These easy lemony tomato herb scallops come together in minutes but taste totally gourmet.

A few years ago I was home alone for dinner and decided to splurge on some scallops.

They are so insanely expensive for what seems like the smallest amount that getting only 4 or 5 to feed one person is really the only time I’ll buy them.

I remember having no idea what I was going to do with them that night as the only thing that could come to mind was wrapping in bacon but I was out of bacon at the time.

Bacon wrapped seafood is delicious and I often do that with salmon but I wanted something lighter tasting for this meal.

I ended up coming up with this lemony, shallot and herb laced tomato base that was so damn good I ended up slurping the juice out of the bowl while watching house hunters on tv.

Lemony tomato herb scallops
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Weird how I can’t even remember what I wore yesterday and yet I can remember that.

easy lemon scallop recipe

I made it a few times after that discovery and then just forgot about it. 

Monday night at the fish counter however, the recipe came back to me as I was desperately trying to meal plan the rest of the week in my head on the spot (something I’m really horrible at doing and therefore end up at the store 3-4 times a week) so, I bought six.

Wondering why you only see five scallops here then?

Ginger apparently thinks scallops are delicious too.

As I was setting up the photography area (meaning throwing down the towel you see in these pictures for all of 5 seconds) she must’ve snatched and swallowed one of them whole.

There wasn’t even an ounce of expression on her face either which of course made me question my sanity of having bought six to begin with for the next 20 minutes.

And then once I realized I did, spend the next 30 minutes freaking out about what the internet says about dogs eating raw scallops.

Tomato lemon scallops

Turns out, she’s fine and I just had more juice to slurp.

These pan-seared scallops are first cooked to a lovely golden brown then removed while you make the lemony tomato herb sauce to go with them.

It’s really a simple dish that comes together in just minutes. Grab a piece of crusty bread to go with it and enjoy this restaurant quality meal on the comfort of your couch!

I’ve also made this dish by air frying the scallops and making the tomato sauce separately. Both methods result in a perfectly tender cooked scallop!

More scallop recipes to try:

Grilled Scallops with Tomatillo Plum Salsa

Grilled Scallop Citrus Ceviche

Grilled Basil Butter Bay Scallops with Summer Vegetables

Bay Scallop Baby Kale Corn Salad

Watermelon Feta Salad with Cornmeal Crusted Fried Scallops

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Lemony Tomato Herb Scallops

Servings: 1 serving
Prep: 5 minutes
Cook: 10 minutes
Total: 15 minutes
These easy lemony tomato herb scallops come together in minutes but taste totally gourmet.

Ingredients 

  • 5-6 sea scallops, rinsed & pat dry
  • salt & pepper
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 shallot, sliced
  • 1 clove of garlic, minced
  • 2 tablespoons fresh herbs, minced (I used basil, rosemary and lemon thyme)
  • 1/2 cup diced tomatoes
  • 1/4 cup chicken broth
  • juice of 1/2 a lemon

Instructions 

  • Heat butter in a medium pan over medium heat.
  • Season scallops with salt & pepper and place in the pan once hot.
  • Let cook for about 3 minutes until nice and golden brown, flip and cook for another 2-3 minutes on the other side.
  • Remove scallops from the pan and set aside on a dish.
  • Add olive oil to the pan with shallots and garlic.
  • Saute for about 1 minute.
  • Add the remaining ingredients to the pan, stir to release any of the bits stuck to the bottom and let simmer over medium heat for about 5 minutes until the sauce reduces and thickens.
  • Once thickened, transfer the sauce to a plate and top with the scallops and their juices.
  • Garnish with fresh herbs and a squeeze of lemon.

Notes

This is excellent served with a piece of crusty bread.

Nutrition

Serving: 1SERVINGCalories: 508kcalCarbohydrates: 52gProtein: 20gFat: 26gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 15gCholesterol: 64mgSodium: 1427mgFiber: 5gSugar: 36g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Additional Info

Course: Main Dishes
Cuisine: American
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Founder and Writer at Running to the Kitchen | About

Gina Matsoukas is an AP syndicated writer. She is the founder, photographer and recipe developer of Running to the Kitchen — a food website focused on providing healthy, wholesome recipes using fresh and seasonal ingredients. Her work has been featured in numerous media outlets both digital and print, including MSN, Huffington post, Buzzfeed, Women’s Health and Food Network.

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23 Comments

  1. First of all, the photography is amazing – I want to eat the pictures off the screen! Secondly, I love scallops and this recipe sound so delicious.

  2. I can relate to going to the store a few times a week. If I don’t make a list before going to the store I will most likely have to go back to the store. Love the sauce you made for the scallops

  3. It’s been way too long since I’ve had scallops and I think I’ve only cooked them for myself once. Thanks for sharing such an easy and fresh-looking recipe. I’ll have to try my hand at scallops again!!

  4. Your dog is a troll. A cute troll, but a troll nonetheless. She seems so animated and fun :) I’m glad she’s OK! I’d be freaking out if Gryff got into something he normally wouldn’t eat :\ This dish sounds so good. I don’t miss meat that often, but when I do, it’s usually scallops. When seared properly, it was probably one of my favorite foods!

  5. I have never had a scallop before! I know that is crazy! But with a dish like yours I know I will like it!!

    I get you about dogs stealing food! I set up my photo area, run into the other room to get a prop and then I see my one dog run and hide and the other is eating whatever I made! I swear your gone for 5 seconds and bam he gets it! My dogs tongue is like a snakes or a lasso, one quick whip of it and whatever was there is gone in 1/2 a second flat!