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Close up shot of five thick sea scallops with a deep golden-brown crust on top of glossy pasta. (Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops)

Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops with Glossy Angel Hair Pasta

Elegant Lemon Garlic Butter Scallops served over glossy angel hair pasta. This restaurant-quality dish features jumbo sea scallops with a deep golden-brown crust and a vibrant, translucent lemon garlic butter sauce that is Pinterest-perfect.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings: 2 people
Course: Dinner, Main Course
Cuisine: American, Seafood
Calories: 520
Ingredients Equipment Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Recipe Ingredients
  • 10 large Sea Scallops Dry-packed preferred
  • 8 oz Angel Hair Pasta 225g
  • 4 tbsp Salted Butter 56g
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil 15ml
  • 5 cloves Garlic minced
  • 1/4 cup Lemon Juice 60ml, fresh
  • 1/2 tsp Red Pepper Flakes 1g
  • 1/4 cup Fresh Parsley finely chopped
  • 1 whole Lemon sliced into rounds

Equipment

  • 1 Cast Iron Skillet Or stainless steel for best searing results.
  • 1 Large pot For boiling pasta.

Method
 

Preparation
  1. Pat the sea scallops bone-dry with paper towels on all sides. Let them sit for 10 minutes at room temperature.
  2. Cook angel hair pasta in salted boiling water for 1 minute less than package directions. Drain, reserving 1/2 cup pasta water.
Cooking
  1. Heat oil in a skillet over high heat. Season scallops with salt and sear for 2 minutes on the first side until a deep golden crust forms. Flip and sear for 1 minute more. Remove from pan.
  2. Reduce heat to medium. Melt butter and sauté minced garlic for 1 minute. Whisk in lemon juice and red pepper flakes.
  3. Toss the pasta in the sauce until glossy. Plate the pasta, top with five scallops each, and garnish with parsley and lemon slices.

Notes

Ensure the pan is screaming hot before adding scallops to get the crust.
Use dry-packed scallops to avoid excess moisture during searing.