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Brown Butter Scallops with Corn, Bacon, and Avocado Salad! Pan seared scallops in a browned butter and white wine sauce, served over a sweet corn salad with bacon, and avocado. This under 30 minute, one skillet dinner is perfect for warm summer nights when heating up the oven is just not and option. And of course, it’s delicious! Bonus? This summery recipe is easy enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough to serve at your next dinner party!
Scallops? Do you love them? Think they are ok? Or do you totally hate them? I am really hoping you love them, because today’s recipe is definitely one of my favorites of the week. It’s just so summery and easy, and SO GOOD.
Just what a Monday night dinner needs to be from now until September.
Here’s the thing, I didn’t always love scallops. Or well, let me rephrase, I just never knew scallops were good, and I was a little intimidated to try cooking them because they felt too “fancy”. Has anyone else ever felt this way about a certain food? Like it’s only something you should order at a restaurant?
I’m not sure what finally inspired me to cook scallops at home, but ever since I made these pan seared scallops last summer, I have loved making scallops. They are so EASY to make. If you haven’t yet cooked up scallops, this is the recipe you need to make.
Got it? OK. Great. Moving along.
Here are all the details.
As I mentioned this recipe is made entirely in one skillet. It all starts with frying up some bacon. Yup, a little bacon for a lot of flavor. Once the bacon has been cooked, it’s time to add in the corn for the salad. I decided to keep the corn salad on the simple side because I wanted the sweetness of the fresh corn to really shine through. So all I did was sauté the corn and add in fresh basil and lemon juice. Done. Simple, but incredibly good.
From here, spoon the corn out onto a serving platter and then sear up the scallops in that very same skillet. Now, you guys know me, I like lots of flavor, so for my scallops I decided on garlic, fresh thyme from the garden, and crushed red pepper flakes. Still simple flavors, but just really good ones.
The real flavor here comes from the pan sauce and the combination of browned butter and white wine. Oh my gosh, the best. Pan sauces are my all time favorite because they contain all the flavors that have been cooking up in the pan. This particular sauce, has bacon, basil, garlic, thyme, and chili flakes. Then mixed in with the toasty butter and sweet wine.
Spoon the scallops over the corn and serve with fresh avocado and herbs.
DONE. You see? Really fast and easy right?
I’m loving this dinner for so many reasons, but my favorite is the mix of fresh summer flavors. You have the warm, buttery scallops with the sweet corn, salty bacon, and creamy avocado. It’s got complex flavors, but yet is so super simple at the same time.
Love that.
You can serve this up as is, or serve it alongside steamed rice, pasta, or some crusty bread. I actually kept the carbs out for once, but next time I make this, I’m thinking bread would be awesome for scooping up all of that flavorful pan sauce. Delish.
My plans for tonight? Packing for the Caribbean, crossing a million things off my to-do list, and making scallops, because this recipe is all I have time for tonight. I have scallops in the freezer and corn in the fridge that needs to get used up ASAP. Already very excited for tonight.
Err, let me say that again. Very exited for tonight’s dinner, but very much dreading packing. I’ve realized that I really do not like to pack at all. I never know what to pack or how much to pack. I always end up over packing and then wearing the same few pieces every day for the entire trip. Yup. That’s me. Thank God I can cook, because man, the rest of me is all kinds of crazy…
Anyway, hope you all have a great Monday and really enjoy this recipe!
If you make these browned butter scallops, please be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! I love hearing from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every one of you. Oh, and of course, if you do make these easy, summery scallops, don’t forget to also tag me on Instagram so I can see! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Brown Butter Scallops with Corn, Bacon, and Avocado Salad
Servings: 4 servings
Calories Per Serving: 800 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 4 strips bacon, chopped
- 4 ears corn, kernels removed
- 1/2 cup fresh basil, chopped
- juice from 1 lemon
- kosher salt and pepper
- 1 pound large scallops
- 4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/4 cup dry white wine, such as Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc
- 1 avocado, sliced
Instructions
- 1. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the bacon and cook until crisp. Remove the bacon from the skillet and drain onto paper towels. Strain off all but 1 tablespoon of bacon grease from the skillet and return the skillet to medium-high heat. Add the corn and cook 3-4 minutes, until golden. Add 1 tablespoon butter and allow it to brown, about 3-5 minutes more. Remove the skillet from the heat and stir in basil, lemon juice, and a pinch each of salt and pepper. Spoon the corn out of the skillet and onto a platter.2. Wipe the skillet clean and return to medium high heat. Add the olive oil. When the oil shimmers, add the scallops and sear on both sides until browned, about 2-3 minutes. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons butter, the garlic, thyme, and crushed red pepper flakes. Cook until fragrant and the butter golden, about 3-4 minutes. Slowly pour in the wine, simmer 5 minutes. Remove from the heat. 3. Spoon the scallops and any sauce left in the pan over the corn. Sprinkle the bacon over top. Finish with avocado and fresh herbs. Eat!
Also? Did I mention the browned butter. YUM.
I made this last night for date night and it was amazing! Honestly it was on par with some of my favorite restaurant meals. I paired it with an arugula salad with vinagriette and salted ciabatta roll. Amazing!!!!!
I am so glad you loved this! Thank you Sarah!
This looks AMAZING! Does the corn need to be cooked first?
Hey Brooke, the directions for cooking the corn are included in the recipe. You don’t need to cook it before adding it to the skillet. Does that makes sense? Please me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love this recipe. Thanks!:)
I made this today and the corn was absolutely wonderful but the scallops were over cooked, a costly mistake. I did the recipe as directed and I think perhaps you wanted the scallops removed after 3mins because it seemed a long time from the time you add the butter and then the wine. It doesn’t say to remove them but maybe I should have been a bit smarter to know that. Otherwise a very tasty meal.
Thank you so much Robin! I am so glad you liked this!
Made this last night and it was easy and DELICIOUS. I served it over some crisp pieces of romaine and even my vegetable-averse husband ate it up since the pan sauce was so good. Will definitely be making this again and again! So many possible iterations to change it up, too. We both agreed these were the best scallops we had ever had (and they were just TJ frozen)!
That is so amazing! I am so glad you loved this Grace! Thank you!
That corn is making me crave fresh corn on the cob!! Looks delicious as always 🙂
Thank you Brittany!
This sounds incredible. I rarely come across a recipe for scallops…shrimp, yes. So thanks!
Jane
Thank you Jane!
great summery ingredients with scallops, and I get the intimidation of some ingredients, for me I’ve always been inconsistent in making scallops, sometimes fine but other times “rubbery”, also agree about packing and have similar experience in wearing about 1/3 of whatever’s packed! Enjoy your trip!
Thank you so much Sabrina!
What a beautiful salad! It has pretty much all my favorite things. I do love scallops, but I tend to not make them very often. I forget about them until I see something that reminds me they exist. 😛 I hate packing for trips too, but it’s worth it when you finally arrive at your destination.
Thank you so much Natasha! I am so glad you like this!
Maybe it’s because I’m from a landlocked state, but I feel intimidated by a lot of seafood, to be honest. This honestly looks like something you would get at a restaurant and I would feel like a boss serving it at a dinner party! Glad to know scallops don’t have to be scary, hehe.
I am so glad you like this and hope you try it! Thank you Carissa!
Looking to incorporate quinoa and maybe some tomatoes into this dish. What are your thoughts and how would you recommend doing this?
Thank!
Hi! I would stir in 1-2 cups of cooked quinoa during the end of cooking the corn just to warm it through. If you want to add tomatoes, i think that sounds great! I would add them at them end of cooking. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks!
Love this one. Love scallops, too.
Thank you so much Joyce!
I am so so so excited to try this salad! That is not a sentence I thought I would ever write or say (lol). Unfortunately, I’ll have to try this without the scallops first since they’re not in easy supply in my town (which is a shame considering my love of scallops). The salad looks good enough to have without scallops though.
Thanks for giving us great recipes even as you’re getting ready to go on vacation. Have fun in the Caribbean!
Thank you so much Erica! I hope you love this salad!
Wanting to incorporate quinoa and maybe a little less corn into this recipe. How would you recommend doing this?
Thanks!
Hi! I would stir in 1-2 cups of cooked quinoa during the end of cooking the corn just to warm it through. If you want to reduce the corn, try just using 2-3 ears. Please let me know if you have any other questions. Hope you love this recipe! Thanks!
Oh yes, I definitely prefer to eat scallops at restaurants (have you ever heard of/been to Mitchell’s Fish Market at Eton? Do you know what I’m talking about? Well anyways, LOOOOVE their broiled scallops 🙂 ). One day I’ll get the courage, perhaps, to use this recipe and make them at home 🙂 Best of luck packing!
I have not! I will have to try that the next time I am in Cleveland though! Thank you Liz!
the avocado topping gives the meal a delicious taste.love it
Thank you! I am so glad you liked this recipe!