Artificial Food Coloring Free Lemon-Dill Seared Scallops
Perfectly seared scallops with a golden crust and a bright, herby pan sauce — this dish feels like something you'd order at a nice coastal restaurant, but it comes together in your own kitchen with a handful of clean, whole ingredients. Every component here is naturally free of synthetic dyes and artificial additives, so there's no label-scanning required when you stick to fresh scallops, coconut oil, bone broth, and real citrus. The technique is what makes this one special: patting the scallops completely dry and letting them rest before they hit a screaming-hot pan is the secret to that deep, caramelized sear that makes the whole dish sing. Once the scallops are off the heat, the same pan builds a quick sauce with sliced garlic, lemon juice, zest, and a generous handful of fresh dill — nothing processed, nothing artificial, just layers of bright, savory flavor. Finishing the sauce with a final tablespoon of coconut oil gives it a silky, restaurant-worthy consistency that coats every scallop beautifully. Serve them immediately with lemon wedges and a scatter of fresh parsley, and you've got an impressive, clean-eating dinner that looks far more complicated than it actually is.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
- 1 ½ lb large sea scallops (about 12–16 count), side muscle removed
- ½ tsp fine sea salt
- 2 tbsp coconut oil, divided
For the pan sauce
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- ⅓ cup chicken bone broth (homemade or aip-compliant brand)
- 3 tbsp fresh lemon juice (from about 1 ½ lemons)
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp coconut oil (for finishing the sauce)
- 3 tbsp fresh dill, roughly chopped
For serving
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Pat the scallops thoroughly dry on all sides with paper towels, then season with the fine sea salt. Set them on a clean plate and let them rest uncovered at room temperature for 5 minutes — the surface should look visibly dry before they go into the pan.
- 2
Heat 1 1/2 tbsp of the coconut oil in a 12-inch stainless steel or cast iron skillet over high heat until the oil shimmers and just begins to smoke. Add the scallops in a single layer, flat-side down, without crowding — work in two batches if needed. Sear undisturbed for 2 to 2 1/2 minutes, until the underside is deep golden-brown and releases cleanly from the pan.
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