These Cast Iron Scallops are as easy and simple as you can make them using only three ingredients, scallops, olive oil, and salt.
Delicate and creamy with a sweet caramelized crust, just like at the restaurants! Seared sea scallops are one of the best things you can eat, and making them yourself is much cheaper than dining out. The best part is that it takes less than 5 minutes to make them. The trick to achieving the perfect scallops is by patting the scallops dry and waiting until the pan is nice and hot before placing them on. I love most shellfish but seared scallops are for the win, not to mention, they’re really low maintenance compared to lobster or crab. People are intimidated to make scallops at home so they opt to ordering them at a restaurant… this is silly!
What you will need
- Sea scallops: Don’t buy scallops stored in a milky white fluid. It’s either a chemical preservative or it means they are old. Always opt for your local fish market and look for a fishmonger who sells “dry scallops”
- Olive Oil: You will need high quality extra-virgin olive oil for best quality and taste.
- Salt: I would not use kosher salt – use a thick sea salt.
How to make Easy Pan SearedThese Cast Iron Scallops are as easy and simple as you can make them using only three ingredients, scallops, olive oil, and salt.
Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel, then put them in a large bowl and add the olive oil. Toss the scallops gently in the oil until fully coated.
Preheat a large cast iron over medium high heat. Once it’s hot, sear the scallops until golden, 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Season to taste with salt and garnish with microgreens. Serve immediately.
If you loved these scallops, you should try my good friend Angela's at Cooking with Wine's perfectly seared scallops.
Other dishes to make
- MAFALDE LEMON RICOTTA PARMESAN PASTA
- GOAT CHEESE PESTO PASTA WITH SHRIMP AND PROSCIUTTO
- BROCCOLI RABE PASTA
Cast Iron Scallops
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
Description
These Cast Iron Scallops are as easy and simple as you can make them using only three ingredients, scallops, olive oil, and salt.
Ingredients
- 12 (1 to 1.5 inch wide) raw sea scallops
- 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
- Sea salt, to taste
- Optional: Microgreens, for garnish
Instructions
- Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel, then put them in a large bowl and add the olive oil. Toss the scallops gently in the oil until fully coated.
- Preheat a large cast iron over medium high heat. Once it’s hot, sear the scallops until golden, 1 to 1 ½ minutes per side. Season to taste with salt and garnish with microgreens. Serve immediately.
Notes
Sea scallops: Don’t buy scallops stored in a milky white fluid. It’s either a chemical preservative or it means they are old. Always opt for your local fish market and look for a fishmonger who sells “dry scallops”
Olive Oil: You will need high quality extra-virgin olive oil for best quality and taste.
Salt: I would not use kosher salt – use a thick sea salt.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dinner
- Method: Cooking
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 150.7
- Sugar: 4.0 g
- Sodium: 218.5 mg
- Fat: 3.4 g
- Saturated Fat: 0.8 g
- Carbohydrates: 4.0 g
- Fiber: 0.0 g
- Protein: 22.5 g
- Cholesterol: 48.8 mg
Taylor M
So simple and so delicious. I was always scared to cook scallops so thank you for this.
★★★★★