The secret to success when cooking scallops is three things, making sure they are patted dry before you cook them, heating the pan completely before adding the oil, then searing the scallops quickly so they don't get rubbery.
This buttery orange sauce is a combination of freshly grated orange zest and orange marmalade a match made in scallop heaven.
The taste is a magnificent burst of citrusy sunshine, and seriously folks these flavors are too good to even describe you just have to take my word for it.
Scallops cook quickly and if you're serving seafood lovers these can be on the table quickly during a busy weeknight yet elegant enough to serve to guests in less than 20 minutes.
If you don't want to be fancy about the side dish just cook up some plain white rice and pour this delectable butter orange sauce on it, it's simply fabulous!
These are all super simple ingredients you can find in any local market and of course, this dish is even great with other seafood if you're not a scallop lover then use whatever you prefer even tilapia, haddock, or of course lobster!
We really love this dish served with Almondine Rice as a side dish or when entertaining guests Cacio de Pepe pasta.
Scroll down to get this easily printable recipe with step-by-step instructions
Step By Step
- heat the pan before adding the oil
- sear the scallops in oil quickly no more than 4 to 5 minutes (around 1 1/2 minutes on each side)
- add the garlic to the pan for 1 minute set the scallops aside keeping them warm
- simmer orange sauce for 3 minutes
- serve with rice or any other sides you prefer with seafood like maybe our Garlic Roasted Asparagus or Elegant Chantilly Potatoes
Other Substitutions
- smoked salmon
- Mahi-mahi
- haddock
- crab meat or lobster
- cod
- swordfish
- tilapia
- snook
- redfish
- halibut
- shrimp
- lobster
- any seafood you like the sauce is terrific with
Ingredients You Will Need (complete printable recipe below in the recipe card with measurements
- scallops
- orange marmalade
- naval or blood oranges juice and zest
- chili powder or sweet paprika
- butter
- fresh parsely and fresh basil
- granulated garlic powder
- fresh garlic
- olive oil
- salt, pepper
Tips
- pat dry scallops with paper towels
- heat a cast iron pan first without the butter then add the butter
- do not overcook seafood or it will turn rubbery
- large scallops take no more than 4 to 5 minutes to cook
- don't brown garlic, it should be light in color
- add paprika or chili powder to get that rich sear color
- Don't grate into the white part of any rind on the orange it will ruin the dish and be bitter
- outdoor grilling: oil spray a cast-iron skillet and heat it then add the butter until it melts before adding the scallops
- air fryer: place in an ovenproof casserole dish at 425 degrees oil spray a baking dish heat the pan first before adding scallops and cook everything together for 4 to 5 minutes or until the outside is seared nicely
- baked: preheat the oven then bake the seafood in a greased casserole set at 400 degrees for 4 minutes then broil on high to brown for 1 or 2 minutes watching carefully
More Recipes We Love
Italian Christmas Eve Seafood Recipes
Best Fried Fish Recipe Coatings
Stuffed Flounder with Shrimp and Crab
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Easy Meals
This very impressive scallop dish is super any day of the week especially when you're pressed for time.
It's super easy and takes less than 20 minutes for the whole meal don't forget to try our Two Ingredient Coconut Rice as a side dish you can even make one of our Holiday Side Dishes the night before and just whip up these Seared Scallops alla Orange the next day!
Let us know how you like our version of this recipe we just love it all year long and again super easy, looks and tastes gourmet, and everyone that loves seafood is going to be complimenting you for sure!
Seared Scallop alla Orange
Yield: 6
Prep time: 10 MinCook time: 7 MinTotal time: 17 Min
This recipe for Seared Scallop alla Orange is a buttery orange gourmet seafood that tastes gourmet. The sauce is simply Fabulous!
Ingredients
- 1 pound of scallops patted dry
- 3 cloves of garlic peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
- 4 tablespoons of butter
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon of grated zest from a navel fresh orange (use blood oranges when in season)
- the juice of a large orange (around 1/2 cup of juice) removing pits
- 2 tablespoons orange marmalade
- 2 tablespoons of Italian flat-leaf parsley
- salt and pepper to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika or use chili powder (more for the rich color than taste)
- Optional: if you would like a spicy sauce to add 1/2 teaspoon of red pepper flakes
- Garnish Suggestions:
- 1 navel orange sliced pits removed (or blood orange), fresh basil, parsely, and hot pepper flakes
Instructions
- Make sure the scallops are patted dry using paper towels.
- Place the scallops in a bowl with garlic powder, a pinch of salt, pepper, and sweet paprika, (or the chili powder), and toss them together.
- In a medium-sized cast iron pan heat the pan first and get it nice and hot.
- Then add the oil to the pan on medium heat and add the scallops.
- Saute the scallops until golden on both sides (around 1 1/2 minutes on each side) on each side then add the sliced garlic for 1-minute stirring until the garlic is fragrant.
- Watch and turn them carefully not to scorch or burn the garlic, then place them in a casserole and keep them warm.
- Remove the pan from the heat then add the orange juice to the pan scraping any fried brown bits.
- Simmer the juice for 3 minutes then add the orange marmalade and butter stirring until melted and scraping the bits on the bottom to combine.
- Add more salt, pepper, and granulated garlic if needed.
- Stir the scallops into the sauce just to warm up and add the zest. basil, parsley.
- Garnish options: serve with orange slices, fresh basil or parsley, and hot pepper flakes.
- Serve on top of a bed of white rice or whatever you prefer as a side dish.
Notes
Other Substitutions
- smoked salmon
- Mahi-mahi
- haddock
- crab meat or lobster
- cod
- swordfish
- tilapia
- snook
- redfish
- halibut
- shrimp
- lobster
- any seafood you like the sauce is terrific with
Tips
- pat dry scallops with paper towels
- heat a cast iron pan first without the butter then add the butter
- do not overcook seafood or it will turn rubbery
- large scallops take no more than 4 to 5 minutes to cook
- don't brown garlic, it should be light in color
- add paprika or chili powder to get that rich sear color
- Don't grate into the white part of the rind of any orange it will ruin the dish and be bitter
- outdoor grilling: oil spray a cast-iron skillet and heat it then add the butter until it melts before adding the scallops
- air fryer: place in an ovenproof casserole dish at 425 degrees oil spray a baking dish heat the pan first before adding scallops and cook everything together for 4 to 5 minutes or until the outside is seared nicely
- baked: preheat the oven then bake the seafood in a greased casserole set at 400 degrees for 4 minutes then broil on high to brown for 1 or 2 minutes watching carefully
Nutrition Facts
Calories
197.75Fat (grams)
12.71Sat. Fat (grams)
5.54Carbs (grams)
11.89Fiber (grams)
0.78Net carbs
11.1Sugar (grams)
6.9Protein (grams)
9.74Sodium (milligrams)
394.27Cholesterol (grams)
38.21
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Try Some of Our Other Favorite Asian Recipes
Seafood Scampi
Crab and Shrimp Cakes
Mandarin Orange Pork Chops
Easy Fried Rice
Disclosure: This recipe was originally shared in 2012. It was edited and re-published in 2022.
