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!

overhead photo of Brown Butter Scallops with Corn, Bacon, and Avocado Salad

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.

overhead photo Corn, Bacon, and Avocado Salad in skillet

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.

overhead photo of Brown Butter Scallops in skillet

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?

closeup overhead photo of Brown Butter Scallops with Corn, Bacon, and Avocado Salad

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…

overhead photo of Brown Butter Scallops with Corn, Bacon, and Avocado Salad with basil in photo

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 | halfbakedharvest.com #scallops #summerrecipes #easyrecipes
Print
4.56 from 65 votes

Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.

The Recipe

Brown Butter Scallops with Corn, Bacon, and Avocado Salad

By halfbakedharvest

Course: Main Course
Cuisine: American
Keyword: seafood, skillet dinner

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 not and option. Easy enough for a weeknight, but fancy enough to serve at your next dinner party!

Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 25 minutes
Servings 4 servings
Calories 496 kcal

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. 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! 

horizontal overhead photo of Brown Butter Scallops with Corn, Bacon, and Avocado Salad

Also? Did I mention the browned butter. YUM.