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.
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- These air fried scallops turn out so succulent and tender and the lemon herb 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 delicious scallops in the air fryer. I bet you already have all the ingredients in your fridge and pantry.
- These scallops are healthy and naturally low in carbs. They are perfect for anyone but are also great if you are following a special diet like keto, paleo or Whole30. They are going to become one of your favorite air fryer recipes.
- The lemon butter sauce is very versatile – change up the spices to make it a lemon herb sauce or add some garlic to make it a garlic butter sauce.
- This is a quick version of a classic scallop dinner and is the perfect way to impress guests at a special occasion and have a quick dinner on the table in no time.
Key ingredients and substitutions:
You should be able to find all of the simple ingredients for this easy recipe at local grocery stores. For the exact measurements refer to the recipe card at the end of this post.
- Scallops – I used frozen 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 for making this easy air fryer recipe. 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.
- Dried thyme – to give the lemon butter sauce that extra special taste.
How to cook:
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!
How to cook scallops in 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.
- 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 so the scallops don't stick when you are air frying 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 easy 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 or as a side dish. Before serving feel free to use fresh lemon wedges to give them an extra squeeze of lemon juice. You can serve this scallop dinner with your favorite side dishes. Some of my favorite sides and other ways to serve scallops include:
- I love pairing scallops with a side of cooked vegetables such as asparagus or broccoli.
- Scallops pair well with rice, sweet potato rice or cauliflower rice.
- They can be served over noodles to make a delicious pasta dish.
- Serve them with roasted potatoes or over mashed potatoes.
How to store:
Air-fried scallops are best eaten right after they are cooked. If you do need to store them, keep them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 24 hours.
Frequently asked questions:
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:
- Salmon Cakes
- Air fryer Mahi Mahi
- Air Fryer Onion Rings
- Air Fryer Turkey Burgers
- Air fryer carrots
- Broccoli
- 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.
Leave a Reply