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.
AIR FRYER SCALLOPS RECIPE
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.
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.
HOW TO MAKE AIR FRYER SCALLOPS
- Season the scallops with salt and pepper on both sides.
- Place the scallops in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air Fry as directed in the recipe, flipping over halfway through cooking time.
- Meanwhile, stir the garlic and Italian seasoning into the melted butter.
- Transfer cooked scallops to a plate and drizzle with garlic-herb butter.
- 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.
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.
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.
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!
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Air Fryer Scallops
Equipment
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.
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
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.
Andrea
No more scallops sticking to the pan or over cooking them. This is fabulous!
Jacqueline Debono
We love fresh scallops and are lucky that they're so easily available here in Italy and not so pricey! We actually often cook them in the shell on the grill with some olive oil, garlic and parsley! I have never thought to do them in the air fryer. Definitely want to try that! Yours look so good!
Katherine
Wow, there is no end to what can be made in the air fryer! This is fantastic!
Michelle
Love scallops but have never thought to use the air fryer for them!
Jess
These are perfect for the Air Fryer! Love it!
Jane
Are you using wet or dry scallops?
Cindy
Hi Jane! I am not sure if this helps, they were frozen and I thawed them. I looked back at the packaging and it doesn't indicate if they are wet. 🙂