Air Fryer Scallops
Published February 6, 2021 • Updated March 6, 2026
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Tender air fryer scallops with a golden sear in just 6 minutes. I top mine with a garlic lemon butter cream sauce that takes 3 minutes to make. Only 3.5g net carbs per serving.
I started making scallops in the air fryer after ruining one too many batches in a skillet. The air fryer gives you a golden sear on the outside with a tender, juicy center every single time. No babysitting the pan, no oil splattering across the stove, and no guessing when to flip. Six minutes total cook time for sea scallops that come out better than any skillet method I’ve tried.
The garlic lemon cream sauce is what takes these from good to something you’d order out. Butter, garlic, heavy cream, a splash of white wine, and fresh lemon juice. It takes about 3 minutes to make while the scallops are resting. I spoon it over the top right before serving, and it pools around the scallops on the plate. My husband started requesting this sauce on everything after the first time I made it.
Scallops are one of the best proteins for keto cooking. A 4 ounce serving of sea scallops has roughly 3 to 4 grams of net carbs and 19 grams of protein. I pair mine with air fryer salmon for a full seafood dinner or garlic butter shrimp when I want variety on the table. The whole meal comes together in under 15 minutes.
One thing I do every time that most recipes skip: I check for the abductor muscle on the side of each scallop before cooking. It’s a small, tough tab of tissue on one side. If it’s still attached, I peel it off with my fingers. It takes about two seconds per scallop and makes a real difference in texture. Some scallops come with it already removed, but I always check.
I serve these anytime we have people over. The whole plate comes together fast and nobody believes it only took a few minutes. They also work well as a low carb weeknight dinner when you want something better than the usual chicken rotation. For a bigger spread, I’ll add sheet pan shrimp to the table too.
If you’ve never cooked scallops before, don’t overthink it. Buy dry sea scallops (not wet), pat them completely dry, and season with salt and pepper. That’s the whole prep. I go through 3 to 4 paper towels per batch because any moisture on the surface means steaming instead of searing. Salt right before they go in, not ahead of time. If you salt too early, it pulls moisture out and you end up with a chewy texture. I figured that out after a few batches of tough scallops early on.
How to Make Air Fryer Scallops
Pat your scallops completely dry with paper towels, then season both sides with salt and pepper. Dry scallops are the single most important step for getting a good sear. I usually go through 3 to 4 paper towels per batch. Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees for 4 to 5 minutes. Spray the basket or tray with cooking spray, arrange the scallops in a single layer with space between each one, and air fry for 6 minutes total. Flip them at the 3 minute mark. While they rest, melt butter in a small saucepan, add minced garlic, then whisk in heavy cream, white wine, and fresh lemon juice. Spoon the sauce over the scallops and serve immediately.
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Ingredients
1 pound large sea scallops -
salt and pepper
-
3 tablespoons butter
-
2 cloves garlic, minced
-
3 tablespoons heavy cream
-
1 tablespoon white wine
-
2 teaspoons lemon juice
-
pinch of salt
Step by Step Instructions
Step by Step Instructions
Prepare the scallops
Rinse scallops, pat dry with paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
Air fry them
Preheat air fryer at 400 degrees for 3-4 minutes. Place scallops on the air fryer tray or basket. Air fry at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, flip scallops halfway through cooking. Repeat cooking with remaining scallops if needed.
Get saucy and make a creamy garlic lemon sauce
In a small saucepan or skillet, melt butter over low to medium heat. Add garlic and cook until fragrant. Whisk in heavy cream and stir until thickened. Whisk in wine, lemon juice and a pinch of salt. Pour sauce over cooked scallops and serve with lemon wedges and a sprinkling of parmesan cheese if desired.
Nutrition disclaimer
The nutrition information provided is an estimate and is for informational purposes only. I am a Doctor of Pharmacy (Pharm.D.); however, this content is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always consult your physician or other qualified health provider before making any lifestyle changes or beginning a new nutrition program.
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Get My Macros + Recipes →Frequently Asked Questions
Do I need to remove the side muscle from scallops before cooking?
I always check for it. The side muscle (the abductor) is a small, tough rectangular tab on the side of the scallop. If it's still attached, I peel it off with my fingers before seasoning. It pulls right off. Not every scallop has one, but when it's there, it gets chewy and cooks at a different rate than the rest of the scallop. I make it part of my prep right after patting them dry.
My scallops came out rubbery even though I followed the recipe. What went wrong?
I've seen this happen with readers whose units run hot. If yours tends to overcook things, check the scallops at 4 to 5 minutes instead of waiting the full 6. I use an instant-read thermometer and pull mine at 130 degrees internal. Anything past 140 and they turn rubbery. The other common cause is moisture on the surface. If the scallops aren't completely dry before cooking, they steam instead of searing and the texture suffers. I go through 3 to 4 paper towels per batch to make sure they're bone dry.
What seasoning works on scallops besides salt and pepper?
I usually stick with salt and pepper because the garlic cream sauce does the heavy lifting. When I want a change, I've had good results with a light dusting of cajun seasoning (about 1/4 teaspoon per pound) for warmth without burying the scallop flavor. Old Bay works too. I've also done smoked paprika with a squeeze of lime instead of the cream sauce for a lighter take. The main thing is going easy. Scallops have a delicate, sweet flavor and too much seasoning covers it up.
What can I substitute for heavy cream in the sauce?
I've made this with coconut cream and it works well. It has a similar fat content and thickens the same way. I use the thick part from a chilled can of full-fat coconut milk. Half and half works too but the sauce will be thinner since it has less fat. When I'm in a rush, I skip the cream entirely and just make a garlic lemon butter with butter, garlic, lemon juice, and white wine. Still good.
Can I make the garlic cream sauce dairy-free?
I've made a dairy-free version using coconut cream in place of the heavy cream and olive oil instead of butter. The coconut flavor is subtle once you add the garlic and lemon juice. I whisk it the same way and it thickens in about 2 minutes. My only tip is to use refined coconut oil if you go that route, since unrefined adds a coconut taste that doesn't pair well with scallops.
How should I store and reheat leftover scallops?
I store mine in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. When I reheat them, I put them back in the fryer at 350 degrees for 2 to 3 minutes. They come out close to the original texture. I avoid the microwave because every time I've tried it, the scallops turn rubbery. If I'm meal prepping, I make the scallops and sauce separately and combine them when I reheat.
Can I cook frozen scallops without thawing first?
I've tested this and I don't recommend it. Frozen scallops release too much moisture as they cook, so you end up steaming them instead of getting a sear. I thaw mine in a bowl of cold water for 10 to 20 minutes, then pat them completely dry. The extra step makes a big difference in how the surface crisps up.
What side dishes pair well with scallops?
My go-to is a simple roasted vegetable on the side. I've also served these over cauliflower rice when I want something lighter (the garlic cream sauce soaks right in). For a date night, I add a green salad with lemon vinaigrette and that's the whole meal. When I'm making a bigger seafood spread, I'll put out shrimp or salmon alongside the scallops and let people build their own plates.
Made these for dinner tonight and that lemon butter sauce is honestly the best part. This site keeps delivering.
what do you use instead of white wine? I never have it around.
Chicken broth, just one tablespoon. I've also left it out entirely and added a tiny bit more lemon juice instead. Either way works.
Can I use frozen scallops?? My store never has fresh ones.
Frozen work fine, just thaw them first. I do cold water for 10-15 minutes, then pat them dry before seasoning. Skip that step and they steam instead of sear.
The smell of that garlic butter sauce hit before I even plated them. Wasn't ready for it. I've never cooked scallops and almost swapped in shrimp because I figured they'd expose me fast. Patted them dry twice, preheated the air fryer the full four minutes, then checked at four and a half because I couldn't help myself. They came out with this golden edge on top and still tender in the middle, which I really didn't expect on a first attempt. The sauce is easier than it looks, nearly done before the scallops finished. The lemon at the end though. Kind of brightens the whole thing. I'll make these for company someday once I stop being surprised it worked.
2 cloves of garlic in that sauce isn't enough. The cream and lemon absorb it before it has time to do anything, and I only realized because I accidentally added too much on my second batch and suddenly the sauce tasted like it was supposed to. The scallops I have no complaints about, I got that crust on the flat side that I genuinely cannot replicate on a stovetop. Four stars because everything works, just the garlic in the sauce needs doubling from the jump.
Three or four is where I actually land with this sauce. Two gets swallowed. Heidi figured that out faster than most people do.
I made a double batch Sunday thinking scallops would keep and reheat like chicken thighs. They don't. The cream sauce holds fine, so I keep that in the fridge and just air fry the scallops fresh in 6 minutes mid-week. Fast, but not the 'make once eat all week' situation I was hoping for.
I've found reheated scallops lose the sear no matter what, and 6 minutes fresh is quick enough that it's not really a mid-week project.
Fair point. 6 minutes really isn't a big deal, I think I just hyped it up in my head.
Get them completely dry before seasoning, not damp, actually dry. Two rounds with paper towels, every time.
Two rounds is right. That second pass catches what you think you already dried.
That sizzle when they hit the basket at 400 is satisfying every time (batch six, still waiting for it to go wrong). Three minutes of sauce over low heat, garlic doesn't burn, scallops don't overcook. Don't know why this keeps working but it does.
Batch six. The sizzle is how I know they dried right, and I listen for it every single time. Low heat is it. I still half-expect the garlic to start catching after all these runs but it doesn't, and that's exactly why the cream never breaks. Three minutes and you're done.
My store only had bay scallops, will 6 minutes still work or will they burn?
Bay scallops are way smaller than sea scallops so 6 minutes would ruin them. Check at 3 minutes, maybe even 2.5. Pull them the second the edges go opaque.
Good to know, pulling at 2.5 then. Bought a whole pound so not risking it.
Made these on a Sunday night when it was too hot to think about turning on the oven. The sear in 6 minutes genuinely surprised me (I've done scallops a few ways and getting that color without a screaming-hot cast iron is not easy). My husband, who I've been trying to get on board with seafood for years, ate every bite and then stood at the stove with a spoon getting the last of the garlic lemon butter sauce out of the pan. That moment sold me on the air fryer for seafood.
A spoon for the sauce at the end is the reaction I was going for. The cast iron thing is real. I thought it was mandatory for scallops until I tested this.
Used dry vermouth instead of white wine (it's what I had open) and the sauce got this nice herby brightness I wasn't expecting. The 3-minute timeline holds up if you're prepped.
Dry vermouth is a better call for this sauce. That herby brightness works with the garlic in a way plain white wine doesn't.
I've made scallops six or seven different ways, including the whole butter-basting skillet routine people act like is mandatory, and this air fryer version got a better sear than any of them. Even crust, six minutes, every time. Hard to argue with. What I wasn't prepared for was the cream sauce. White wine, lemon, heavy cream in three minutes, and it makes the whole plate look like it took twice as long. Never going back to plain lemon butter.
The butter-basting crowd will not be pleased. That sauce is what gets me every time too. Three minutes feels like cheating.
Do you flip halfway through or just leave them the full 6 minutes on one side? Pan searing I'd always flip, but wasn't sure if the air fryer's circulation changes things. Don't want to ruin a nice piece of seafood.
Leave them. Flat side down the full 6, no touching. The air circulation handles the top so flipping just disrupts the sear you're building on the bottom.
I added lemon zest to the cream sauce on a whim (I basically put lemon in everything) and it completely changed it, went from good to something I was eating straight off the spoon after the scallops were done. First time I've ever made scallops and I was convinced I'd mess them up, but 6 minutes later they had this golden sear and I actually felt like I knew what I was doing for once.
Those citrus oils in the zest punch through the cream sauce in a way the juice doesn't. Haven't done it yet but I'm adding it next time.
Brought these to dinner at my sister's last weekend and her husband, who barely registers when food is good, asked if I'd gotten them from a restaurant. The garlic lemon cream sauce is what does it. Making these on repeat for spring dinners.
'Barely registers when food is good' and still asked about the restaurant. That sauce earns it.