Grilled Scallops with Jalapeno Lemon Butter Sauce
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There’s nothing quite like the taste of a perfectly cooked scallop. It simply melts in your mouth! Grilled scallops are a quick and easy way to prepare the perfect scallop every time! Serve the scallops with a delicious lemon garlic butter sauce and arugula corn salad for a fresh and flavorful meal.
Table of contents
Scallops are my all-time favorite seafood. When cooked properly, they simply melt in your mouth. Today I’m going to share how to make them perfectly on the grill. These grilled scallops are tender, juicy, buttery and so flavorful!
This recipe includes three parts, with each part utilizing the almighty grill! The three parts include: grilled scallops, grilled jalapeno lemon butter and a grilled corn and arugula salad.
It sounds complex, but actually each part is super easy to make and the entire recipe comes together in just under an hour!
How to make arugula salad
- Grill 2 mini ears of corn on the cob. You can use fresh corn on the cob, or frozen ears of corn. If using frozen corn on the cob, move it from the freezer and place it directly on the grill. Grill the corn for 15-20 minutes, turning throughout the grilling process. If grilling fresh ears of corn, grill them for 10 minutes, over medium-high heat. Once the corn is charred on the outside, remove the cobs from the grill and use a sharp knife to remove the kernels from the cobs.
- Combine all of the salad ingredients. In a large bowl, toss a mix of baby spinach and arugula with the grilled corn kernels, cherry tomatoes, diced avocado and lemon and olive oil dressing. Set the salad aside until ready to serve the scallops. Right before serving, sprinkle grated parmesan cheese over the salad.
How to make grilled jalapeno garlic butter
- Grill a jalapeno. I recommend doing this at the same time that you’re grilling the corn on the cob for the salad. The jalapenos should be grilled for 3-4 minutes per side, or until the skins are black and bubbling. Remove the jalapenos from the grill and place them in a ziplock bag for 5 minutes. After 5 minutes, remove the jalapenos from the bag and peel the skin. Remove the stem of each jalapeno, then slice it open and remove the seeds. Dice the grilled jalapeno.
- Grill half of a lemon. Slice a lemon in half and place it cut side down on the grill for 3 minutes. This can be done at the end of the jalapeno grilling time. Remove the lemon from the grill and set aside.
- Combine the ingredients in a skillet. Add 1/4 cup butter to a grill-safe skillet. I used a cast iron skillet to make this recipe. Add the diced grilled jalapenos and 2 crushed garlic cloves. Place the skillet on one side of the grill over medium-high heat. The butter will melt, while you cook the scallops on the other side of the grill. After 5-7 minutes, remove the jalapeno garlic butter from the grill and squeeze in the juice from the grilled lemon half. Spoon the jalapeno butter over the grilled scallops.
How to make grilled scallops
- Dry the scallops. Before seasoning the scallops, pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Season the scallops. Toss 1 pound of large sea scallops with olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Grill the scallops. Place the scallops on oiled grill grates, on a grill heated to medium-high heat, between 375°F – 400°F. Grill the scallops for 2 minutes per side with the grill open. Remove from the grill, top with the jalapeno lemon garlic butter and serve immediately.
Tips and tricks
To make perfectly cooked scallops every time, follow these simple tips.
- Make sure the grill grates are clean!
- Make sure the grill grates are well oiled! Grilling scallops is super easy. The most important thing to focus on is making sure they do not stick to the grill. Cleaning your grill and oiling it well before adding the scallops will help you achieve perfect grilled scallops every time!
- Make sure the grill is hot! The key to a perfect scallop is achieving a delicious golden texture on the outside, while keeping the inside tender and juicy. Cooking on a hot grill allows you to get those beautiful grill marks almost immediately without overcooking the scallops in the middle.
How to thaw scallops
I recommend moving the scallops from the freezer to the refrigerator the night before you plan to make the dish. The scallops should be in the refrigerator for at least 8 hours before they’re grilled. If you forget to do this step, you can also place the scallops in a colander and rinse under cool water for 5-7 minutes.
Can you grill frozen scallops?
No. You want to thaw the scallops before grilling them, using one of the methods above.
What to serve with scallops
The scallops, served with the arugula corn salad in this recipe, is perfect for a light meal. If you’d like to add an extra side, I’d highly recommend one of these tasty recipes!
More seafood recipes to try
Looking for more delicious seafood recipes? Check out these fan favorites!
Grilled Scallops with Lemon Garlic Butter and Arugula Salad
Ingredients
For the grilled jalapeno lemon garlic butter
- 1 jalapeno
- ½ lemon
- ¼ cup unsalted butter
- 2 peeled garlic cloves, crushed
For the scallops
- 1 pound sea scallops
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon black pepper
- canola oil cooking spray
For the salad
- 2 ears corn on the cob
- 3 cups baby spinach and arugula mix
- ½ cup cherry tomatoes, halved
- ½ avocado, diced
- ¼ cup lemon and olive oil salad dressing
- ¼ cup parmesan cheese, grated
Instructions
- Preheat a grill over medium high heat.
- Place the corn on the cob for the salad, and jalapeno for the butter, on the grill.
- Grill for 3-4 minutes per side or until the skin of the jalapeno is black and bubbling and the corn kernels are charred on all sides.
- Place the lemon half, for the butter, cut side down on the grill for 3 minutes.
- Remove the corn on the cob, jalapeno and lemon from the grill and set aside to cool.
- In the meantime, toss the scallops with the olive oil, paprika, salt and pepper.
- Place the butter in a pan or skillet that’s safe for the grill.
- Peel the skin from the grilled jalapeno, them remove the stem and seeds and dice the jalapeno.
- Add the diced jalapeno and crushed garlic to the pan with the butter.
- Use a sharp knife to remove the kernels from the cobs of corn.
- In a large bowl, toss the baby spinach and arugula with the cherry tomatoes, avocado, grilled corn kernels and lemon and olive oil dressing. Set aside.
- Place the pan of jalapeno butter on one side of the grill.
- On the other side of the grill, spray the grill grates with cooking spray.
- Place the scallops on the grill and grill for 2 minutes per side.
- Remove the scallops and jalapeno butter from the grill.
- Squeeze the juice from the grilled lemon into the jalapeno butter.
- Plate the scallops, then spoon the jalapeno butter over the scallops.
- Serve the prepared arugula corn salad on the side, topped with grated parmesan cheese.
Notes
- Make sure the grill is clean and well oiled before grilling the scallops, or they will stick to the grill.
Nutrition Facts
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