I try to serve seafood at least once a week for dinner. Some of my family’s favorite recipes include grilled tilapia, seafood pasta, shrimp boil, bouillabaisse and these fabulous grilled scallops. If your family loves seafood as much as mine does, try serving crab mac and cheese with these scallops for a memorable meal.
Grilled Scallops Ingredients
For this grilled scallops recipe you will need sea scallops, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, Italian seasoning, salt and black pepper. You should have fresh parsley and lemon wedges to garnish the scallops. These scallops are one of my favorite grilling recipes. You should also check out some of my other favorite grilling recipes like grilled chicken breast, grilled shrimp skewers and grilled corn on the cob.
How To Buy Scallops
You want to use the large sea scallops for this recipe, not the small bay scallops. Look for shellfish that are uniform in size and color and smell fresh – they shouldn’t have a strong fishy aroma. You can typically find fresh scallops at the seafood counter of most grocery stores. Frozen scallops also work well, just make sure they’re completely thawed and pat them dry with a paper towel before use.
How Do You Make Grilled Scallops?
Start this grilled scallops recipe by whisking together olive oil, lemon juice, herbs, garlic and seasonings in a large bowl. Add the shellfish to the marinade and toss to coat. Soak the scallops for at least 15 minutes. Remove the seafood from the marinade and you can either thread the scallops onto skewers or grill them without skewers. Place the marinated shellfish on the grill and cook for a few minutes on each side until the they are opaque. Sprinkle with fresh herbs and serve with lemon wedges, then enjoy!
Tips For The Perfect Dish
I find it easier to thread small to medium size scallops onto skewers to grill them; that way you’ll be sure not to lose any of that precious seafood through the grill grates! If you have extra large scallops and are looking for a more elegant presentation, feel free to grill them without skewers. You can marinate your seafood in a covered bowl or a resealable bag. This recipe works on both an outdoor grill and inside on a grill pan. You can also broil the the seafood in an oven. You can buy Italian seasoning or make your own Italian seasoning. Enjoy these grilled scallops with sides like grilled mushrooms, roasted red potatoes, grilled corn on the cob, asparagus salad or dill potato salad.
Flavor Variations
These grilled scallops are delicious as-is; however, you can change the flavor to suit your own taste.
Spicy: Add crushed red pepper flakes to the marinade for some heat. Butter: You can brush melted butter on the shellfish when they are close to done cooking. Citrus: Feel free to add orange juice or lime juice to the marinade for extra flavor. Seasonings: When you put the shellfish on the grill, you can add a little Cajun seasoning, blackened seasoning or fajita seasoning.
This recipe makes the perfect elegant dinner that’s sure to get rave reviews!
Grilled Scallops Video
