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Scallops with Romesco Sauce feel like a fancy restaurant dinner, just without the fancy price tag. They’re golden on the outside, buttery in the middle, and finished with garlic-thyme butter for a rich, savory finish.
If you like this recipe you will like our scallops in black truffle sauce.
Here’s Why This Romesco Scallop Recipe Works
Dry jumbo scallops sear perfectly. U-10 sea scallops are large and meaty, so they caramelize beautifully instead of steaming.
Romesco adds bold balance. Smoky, nutty, and slightly sweet, this Spanish sauce pairs perfectly with buttery scallops.
Herbed butter seals the deal. Garlic and thyme melted into butter add richness and depth without overpowering the scallops.
Quick cook, big payoff. A hot pan and two fast flips give you golden crusts and silky centers every time.
For a different spin, try my scallops with soba noodles. Same buttery sear, but paired with tender noodles and a bright, savory sauce.
Recipe Tips
Dry the scallops well. Moisture makes them steam instead of sear. Pat them with paper towels, then give them a 5-minute salt rest to draw out any extra liquid.
Use a cast iron or heavy skillet. You need serious heat to get that rich, golden crust.
Work in batches. Don’t crowd the pan. Spacing keeps the heat high and prevents steaming.
Adjust for size. Smaller scallops cook in about 1 minute per side. Don’t overdo it. Overcooked scallops lose their buttery texture fast.
Look for the golden edge. Perfectly seared scallops should have a deep golden crust and release easily from the pan when ready to flip. If they stick, give them another 20–30 seconds.
Don’t move them around. Once they hit the skillet, leave them alone. Constant shifting prevents that caramelized crust from forming.
Serve immediately. Scallops lose their tenderness fast once they cool, so have plates and sauce ready before you start cooking.
If you like seafood with bold flavor, my coconut steamed mussels are another favorite. They are light, aromatic, and perfect for soaking up every drop of broth.
If pasta’s more your thing, my shrimp linguini delivers the same restaurant-style flavor with tender shrimp and a rich, garlicky sauce.
Scallops Romesco
Who needs a reservation? These seared scallops with romesco sauce taste like fine dining but come together in minutes. Fancy flavor, home-kitchen effort.
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Spanish Scallops with Romesco Sauce
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Ingredients
- 16 large sea scallops, U-10 dry *see notes
- Salt
- ground white pepper
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 garlic clove, grated or finely minced
- 2 tablespoons Fresh thyme
- 1 tablespoon vegetable oil
- ¾ cup Romesco sauce, store-bought or homemade
- Fresh thyme, for garnish
- 1 lemon, sliced into wedges for garnish
Instructions
- For frozen scallops, remove them from the package and place them, in one layer, on a wire rack set over a plate or baking sheet, cover with a sheet of parchment paper and transfer to the refrigerator to thaw. When ready to cook, proceed as follows:
- For fresh or thawed scallops, place scallops on a large plate that has been lined with a double layer of paper towels. Salt liberally and allow to rest for 5 minutes. Using more paper towels, pat the scallops on all sides as dry as possible. Sprinkle lightly with salt and pepper and set aside while preparing the griddle and butter.
- Add the butter to a small dish and melt in the microwave. Remove and add the grated garlic and fresh thyme leaves. Reserve and keep warm.
- Heat the oil in a cast iron griddle or a heavy-bottomed skillet set over high heat until it just begins to smoke. Working in batches, add some of the scallops spacing them an inch or so apart, cook for 1½ minutes to a rich brown. Turn the scallops with tongs and cook the other side for 1 minute. Just before removing the scallops from the pan, spoon the melted garlic-thyme butter over the top. Transfer to a paper towel lined plate and repeat with the remaining scallops.
- To serve, add a 2 tablespoon pool of the romesco sauce to a dinner plate, place 4 scallops on the sauce and garnish with fresh thyme sprigs and lemon wedges.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Like this recipe? Rate & comment below!
I love scallop, and your plating is so beautiful. This would make a great date night dinner, pin for my husband to make! 😉
Thank you, Trang….yes, go for the date night. I served this to my husband and he loved it, also a great bottle of Spanish wine for $10 at Trader Joe’s. Thanks for the pin! 🙂
Scallops are definitely one of my very favorite seafoods. I just love how light and sweet they are and they pair so well with some many different ingredients. . .like this romesco sauce. I’m absolutely loving how you plated them. So elegant.
Thank you, Lynn…they are at the top of my ‘favorite seafood’ list also, but reserved for ‘special’. 🙂
Once I finally tried scallops as an adult, I totally fell in love! They’re one of my favorite seafood dishes now, and this recipe looks delicious!
Thank you, Rebecca 🙂
Scallops are one of Mrs KR’s favorite foods, so we have them often. Love them seared! And they pair exceptionally well with Romesco sauce — a favorite combo of ours. Terrific post — thanks.
Thanks, John…so happy to hear y’all like Romesco sauce, we have been using it on everything! 🙂
Thats looks so yummy!! Romesco sauce is something new to me, never heard about it. I love all your photos 🙂
Thank you, Sapna…..I hope you try the Romesco sauce it is so good on these scallops. 🙂
I really like your photography and the way you presented these,thanks
Thank you, Jagruti
What a lovely sounding dish, I would love to be able to get scallops here in landlocked Hungary… Sadly I don’t see that happening very soon, loving the Romesco sauce.
Thank you, Brian….I’m sorry yo are missing the scallops. Try the romesco sauce with shrimp….it is delicious!
I didn’t know you had a romesco sauce. Pinned that too! Beautiful photography.
Oh, yes, Ginny and that sauce is so flavorful. I’m loving it! Thank you for pinning! 🙂
Wow, I learned so much about scallops. I had no idea they would be made wet to be prettier. Thank you so much!
Your welcome, Sandi….it is astonishing what happens to our food all for the sake of marketing.
These look delicious, and absolutely beautiful. Your presentation is stunning.
They really are delish, Lauren…and thank you for the kudos 🙂