Garlic Butter Air Fryer Scallops Recipe

Buttery frozen air fryer scallops become tender and delicious in your Ninja Foodi or Cosori. Great served on rice or in a bed of butter noodles. We will show you how to cook fresh or defrosted pieces. If you have been forgetful and they are still rock hard we share here how to cook frozen scallops a few different ways here.

Ninja Foodi Scallops

You guys already know how obsessed I am with my beloved air fryer. But did you realize you could seriously throw something as delicate as bay scallops inside and cook them in a matter of minutes?!?! It doesn’t matter what name brand you have, they all basically work the same.

How Long to Cook Scallops in Air Fryer?

The biggest tip no matter what you use is to keep your food spread out and in one layer. That will ensure you get a nice crisp on the outside all the way around no matter what type of air fryer fish recipes you decide to make. Stay close also as these only take 5-7 minutes depending on their size and shouldn’t be over-cooked.

Garlic Butter Scallops in Air Fryer

There are lots of seasonings you can add when these are done, but these two are the most common. When cooked we leave it pretty simple but when crisped a bit on the outside it is game on!! If you like a bit of heat you can use our Cajun Garlic Butter Sauce instead of just plain. 😉

Sometimes we get in the mood for seafood or my favorite air fryer crab cakes from Joe’s Crab Shack…..but I don’t feel like traveling to a nice restaurant to make it happen.

That’s where this recipe for air fried scallops saves the day. Cooking in the air fryer has been a real game changer for us. Everything comes out perfectly cooked in under 15 minutes many times. Then just whip together some veggies or white rice and you have yourself a complete healthy air fryer meal.

You don’t want to overcook these babies. Just until the insides have lost their transluscent color is the key. If you want the outside to be seared then you’d want a spray of olive oil and a few more minutes. This is what was used here:

How long to cook frozen scallops in air fryer

Starting out from rock hard is possible with the butter on top to keep them moist. You will need twice as long and I like to flip them more than once during the 10-12 minutes total to cook evenly. A lower temperature is key at 360 degrees so they can thaw and gently cook from the outside in.

So, forget dining out when you can prepare this incredible meal with very few ingredients at home. If you have access to fresh scallops, go for it! I used frozen just because they aren’t common in our area.

Either way, after the first taste, you will know you made the right decision making these scallops in the air fryer. The best way to defrost them is to leave them in the bag they came in and set that inside a bowl with cool water. Check, and if it has warmed up but they aren’t softened yet, change the water to cool again.

Beyond that you can drizzle with melted butter, sea salt, pepper, garlic or whatever you like best.

What temperature to cook scallops in air fryer?

You don’t want it too high or the outside will get too browned before the center can cook all the way thru. 360F is the best heat as far as we have found. If you forgot to defrost these babies it is okay. For this you want to cook a bit lower in temperature to get them just right.

How to Cook Frozen Scallops in Air Fryer

• Preheat air fryer to 360 degrees f for 5 minutes
• Spray basket with olive oil spray
• Lay pieces in without overlapping them
• Squeeze lemon juice on top and add seasonings
• Air fry for 12 minutes flipping over halfway thru until tender

While these are known for being served at fancy dinner parties, you can totally make them any time or for any reason. 

I served this with some butter noodles. It’s the most simple recipe ever, and you don’t have to spend hours in the kitchen. Plus, even the kids will eat the noodles without complaint even if they don’t want them! Parenting win!

Add a glass of wine, a fresh garden salad, and enjoy your meal with the comfort of knowing cleanup is a breeze and you didn’t even spend tons of money to make it. 

What do scallops taste like?

Scallops have a very similar taste to clams, oysters, lobster, and crab, all tied together. They are sweet and have a flavor that is sort of nutty. If you haven’t tried scallops before, now is the time to make it happen. You aren’t going to regret it. 

How do you thaw frozen scallops?

As with any seafood, you need to be careful when you thaw it, so you don’t risk causing bacteria to grow. Here are a couple of different methods for thawing them out. 

In the refrigerator

Place the frozen scallops in a bowl and add a piece of plastic wrap. Let them sit in the fridge overnight or until they are thawed. This is the best way to thaw them, but you will notice you have to plan ahead a little bit since it takes longer. 

In cold water

Simply place the scallops in a ziplock bag and make sure it’s closed tightly. Then put the bag into a bowl and add cold water. The reason you need to put the frozen scallops in a bag is if you put them directly in the water, they will be watered down. 

It may take a couple of hours for them to thaw, so keep changing the water at least every 30 minutes until they are defrosted. 

NOTE: Never, ever use warm or hot water to defrost. You will risk bacteria developing and could make you sick. 

How long should scallops be cooked?

Cooking scallops in the air fryer is FAST! They only need to cook for 6-7 minutes. See what I mean about quick and easy? We talk all about how long to cook scallops other ways here too if you want to compare all the methods out there.

What should the internal temperature of scallops be?

They should reach an internal temperature of 130 degrees F. before serving. You never want to overcook these, or they will turn tough.  On the other hand, it’s equally as important not to undercook either. They can make you very ill if you eat them raw or undercooked. 

Here is a quick step by step, there is a printable recipe card at the bottom of this post as well: Boil egg noodles on stovetop (if you want to serve scallops with this). Preheat air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes.

How to Cook Scallops in Ninja Foodi

• Put sea scallops on paper towels to completely dry scallops on outside of each.
  Sprinkle each one with salt and pepper.
• Lightly spray air fryer basket with non stick cooking oil, I like olive oil version. Lay scallops in the basket so they aren’t touching.
• Close lid that is attached on this machine, or close drawer on Cosori or other brands.
• Allow them to cook for 3 minutes. While you’re waiting, combine butter and garlic in a bowl and melt in microwave.
• Flip over scallops after the initial 3 minutes and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
• Then open basket and brush some butter on each one. Continue cooking for last 2 minutes for 7 min. total (timing will vary slightly depending on how large your pcs. are).

Remove, serve over butter noodles that are cooked and pour remaining butter mixture over the top of everything. Serve together for dinner.

Seafood in Air Fryer Recipes

Looking for other air fryer fish recipes you’ll love? We have a bunch because each one has turned out so great like:

• Frozen fish in air fryer saves the day when you forgot to defrost dinner.
• We’ve even made air fryer frozen shrimp and air fryer fried shrimp before.
• Air fryer fish and chips is probably my girls’ favorite snack.
• This very lightly breaded air fryer tilapia is a great choice as well with some vegetables.
• We’ll end these ideas with some air fryer oysters…oh yes we did!