Creamy Garlic Scallops

4.61 from 38 votes

These creamy garlic scallops are better than any restaurant—tender, buttery, and packed with flavor! Cooked in a rich garlic cream sauce, they come together in just 15 minutes and cost way less than dining out. Perfect for an easy yet fancy dinner at home!

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Scallop

Cuisine: American Recipes

Keyword: Creamy Garlic Scallops

Servings: people

Author: Bee Yinn Low

Ingredients

1 lb (500g) jumbo natural scallops
salt
ground black pepper
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter melted
2 cloves garlic minced
3 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
1/4 cup water
2 tablespoons white wine or Japanese cooking sake, optional
1/8 teaspoon cayenne pepper
salt to taste
1 teaspoon parsley leaves chopped
1 slice lemon wedges quartered, for garnishing, optional

Instructions

Rinse the scallops and pat them dry with paper towels. Season with salt and black pepper.
Heat a skillet with olive oil and butter. Pan-sear the scallops on both sides until nicely browned, being careful not to overcook them. Remove and set aside.
On the same skillet, add the garlic and sauté. Add a little olive oil if desired. Then, add the cream, water, wine, salt, and cayenne pepper. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer until the sauce thickens slightly.
Add the scallops back into the skillet, along with the chopped parsley leaves and lemon wedges. Turn off the heat and serve immediately.

Notes

I always go for dry-packed scallops—wet ones release too much liquid and won’t sear properly. Dry-packed scallops brown beautifully and have a naturally sweet flavor that makes all the difference.
Moisture is the enemy of a good sear. Make sure those scallops are dry! I always press them with paper towels until there’s no moisture left.
Don’t crowd the pan! If the scallops are too close together, they’ll steam instead of getting that beautiful sear. Cook in batches if you need to. They cook fast—just 1.5 to 2 minutes per side. Flip when you see that golden crust, and take them off the heat as soon as they turn opaque. Overcooked scallops? Yeah, nobody wants rubbery scallops.

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