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Healthy Garlic Scallops Recipe

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Scrumptious garlic scallops recipe, seared to perfection in a cast iron pan and cooked in a healthy clarified butter for the ultimate seafood meal!

Garlic Scallops in Healthy Clarified Butter in a Cast Iron SkilletTo sear the scallops you will need organic Ghee like This + cast iron skillet (<–amazon)

A quick post today on how to make easy, good for you, Italian garlic scallops that are perfectly seared yet succulent, garlicky and saucy! You can serve them as an appetizer, starter, or dinner for two with angel hair pasta or over a creamy risotto! 

Are you ready for the perfect garlic scallops of your life ? 

Initially I planned to make some shrimp, but could not find any wild caught ones at the market, so I grabbed some large wild scallops instead. 

Lucky me, I also had all that clarified butter /Ghee from the other day, so really, everything finally aligned to make this happen.

Healthy scallops, you don’t even have to worry about eating too much!

Garlic Scallops Healthy

The liquid gold butter ghee, is what makes the most delicious sauce for those scallops to swim in. ( If you don’t want to bother making it, you can just order some Here from Amazon.

Then you can mop it up with some crusty bread or serve them with rice, asparagus, steamed vegetables, angel hair pasta and lots of lemon. Garlic spinach and pea puree are also lovely pairings.

So dust off that old cast iron skillet (<-amazon), it’s the only way to get perfectly seared scallops without overcooking them, and ending up with a rubbery mess.

Garlic Scallops Healthy

Important: make sure your scallops are completely patted dry well on paper towels!

You can’t work with watery scallops!

Simply coated in a little bit of olive oil, seasoned well and quickly seared in a hot skillet for no more than 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Easy, simple, perfect, deliciousness, right?

Then you add your healthy clarified butter, lots of garlic and a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to brighten it all up.

Healthy Italian Pan Seared Garlic Scallops

FAQ: Are Scallops Healthy ?

A: They are a low fat, low calorie, lean protein source, rich in vitamin B-12, essential minerals and Omega-3 fatty acids, but honestly if you look at scientific research they are far from healthy and should be avoided. 

 

Golden Brown Cast Iron Pan Seared Garlic Scallops in Healthy Clarified Butter

UPDATE: since first posting this garlic scallops recipe I’ve become aware of the overwhelming scientific nutritional research and evidence and can no longer support anything but a Plant-Based diet, for the human health, animal welfare and our Planet. 

5 from 10 votes
Garlic Scallops
Print
Healthy Garlic Scallops Recipe
Prep Time
5 mins
Cook Time
5 mins
Total Time
10 mins
 

Italian garlic scallops, seared to a golden perfection in a cast iron pan and cooked in healthy clarified butter for the ultimate seafood meal!

Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: Italian
Keyword: scallops, seafood
Servings: 2
Calories: 391 kcal
Author: Florentina
Ingredients
  • 1 lb large scallops
  • 1/4 c clarified butter ghee
  • 5 cloves garlic grated
  • 1 large lemon zested
  • 1/4 c Italian parsley roughly chopped
  • 1/2 tsp sea salt + more to taste
  • 1/4 tsp peppercorn medley freshly ground
  • 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
  • A pinch of sweet paprika
  • 1 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Instructions
  1. Make sure to pat dry the scallops on paper towels very well before cooking.
  2. Heat up a large cast iron skillet on medium flame.
  3. Meanwhile in a medium bowl toss the scallops with a drizzle of olive oil or butter ghee, just enough to coat it all over. Sprinkle them with the sea salt, cracked pepper, red pepper flakes and sweet paprika. Toss to coat gently.
  4. Add a little drizzle of butter ghee to the hot skillet, just enough to coat the bottom. Add the scallops making sure not to overcrowd the pan, and sear for about 2 minutes on each side until nicely golden. ( Use a small spatula to flip them over individually )
  5. Add the butter ghee to the skillet with the scallops and then add the garlic. Remove from heat and using a spatula push the garlic around to infuse the sauce for about 30 seconds. The heat from the skillet will be enough for the garlic to work its magic into the butter. This is how you avoid that pungent burnt garlicky taste we don’t like.
  6. We are just looking to extract all that sweetness from the garlic, and this is how you do it, without burning.
  7. Squeeze half of the lemon all over the scallops and move the skillet around a little so it combines with the butter. Sprinkle with the minced parsley, lemon zest and a drizzle of extra virgin olive oil. Serve with crusty bread or al dente capellini noodles.
Recipe Notes

If serving with capellini noodles, make about 1/4 pound per person, and stretch the sauce with some of the pasta water the noodles cooked in.

Nutrition Facts
Healthy Garlic Scallops Recipe
Amount Per Serving
Calories 391 Calories from Fat 234
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 26g 40%
Saturated Fat 15g 75%
Cholesterol 112mg 37%
Sodium 1481mg 62%
Potassium 537mg 15%
Total Carbohydrates 11g 4%
Dietary Fiber 1g 4%
Sugars 1g
Protein 28g 56%
Vitamin A 14.1%
Vitamin C 19.6%
Calcium 3.8%
Iron 8.1%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.

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About Florentina

Hi, I'm Florentina, the voice behind the wholesome recipes you find in this journal. But I'm not alone, I'm really just channeling the Man in the Photo, one recipe at a time! Thank you for joining me in my quest for the art of simple, rustic living, trying to capture the raw beauty of organic food & life through the lens of my Iphone and camera.

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Reader Interactions

Comments

  4. Ange

    July 31, 2015 at 2:01 am

    Your recipe has inspired me to try cooking scallops. Such a simple recipe but looks like a taste sensation. Can’t wait to give them try!

    Reply

  11. The Chunky Chef

    July 31, 2015 at 6:14 am

    Ohhhhh wow, we LOVE scallops (although getting good quality ones in Ohio can be a bit tough)… and these look fabulous!! Yay, no naughty corner for me, I have 5 cast iron skillets to choose from lol 🙂

    Reply

  18. nagimaehashi

    August 3, 2015 at 2:01 pm

    OMG. These look INCREDIBLE! Look how juicy and sparkly and glossy they are! You totally nailed it!! And actually, this is very similar to how I make MINE! great minds think alike 😉 Pinning!

    Reply

    • Florentina

      March 25, 2016 at 5:25 pm

      Hi Lyn, that’s because some people like more lemon over their scallops than others. So this way you can have extra on the side if you prefer an extra fresh squeeze. Enjoy the scallops- Have a great weekend !

      Reply

  23. Richi Ackerman

    May 15, 2016 at 11:51 am


    Florentina, great recipe, with great photos. You know, we begin to eat a meal with our eyes before the food ever touches our tongues. I did not have to stand in the corner for 20 minutes, as my cast iron pot gets used often. Seasoned well, and kept oiled and ready to use. I enjoy the way you write. As if we were having a conversation. That makes it enjoyable to read. I will post some of my kitchen escapades when I have put together a recipe and photos. Mostly, I make other folks recipes. Some are from family recipes, but not many. Thanks for sharing this one. I’ll bet I could even make this while camping. Because, camping food isn’t always hamburgers, hot dogs, and smores for me. Regards, Richi Ackerman

    Reply

    • Florentina

      May 16, 2016 at 5:47 pm

      Thank you so much Richi, so glad you enjoy the site, and so proud of you for having that cast iron skillet ready to rock and rocll 😉 For sure you can make this while camping, let me know if you do it and send us photos. That would be such a great camping trip ! ~ Florentina

      Reply

  24. BK

    June 2, 2016 at 5:45 pm

    I made this recipe tonight and it was fantastic and cooked to perfection with a great flavor blend. The simplicity was perfect too. Thank you!

    Reply

  26. Margi

    November 18, 2016 at 9:49 am

    I cannot cook in a cast iron skillet. I have a genetic illness where my body has too much iron – hemochromatosis. Can I use a stainless steel pan instead and get equally good results?

    Reply

    • Florentina

      November 18, 2016 at 2:52 pm

      Hi Margi, so sorry to hear that. You can definitely still cook the scallops, I do not recommend stainless steel in this case just because it is difficult to work with because of sticking. I would say go for a skillet with enamel or ceramic, something that won’t stick. Also make sure your scallops are patted dry very well and at room temperature for a good 20 minutes. Then coat them well in olive oil so they won’t stick. Let me know how it goes ~ Florentina

      Reply

  27. Ginny Reinholdt

    February 4, 2017 at 3:57 pm

    I made this tonight and it was absolutely delicious. This will definitely be a go to for scallops. Making this dish in the cast iron fry pan really gave the scallops a beautiful browning; which I never achieved in other pans. We had rice and oven roasted broccoli with it and it made a great pairing.

    Thank you for sharing this recipe.

    Reply

  29. Meg

    April 8, 2017 at 2:40 pm

    Just got home from the grocery store picked up all the ingredients can’t wait to try these they look amazing!!

    Reply

    • Florentina

      May 23, 2017 at 11:48 am

      Hi Mel, I’m not sure I understand the question. Ghee is clarified butter that is good for you 🙂 You can quickly make your own or just purchase it at the store. Hope that helps!

      Reply

  35. Liz

    March 9, 2018 at 2:27 pm


    This is such a wonderful recipe- I’ve used it more than once (with halibut, too) but its FAR from healthy with all that butter and oil!

    Reply

  36. Brittany

    April 19, 2018 at 4:47 pm


    These were amazing. Every scallop I have ever tried in fancy or not so fancy restaurants have been a disappointment. Made these at home with this recipe and for first time I have enjoy scallops!! Thank you!

    Reply

  38. Dianna

    September 17, 2018 at 2:49 pm


    I was so nervous about how these would turn out. They came out amazzzzzing! My fiancé LOVED them. Thank you so much for sharing this recipe:)))

    Reply

  40. Christine

    November 3, 2018 at 8:00 pm


    This recipe was awesome! I love the lemon zest, and adding the garlic at the end made it perfect. The only thing I didn’t care for was the Italian parsley, and I will leave it out next time. Everything else was awesome! My husband and daughters loved it too!

    Reply

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