Air fryer scallops with lemon butter are so succulent and tender! They turn out perfectly cooked, never dry or chewy, and are ready in just 10 minutes! They are topped with the perfect lemon herb sauce to give them the most incredible flavour that is as good as any five star restaurant.
Seafood recipes like the best blacked Mahi Mahi, the best blackened cod, and tuna pasta pesto are some of my favourite meals because they are so quick and easy to make and I can't wait for you to try the scallops recipe I am sharing with you today!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- These air fried scallops turn out so succulent and tender and the lemon butter sauce adds a rich and delicious flavour.
- Cooking scallops has never been easier! When cooked in the air fryer they are so easy to make. They’re ready in under 10 minutes and you don’t have to worry about grease getting all over your counters and stove top like you do when frying them.
- You only need a few simple ingredients to make these delicious scallops!
- This scallop recipe is healthy, gluten-free, sugar free, low carb, keto, paleo and Whole30 compliant so they are perfect no matter what your dietary restrictions. They can easily be made dairy-free too.
- This is a quick version of a classic scallop dinner and is the perfect way to impress guests at a special occasion or to have a quick dinner on the table in no time.
If you love air fried seafood you need to try my air fryer Mahi Mahi recipe and if you are pressed for time be sure to learn which are the best foods to cook from frozen in an air fryer.
Ingredients and substitutions:
- Uncooked scallops – I used frozen raw scallops that I thawed but if you can find fresh scallops that’s even better!
- Butter – scallops are just so much better when topped with butter. You can either use salted butter or unsalted butter. You can use a vegan butter if you are dairy free or swap the butter for olive oil or avocado oil.
- Fresh lemon juice – to make the best lemon butter sauce – I used freshly squeezed lemon juice but you could also use bottled lemon juice.
- Seasonings and spices: dried thyme, sea salt and ground black pepper are all you need to perfectly season these scallops and give the lemon butter sauce that extra special taste.
How to make air fryer scallops:
Step one:
First, rinse and dry the scallops with a paper towel and then sprinkle both sides with a little sea salt and ground black pepper.
Step two:
Next, transfer the seasoned scallops to the tray of your air fryer and cook them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes.
Step three:
While the scallops are cooking, make the lemon butter sauce by placing the butter in a microwave safe dish and heating it in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. When the butter is melted, stir in the lemon juice and thyme.
Step four:
Once the scallops are done cooking, remove them from the air fryer and drizzle them in the melted butter sauce. Then serve them and enjoy!
If you have a basket style air fryer:
First rinse and dry scallops and sprinkle both sides with a little salt and pepper. Then place scallops in the air fryer basket, ensuring they are evenly spaced. Cook them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 10 minutes, flipping them half way through. Then transfer the scallops to a plate or bowl and top them with the lemon butter sauce.
Top Tips:
- Every model of air fryer is different, so you may have to adjust the cooking time if you are using a different model than I do.
- For this recipe I do not preheat my air fryer. If you do preheat it, decrease the cook time by 2-3 minutes.
- Depending on the size of your scallops you may have to adjust the cooking times – for large scallops add a bit of time, for smaller scallops use less time.
- For best results be sure to leave some space between each scallop when cooking them so that the air can circulate properly. You want them to be in a single layer and not overlapping.
- If food tends to stick to your air fryer use a cooking spray to spray the air fryer basket or trays before cooking the scallops so the scallops don't stick when you are air frying them.
- If you have a basket style air fryer you will need to flip the scallops half way through cooking, but if you have a rack style air fryer you don't need to flip them.
Variations and add ins:
- If you are dairy free simply use melted coconut oil or vegan butter instead of dairy butter when making the sauce.
- Feel free to add different herbs to the lemon butter sauce to give this scallop recipe a different flavour. Some other great options include garlic powder, old bay seasoning, lemon zest, lemon pepper, onion powder, cajun seasoning or seasoning salt.
How to serve:
You can serve scallops as a main course, appetizer, or as a side dish. Before serving feel free to give them a squeeze of fresh lemon juice to give them even more flavour.
Some of my favourite side dishes to serve with scallops include:
- I love pairing scallops with a side of cooked vegetables such as asparagus, air fryer roasted broccoli or an air fryer baked sweet potato.
- Scallops pair well with rice, sweet potato rice or cilantro and lime cauliflower rice.
- They can be served over noodles to make a delicious pasta dish.
- Serve them with roasted air fryer diced potatoes or over mashed potatoes.
How to store:
Air-fried scallops are best eaten right after they have been cooked. If you do need to store them, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Air fryer scallops FAQs:
Scallops turn out best when they are cooked from fresh rather than frozen in an air fryer so if you do have frozen scallops, simply thaw them first before air frying them.
It is not recommend that you cook bacon in an air fryer due to the amount of grease it produces when it cooks which creates a fire hazard. For that reason you shouldn’t cook bacon wrapped scallops in an air fryer.
That depends on the type of scallops you buy. If you buy “dry” scallops, or those without any chemical additives I simply give them a rinse first. However if you buy “wet” scallops, or those with added chemicals then it’s best to soak them in a solution of 1 quart cold water, 1/4 cup lemon juice, and 2 tablespoons of table salt for ~30 minutes.
Other air fryer recipes you will love:
- Air Fryer Onion Rings
- Delicious Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Easy air fryer carrots
- Air Fryer French Fries
- Air fryer bananas
Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star rating before you go!
Recipe
Air Fryer Scallops with Lemon Butter
Equipment
Ingredients
- 400 grams scallops
- salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
Lemon Butter Sauce
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme
Instructions
Scallop Instructions
- Rinse and dry the scallops and sprinkle both sides with a little salt and pepper.
- Transfer the scallops to the tray of your air fryer and cook at 400F for 8-10 minutes.
Lemon Butter Sauce
- While the scallops are cooking you can make the lemon butter sauce by placing the butter in a microwave safe dish and heating in the microwave on high for 30 seconds. Then stir in the lemon juice and thyme.
- Once the scallops are done cooking, drizzle the lemon butter sauce over the scallops and enjoy.
Notes
- Depending on the size of the scallops you use you may have to adjust the cooking time.
- If food tends to stick to your air fryer, give it a spray with cooking oil before placing the scallops in it.
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
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