Sautéed Scallops with Rosemary and Lemon
The first thing my family noticed about this Marcella Hazan recipe wasn’t the scallops. It was the sauce.
We spent most of dinner using bread to soak up the olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and lemon left on our plates. By the end of the meal, everyone agreed this was one of our favorite Marcella recipes we’ve made so far.
We aren’t a big seafood family, outside of occasionally grilling salmon, so scallops were a bit of a departure for us. The garlic, lemon, and fresh rosemary were familiar flavors that everyone enjoyed. I expected scallops to begin with butter, but Marcella takes a different approach. Instead, the sauce is built with olive oil, yet it still has a smooth, almost buttery texture that lightly coats the scallops without feeling heavy.
Her original recipe doesn’t include lemon zest, but I added about a teaspoon to enhance the overall citrus flavor, and I would definitely do that again.
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About this Recipe
This recipe is over almost as soon as it starts.
Once the garlic goes into the pan, you only have a couple of minutes before it’s time to add the lemon juice, so having everything measured and ready beforehand makes cooking much more relaxed.
Everything cooks in the same skillet. The garlic slowly flavors the olive oil before the rosemary and lemon zest are added, then the scallops cook briefly over high heat before the lemon juice finishes the sauce. Nothing feels complicated, but each ingredient has a chance to contribute its own flavor.
By the end of dinner, I already had a list of other things I’d like to try with the sauce. I think it would be just as good with shrimp, cod, halibut, grilled chicken, or spooned over roasted potatoes.
Ingredients
- Scallops
- Extra-virgin olive oil
- Garlic
- Fresh rosemary
- Lemon
- Lemon zest (my addition)
- Salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
Ingredient Notes
1. Scallops
If you have the choice, buy smaller scallops. They cooked evenly in the short cooking time and stayed tender throughout.
Before cooking, pat them completely dry with a kitchen towel so they brown instead of releasing excess moisture into the pan.
If you aren’t able to find smaller ones, Marcella suggests cutting the larger ones into pieces to keep the cooking time short.
2. Fresh Rosemary
Use fresh rosemary here. Because the recipe cooks so quickly, dried rosemary doesn’t have enough time to soften or release the same flavor.
When I added the rosemary, I also stirred in about 1 teaspoon of finely grated lemon zest. It added a little more citrus aroma without changing the recipe very much.
3. Garlic
Slice the garlic as thinly as you can.
The slices gently flavor the olive oil while they cook, and because they aren’t minced, they’re less likely to burn before the scallops are added.
The Recipe
Sautéed Scallops with Rosemary and Lemon
Ingredients
- 1½ lb scallops, small
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced very thin
- 1½ tsp whole, fresh rosemary
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- salt and pepper
Instructions
- Wash the scallops and dry them thoroughly on a kitchen towel. If using larger scallops, cut them into 2-3 pieces.
- Choose a large enough skillet to be able to fit all of the scallops in a single layer. Add the oil and garlic and turn the heat to medium-low.
- When the garlic becomes a pale gold, add the rosemary and lemon zest. Stir quickly.
- Add the scallops, salt, and pepper, immediately after and turn the heat to medium-high.
- Stir frequently until the scallops turn to an opaque white, about 2-3 minutes.
- Add the lemon juice and stir twice, then remove from the heat and serve immediately. Be sure to cover each serving with the pan sauce.
Cooking Tip: Be Prepared
I found it best to have everything measured before you begin.
Once the garlic goes into the pan, the rest of the recipe moves quickly. The scallops only need about two minutes of cooking, so there’s very little time between steps.
As soon as the scallops turn opaque, add the lemon juice and remove them from the heat.
Serve With
- Roasted asparagus
- Risotto
- Roasted fingerling potatoes
- Crusty Italian bread
- A simple green salad
Wine Pairing: Verdicchio
I served these scallops with Verdicchio, and I loved pairing these two together.
The lemon in the sauce made the wine taste even brighter, while the rosemary tied in with Verdicchio’s subtle herbal character. Neither overpowered the other, and because the sauce contains a generous amount of olive oil, the wine kept the meal from feeling too rich.
Serve well chilled.
To learn more about Verdicchio, including tasting notes, serving tips, and food pairings, visit the full guide below.
I think this recipe changed the way I’ll cook scallops.
Before this, I would have reached for butter. Marcella’s combination of olive oil, garlic, rosemary, and lemon feels lighter, but it doesn’t feel like anything is missing.
I’ll definitely make the scallops again, but I also expect I’ll borrow the sauce for other meals.
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If you liked this recipe, you might also like:
- Pan-Roasted Chicken with Rosemary, Garlic, and White Wine
- Risotto with Porcini Mushrooms
- Tomato, Cucumber, Onion, and Basil Salad
Download the Italian Wine Pairing Guide for a quick reference when choosing wine:
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About Stephanie
I’m cooking through classic cookbooks one recipe at a time, sharing tested recipes, wine pairings, and what I learn along the way. Each post includes notes from my own kitchen, along with practical wine recommendations designed to make choosing a bottle a little easier.
