats the back of a spoon.
- Step 6: Return scallops to the pan, spoon the sauce over them, and cook for 1 minute to warm through.
- Step 7: Sprinkle 1 tablespoon chopped fresh parsley over the scallops and serve immediately.







