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    Home » Recipes » Air Fryer Scallops

    Air Fryer Scallops

    Apr 9, 2021 by Cindy This post may contain Amazon or other affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. This blog generates income via ads.

    Scallops are not just for eating in a fancy restaurant anymore! Learn to make delicious and perfectly cooked Air Fryer Scallops with a garlic and herb butter sauce that will rival any seafood chef's best dish. #seafood #airfryer #scallops via @vegetarianmamma
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    Scallops are not just for eating in a fancy restaurant anymore! Learn to make delicious and perfectly cooked Air Fryer Scallops with a garlic and herb butter sauce that will rival any seafood chef's best dish. #seafood #airfryer #scallops via @vegetarianmammaScallops are not just for eating in a fancy restaurant anymore! Learn to make delicious and perfectly cooked Air Fryer Scallops with a garlic and herb butter sauce that will rival any seafood chef's best dish. #seafood #airfryer #scallops via @vegetarianmamma

    Scallops are not just for eating in a fancy restaurant anymore! Learn to make delicious and perfectly cooked Air Fryer Scallops with a garlic and herb butter sauce that will rival any seafood chef's best dish.

    a white plate of scallops garnished with lemons and parsley

    AIR FRYER SCALLOPS RECIPE

    Contents show
    1 AIR FRYER SCALLOPS RECIPE
    1.1 INGREDIENTS IN AIR FRYER SCALLOPS
    1.2 HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER SCALLOPS
    1.3 WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER SCALLOPS
    1.4 CAN I COOK FROZEN SCALLOPS IN AN AIR FRYER?
    1.5 DO I NEED OIL TO COOK SCALLOPS IN THE AIR FRYER?
    1.6 WHAT DO SCALLOPS TASTE LIKE?
    1.7 MORE DELICIOUS SEAFOOD RECIPES TO MAKE IN YOUR AIR FRYER
    1.8 Pro Tips
    2 Air Fryer Scallops
    2.1 Equipment
    2.2 Ingredients
    2.3 Instructions
    2.4 Video
    2.5 Notes
    2.6 Nutrition
    2.7 Related Posts
    2.7.1 95+ Cosori Air Fryer Recipes
    2.7.2 Air Fryer Fish Recipes
    2.7.3 Air Fryer Shrimp

    At a fancy restaurant near me, a scallop dinner costs around $35. In some circumstances I can justify spending that much on a nice meal, but I know that with a little bit of finesse in the kitchen I can make two servings of deliciously seasoned Air Fryer Scallops for under $20.

    And I'm going to show you exactly how to do it.

    This dish features fresh scallops, cooked up quickly and easily in the air fryer and then topped with a decadent garlic-herb butter.

    Garnished with fresh lemons and parsley and served with your favorite side dishes, these scallops will be one of your go-to fancy dinner meals. Serve this for a romantic dinner for two, or double the recipe for a small dinner party or family meal.

    The best part about this restaurant style meal is that it's completely simple. Just put the scallops in the air fryer and let the air fryer do its magic.

    top down view of the ingredients needed to make air fryer scallops

    INGREDIENTS IN AIR FRYER SCALLOPS

    Fresh Scallops - We're using 7-9 large fresh scallops, about a pound.

    Salt - To season the scallops before cooking.

    Pepper - Also a pre-cooking seasoning for the scallops

    Unsalted Butter - We will create a sauce for the scallops with a melted butter base.

    Garlic - use two fresh cloves of garlic, finely minced.

    Italian Seasoning - this blend of herbs is perfect on almost anything, and delicious here.

    Fresh Parsley- I love the little bits of green and the bright flavor that parsley adds here.

    Lemon Wedges - Serve wedges alongside your scallops as a functional garnish.

    If you have any questions about air fryer scallops, please leave a comment below and I will get back to you.

    photo collage of six steps to make scallops in an air fryer

    HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER SCALLOPS

    1. Season the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides.
    2. Place the scallops in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
    3. Air Fry as directed in the recipe, flipping over halfway through cooking time.
    4. Meanwhile, stir the garlic and Italian seasoning into the melted butter.
    5. Transfer cooked scallops to a plate and drizzle with garlic-herb butter.
    6. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, with lemon wedges on the side.

    These numbered steps match the numbered photos above and are for illustration purposes. For the complete list of ingredients and instructions, please see the recipe below.

    a round white plate on a white counter, plate is filled with cooked scallops topped with garlic and parsley and garnished with flatleaf parsley and lemon wedges

    WHAT TO SERVE WITH AIR FRYER SCALLOPS

    I think a dish like scallops calls for simple and delicious side dishes.

    Try a potato, like Air Fryer Baked Potatoes or Air Fryer Sweet Potatoes, topped with butter. Add in a green vegetable like Air Fryer Green Beans and you'll have a beautiful dinner plate.

    Scallops also pair well with something like Risotto.

    CAN I COOK FROZEN SCALLOPS IN AN AIR FRYER?

    Of course you can! Please note that this recipe was created using fresh scallops, so the timing here likely will be different for frozen scallops.

    If you'd like to use frozen scallops for this recipe, I would suggest thawing them in the fridge before cooking them.

    DO I NEED OIL TO COOK SCALLOPS IN THE AIR FRYER?

    I found that I did not need to oil my air fryer basket to cook these scallops. They are cooking at a high heat, so they didn't stick.

    If you have had trouble with your air fryer basket sticking to other meats or seafood, then I would suggest brushing or spritzing your basket with a mild flavored oil before cooking.

    WHAT DO SCALLOPS TASTE LIKE?

    Scallops are a decadent seafood treat, one that is usually saved for a special occasion or expensive night out. The good news is, that in my lifetime, scallops have become much more available in grocery stores. You can make them whenever you like!

    Scallops are described as tasting both light and rich at the same time. They are buttery, slightly sweet, and salty like the ocean. The flavor of scallops is similar to lobster or crab, but the texture is more firm.

    closeup view of a plate of scallops topped with garlic and herbs, being eaten with a fork.
    pictured is a black ninja air fryer

    The recipe should work in other air fryers. This recipe was created and photographed in a Ninja Air Fryer.

    If you have an OVEN STYLE air fryer, you may need to add 1-3 minutes of additional cook time.

    Keep in mind that each air fryer runs differently, it is important to check your food often.

    MORE DELICIOUS SEAFOOD RECIPES TO MAKE IN YOUR AIR FRYER

    If you have five minutes you can make some delicious Air Fryer Shrimp. It's really that fast in the air fryer!

    Air Fryer Salmon is another favorite restaurant dish that can be easily made at home. You might also like these Air Fryer Salmon Patties.

    This Southern style Air Fryer Catfish recipe will have everyone raving.

    a plate of scallops garnished with lemon and herbs

    Pro Tips

    • Use Any Air Fryer: This recipe can be made in an air fryer unit with a basket or an air fryer oven. If you're using an air fryer oven, place your food on the middle rack and select the "air fry" function.
    • Check your food as it cooks! Since each air fryer runs differently, sometimes air frying is a trial and error process. When cooking a new recipe, be sure to check on your food often. This will help you avoid over or undercooking, and help you learn your air fryer's specific ways!

    This recipe was made in a Cosori Air Fryer with a Basket. The recipe should work in other air fryers.

    Have you made this recipe? Please leave a comment AND rating below! It helps other readers!

    Be sure to tag @AirFryerEats on instagram, if you share a picture on the gram! Let's get social, you can follow me on Youtube, Instagram, Facebook, Pinterest or join one of our Air Fryer Facebook Groups: Air Fryer Recipes, Air Fryer Recipes for Seniors and Gluten Free Air Fryer Recipes.

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    a white plate of scallops garnished with lemons and parsley
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    4.86 from 7 votes

    Air Fryer Scallops

    Scallops are not just for eating in a fancy restaurant anymore! Learn to make delicious and perfectly cooked Air Fryer Scallops with a garlic and herb butter sauce that will rival any seafood chef's best dish.
    Prep Time5 mins
    Cook Time10 mins
    Total Time15 mins
    Course: Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Gluten Free
    Keyword: air fryer scallops
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 193kcal
    Cindy - Air Fryer Eats
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    Equipment

    • Air fryer

    Ingredients

    • 7-9 Large Fresh scallops cleaned and patted dry
    • ½ tsp Salt
    • ¼ tsp Pepper
    • 3 tbsp Unsalted Butter melted
    • 2 Garlic Cloves minced
    • ½ tsp Italian Seasoning
    • Fresh Parsley for garnish
    • Lemon Wedges for serving

    Instructions

    • Season the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides.
    • Place the scallops in the basket in a single layer.
    • Air fry at 400F/204C degrees for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway through the cook time.
    • Meanwhile, stir the garlic and herbs into the melted butter.
    • Transfer cooked scallops to a plate and drizzle with the garlic-herb butter.
    • Serve immediately garnished with parsley, with lemon wedges on the side.
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    Video

    Notes

    • Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the "Air Fry" function.
    • To do a larger amount of scallops, cook them in two batches, allowing the air fryer to cool for a few minutes before the second batch. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 193kcal | Carbohydrates: 3g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 58mg | Sodium: 790mg | Potassium: 134mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 537IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 23mg | Iron: 1mg
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    Air Fryers can vary greatly. Please take the time to learn your specific air fryer. You may need to adjust times and temperatures based upon your air fryer. All though this website attempts to provide accurate nutritional information, the information should only be considered an estimate. Varying factors such as different product types, different brands, etc. can change nutritional information. It is your responsibility as a consumer to read all labels to make sure the ingredients fit your dietary needs as well as calculate your own nutritional information as a double check.
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    The recipe should work in other air fryers. This recipe was created and photographed in a Hamilton Beach Air Fryer.

    If you have an OVEN STYLE air fryer, you may need to add 1-3 minutes of additional cook time.

    Keep in mind that each air fryer runs differently, it is important to check your food often.

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