Pan seared scallops are taken to the next level with a lemon garlic “butter” sauce that’s made with ghee instead of butter. Served with a simple herbed cauliflower rice, this quick and easy dinner is full of flavor, low carb, keto Paleo, and Whole30 compliant.
Scallops are one of those things I always want to order at a restaurant but never think of making at home.
But why?? Scallops are easy, super fast, and taste perfectly delicious with just a few simple ingredients. Lemon, ghee, garlic, and herbs – they need nothing more!
I have to say that I think I like the buttery flavor you get from ghee in this recipe better than actual butter. But maybe I’m a bit partial since I cook just about everything in ghee and seriously cannot ever get enough of it.
Ghee is a type of clarified butter which means that almost all of the dairy protein is removed, leaving a clear yellow butterfat behind.
This makes it great for those who are sensitive to dairy but still want to add that addicting buttery flavor to everything that we love so much. It also has a higher smoke point than butter does, making it perfect for cooking!
It couldn’t be simpler – pan sear the scallops, then remove them from the skillet to make the lemon butter sauce. Add them back at the end, and serve with simple herbed cauliflower rice – the combination is soooo good.
This meal is perfect for dinner any night and also saves well for lunch the next day. I choose to buy my scallops frozen, but no need to remember to take thaw them early – you can thaw them quickly under cold water right before cooking if you forget!
To make things as easy as possible with this meal, I recommend buying cauliflower “rice” already prepared (riced) so you don’t have to mess with a food processor before getting started.
Most grocery stores now have bags of cauliflower rice both fresh (with other prepared veggies) or frozen. You can use either fresh or frozen cauliflower here with great results.
I hope you’re ready for a tasty, low carb, Paleo and Whole30 meal that is just as good as any restaurant entree and a whole lot healthier! Grab those ingredients because it’s time to make the best scallops ever – let’s go!
Scallops with Lemon “Butter” Sauce and Herbed Cauliflower Rice
Scallops with Lemon “Butter” Sauce and Herbed Cauliflower Rice
Ingredients
Scallops:
- 1 lb scallops defrosted
- Sea salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup ghee divided
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup fresh lemon juice about 2 lemons
- Parsley for garnish
Cauliflower Rice:
- 12 oz cauliflower rice
- 1 Tbsp ghee or avocado oil
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/3 cup fresh herbs chopped (parsley and dill are my choices)
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
Cauliflower Rice:
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Heat the ghee or oil in a med/large skillet over medium-low heat and add the garlic. Cook and stir about 45 seconds or until softened, then stir cauliflower rice into the skillet and raise the heat to medium. Cook and stir until the rice is tender - about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, then stir in the chopped herbs and season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Keep warm while you prepare the scallops.
Scallops:
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Pat the scallops dry and season all over with salt and black pepper. Melt one tablespoon of the ghee in a large nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Once sizzling, add the scallops in a single layer and cook 2 minutes. Flip each one and continue to cook 1-2 minutes on the second side. Turn off the heat, remove to a plate and cover with aluminum foil to keep warm.
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Return the skillet to medium low heat and add the remaining 3 tablespoons of ghee. Once melted, stir in the garlic and cook about 30-45 seconds or until soft. Stir in the lemon juice and cook another 30 seconds, then remove from heat. Serve the scallops with the lemon butter sauce and herbed cauliflower rice. Garnish scallops with minced parsley, if desired. Enjoy!
Nutrition
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Want More Paleo + Keto dinner recipes? Try one of these!
Chicken Enchilada Stuffed Peppers
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