Our fresh and delicious Grilled Scallops are served up with a colorful citrus salad and drizzle of melted garlic butter on top! The perfect summer dinner that you will be making again and again!
The Best Grilled Scallops
We absolutely love mixing up our regular dinner rotation with a delicious fresh seafood recipe! Our Lemon Butter Scallops made on the stovetop has been a favorite recipe for years, but the next time you want some delicious scallops we suggest firing up your outdoor grill. A great way to cook a light meal with minimal cleanup! Perfect for a little date-in or any other special occasions!
Looking for More Scallop Recipes?
If you love them as much as we do, you definitely need to try our Bacon Wrapped Scallops!
Substitutions
- Scallops: we found large bay scallops in the meat department of our local grocery store. Any fresh scallops would work, just make sure they are large enough to sit on the grates or use a grill pan.
- Butter: option to use plant-based butter to make this dairy-free.
- Rice: pick-up your favorite type of rice!
How To Grill Scallops
The first steps to making this easy recipe are to gather all of the basic ingredients to make scallops on the grill.
Now put all of the citrus salsa ingredients in a large bowl and stir to combine. Set aside.
Then put the butter, garlic, and lemon zest in a small cast-iron pan over medium heat. Warm until fully melted and whisk together. Keep warm over a low heat until scallops are cooked.
Preheat the gas grill or charcoal grill to a high heat and ensure the grill grates are clean. Pat the wet scallops with clean paper towels to dry and season with salt and pepper. Sear scallops directly on the hot grill for 3-4 minutes per side. Option to put the scallops on wooden skewers, metal skewers, or grill pan, if they are smaller scallops.
Best Ways To Serve Grilled Scallops
This delicious grilled scallops recipe is served up on a bed of rice with the citrus salsa and a generous drizzle of the melted butter mixture. Option to put this fancy dinner on a big serving platter with fresh lemon wedges and a sprinkle of fresh parsley for everyone to serve themselves.
Meal Prep
To make this scallop recipe even easier on busy weeknights, feel free to make the bright citrus salsa ahead of time and store in an airtight container in the fridge the night before grilling the scallops. Highly recommend saving the avocado until serving to prevent it from turning brown.
Recipe FAQs
- How long do you grill scallops for? They cook very quickly and only need about 3-4 minutes of cook time per side on a hot grill. Exact time will depend on the size of the scallops.
- Is it better to grill or pan fry scallops? Either way will work and it is more of a personal preference. We do have a pan-fried lemon butter scallops recipe that is also delicious, if you prefer!
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Other Seafood Recipes You Might Like
Grilled Scallops Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Grill
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our mouthwatering Grilled Scallops and Lemon Garlic Butter are served up with a bright citrus salsa for a light and refreshing dinner!
Ingredients
Bright Citrus Salsa:
- 2 fresh grapefruits, diced (with peel and pith removed)
- 1 cup fresh orange, diced (with peel and pith removed)
- 1 avocado, diced (more, if desired)
- 1/4 cup red onion, diced
- 1/4 cup fresh cilantro, roughly chopped
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- optional: 1 small jalapeño, diced (with seeds and membrane removed)
Scallops & Lemon Garlic Butter:
- 12 large scallops
- olive oil or avocado oil
- kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 tablespoon garlic, minced
- zest of 1/2 a lemon
Serving Suggestion:
- cooked rice of your choice
Instructions
- Make Citrus Salsa: Put all of the salsa ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stir to combine – drain any excess juice. Set aside.
- Prep: Bring the grill to a medium-high heat and ensure the grill grates are clean. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels. Brush with olive oil and season both sides with salt and pepper.
- Grill Scallops: Place scallops directly on the hot grates and let cook for 3-4 minutes per side or until cooked through. Remove from the grill.
- Melt Butter: In a small skillet, add the 6 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon garlic, and zest of 1/2 a lemon. Warm on the stovetop over medium heat until fully melted.
- Serve: Enjoy the juicy scallops and bright citrus salsa over cooked rice with a drizzle of the melted butter on top!
Notes
- Dairy-Free: a plant-based butter is a great option to keep it dairy-free.
- Scallops: be sure to use large fresh scallops or, if using frozen scallops, make sure they are fully thawed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 6oz
- Calories: 353
- Sugar: 4.5 g
- Sodium: 516.3 mg
- Fat: 23.2 g
- Carbohydrates: 25.4 g
- Fiber: 3.9 g
- Protein: 13.1 g
- Cholesterol: 67.4 mg
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