Spicy Scallop Scampi

Spicy Scallop Scampi is an impressive dish that comes together in under 20 minutes. Seared scallops topped in a garlic, lemon, white wine, and butter sauce!

Why Make This Dish

• Cooking scallops may seem intimidating but they really couldn’t be much easier. You can have this on the table in under 20 minutes, even including chopping time.
• So elegant, and perfect for a special occasion. Scallops aren't cheap, I know, especially the large ones. But this recipe is perfect for a romantic dinner for two or other special meal.
• Did you know that eating scallops is a significantly more environmentally responsible choice than eating shrimp? At least according to the New York Times!

🥗 Ingredients

This is a very easy recipe that you can easily customize to your own tastes. 

• Butter: I call for salted butter in this recipe, because I can find delicious salted butter here in France. But you can make this recipe with either salted or unsalted—just know that you will likely need to add more salt if you use unsalted butter. 
• White wine: Choose a crisp, dry white wine for this dish, like a Sauvignon Blanc. Stay away from sweeter white wines, and also away from big oaky Chardonnays. Doesn’t have to be top quality, but it should be something you'd like to drink. If you want avoid wine, you can make this sauce without it, as in my Shrimp Scampi No Wine recipe.
• Garlic: I went pretty heavy on the garlic, because I love it. If you don’t, feel free to dial back the amount you put in. 
• Scallops: Scallops are usually classified by the number of scallops in a pound. U/10 scallops contain under 10 scallops in a pound while U/30 scallops contain under 30 scallops in a pound. For this recipe, I’d aim for large scallops, somewhere around U/15.
• Crushed Red Pepper: You can make this sauce as spicy as you like. Add the ¼ teaspoon I recommend and adjust based on your preference. Crushed red pepper can also vary in spiciness depending on brand and age of the spice, so tasting and adjusting accordingly is recommended!

🥣 Instructions

Rinse scallops, and pat off as much moisture as possible with paper towels.

Heat a skillet over medium high-high heat. Add 1 T. olive oil and 1 T. butter, then when the butter melts, add your scallops.

Cook for about 2 minutes on the first side, until you can see the brown crust forming on the bottom. Once flipped, cook only about  1 minute on the other side until they start to brown very lightly.

Remove from pan. Scallops will continue cooking after you remove them, and overcooked scallops turn rubbery easily. Turn down the heat to medium.

Add white wine, remaining 4 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon of minced garlic, 1 tablespoon of lemon juice, ½ teaspoon of lemon zest, ¼ teaspoon of crushed red pepper, and ¼ teaspoon of salt.

Cook for 2 minutes, until you can smell the garlic, and sauce has reduced slightly.

Serve scallops with scampi sauce poured over the top. Garnish with fresh chopped chives. 

Note that if you plan to serve these scallops over pasta, you may want to increase the sauce ingredients as well as adding some vegetable broth and cooking liquid from your pasta. Then toss pasta in the sauce and add scallops on top. 

🧐 FAQs

👩‍🍳 Expert Tips

The key to this recipe is getting a good sear on your scallops. You know your pan and stove, so adjust your heat accordingly. You want the scallops to sear quickly but not burn. If you are using something like a cast-iron skillet, you should be able to get a great sear on your scallop—you can tell they are ready to flip when they release easily from the pan.

(With a nonstick skillet, you just need to use your eyes since they won’t stick to the pan at all.) And, make sure to pat dry your scallops very very well after rinsing them. The dryer the scallop, the better the sear.

If possible, try to purchase “dry” scallops—these scallops have been packed as is, with no preservatives. Other scallops are treated with a phosphate solution, which makes the scallops absorb water.

This means you’ll pay more for them because that extra water makes the scallops weigh more, and they won’t form a great crust when seared. Look for “dry” or “chemical-free” on the label, and also look at the color. Dry scallops have a creamy color to them rather than bright white.

Note that this recipe serves 2 people. To double the recipe, you’ll need to cook your scallops in two batches. Crowd the pan and you’ll get steamed instead of seared scallops, which aren’t nearly as delicious. 

What should I serve with this Spicy Scallop Scampi dish? 

You can serve over spaghetti, over rice, or with a big hunk of baguette to sop up the sauce. (I think you can guess my preference—I will use any excuse to make a baguette a main component in my meal.) And even better? Serve with Baguette Garlic Bread!

Besides a good carb, this scallop scampi recipe is great with some green vegetables on the side. Sautéed spinach or kale are perfect, as are broccoli, broccolini, asparagus, and green beans. Try these ideas:

• Roasted Broccoli Rabe
• Accompaniment Salad
• Kale Salad with Cranberries
• Roasted Romanesco Broccoli
• Salade de Tomates

Next, dessert. How about finishing your meal with an Almond Flour Chocolate Cake or a classic Crème Brûlée?

Other Seafood Main Courses

Do you love seafood as much as I do? You might want to also check out some of my favorite seafood recipes, like this Salmon Wellington and these Salmon Fillets with Panko Crust. Or try one of these:

If you try this scallop scampi recipe, I would love to hear from you! Leave a comment below—I read them all, and your feedback is invaluable to me.

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