A classic BLT is already a near-perfect sandwich. But top it with perfectly seared scallops, herbed butter, and avocado, and you've got lunch that belongs on a restaurant menu... except it's so easy to make at home!

Bird's eye view of seared scallop BLT, crispy bread topped with herbed butter, lettuce, tomatoes, avocado, bacon, and seared scallops on a white plate, with herbed butter in the background and "Seared Scallop BLT" text at the top.

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❤️ Why this recipe works
🗒 Ingredients
🥓 Recipe tips
🎉 Variations on recipe
📖 Recipe
💬 Comments

Once upon a time, scallops were literally the stuff my nightmares were made of. When served for dinner, I would immediately feel horribly ill and cover my plate with a napkin willing the contents of it to disappear.

I'm really not sure what turned it around for me, but one day, I discovered that I actually liked scallops. And then? I realized that I LOVE scallops.

Nowadays, I love to give my scallops a beautiful sear and enjoy some of the easiest and best dinners ever. Thank goodness because scallops have been crazy on-sale at my grocery store lately and I've been buying them every single time I go. I cannot stop and I will not stop.

And then there are BLTs. If I see a BLT on a restaurant lunch menu, I will order it almost every time. Though they're fairly simple, easy-to-make sandwiches, they're a little more trouble than I generally want to go to at lunchtime.

But in warm weather, especially at the peak of tomato season, a homemade BLT for dinner is just what the doctor ordered. And if you want to make your BLT even more dinner worthy, seared scallops are the perfect finishing touch (though I will never turn down a lobster or salmon BLT either).

❤️ Why this recipe works

It uses herbed butter instead of mayo: a quick mix of softened butter, garlic, lemon zest, and parsley replaces the standard sandwich mayo. It's richer, more flavorful, and is delicious on toasted bread. You can also easily customize it to whatever herbs you have on hand.

It's open-faced: serving this as an open-faced sandwich means the scallops, bacon, and avocado take center stage rather than getting lost under a second slice of bread. It's prettier and the flavors come through in every bite.

Scallops are so easy to cook: the scallops just need two minutes of searing per side. They're one of the quickest proteins you can cook, which makes this feel like a special dinner without a lot of time involved.

Scallops and bacon are the perfect pair: the sweet, caramelized crust on a perfectly seared scallop pairs ridiculously well with salty, crispy bacon. And the creaminess of the avocado ties everything together.

🗒 Ingredients

Here's everything you need to make the seared scallop BLT sandwich (be sure to view the recipe card at the bottom of this post for ingredient amounts and full recipe instructions):

Sea scallops: be sure to get sea scallops and not bay scallops (which are smaller). Look for "dry" scallops at the fish counter, which means they haven't been treated with a water-retaining solution.
Unsalted butter
Olive oil
Herbed butter: I'll share the recipe with you
Crusty bread: like ciabatta or sourdough
Butter, Boston, or bibb lettuce
Tomatoes: sliced thickly
Avocados: peeled, pitted, and sliced
Bacon: cooked crispy

And here's what you need for the herbed butter:

Unsalted butter
Garlic cloves: minced
Parsley: chopped
Grated lemon zest
Freshly squeezed lemon zest
Black pepper
Salt

🥓 Recipe tips

You can make the herbed butter ahead of time and it actually gets better as it sits and the flavors meld. Make it a day or two in advance and keep it in the fridge. Just let it come back to room temperature before spreading.

Be sure your butter is softened before using. If it's too cold, it won't blend smoothly and it will end up lumpy. Leave it out for 30-45 minutes before mixing.

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Collage showing making of herbed butter- one photo with butter, lemon zest, pepper, and parsley in bowl and another photo with all the ingredients mixed together in bowl.

Pat the scallops dry really well with paper towels before cooking. If your scallops are wet, they'll steam instead of sear and you won't get the golden crust.

When searing the scallops, get the pan hot before adding them in. Once you add them, leave them alone for a full two minutes before you flip.

Be sure not to crowd the pan when you add them as this will cause them to steam instead of sear.

Scallops in a pan being seared in butter and olive oil mixture.

Once you sear the scallops and fry the bacon, the sandwich is ready to be assembled. I recommend toasting the bread. And then spreading on the butter and topping with lettuce, tomato, avocado (ALWAYS), bacon, and those beautiful seared scallops.

She's a beauty!

And honestly, this open-faced scallop sandwich is so incredibly. Though I do recommend serving it with a fork on the side as it's wont to fall apart.

Close-up of a seared scallop BLT- a slice of bread with herbed butter, topped with lettuce, tomato slices, avocado slices, crispy bacon, and seared scallops on a white plate.

Seared scallop BLTs are the only BLTs you're going to want after you try this sandwich. I hope I didn't just ruin plain old BLTs for you forever. Scallops, man. How did I go so long hating them?

🎉 Variations on recipe

I love the simplicity of this scallop BLT, but there are so many things you can do to make it your own. Here are some ideas:

Swap the protein: OK, I highly recommend scallops on this sandwich, but if you're not a fan or can't find them, you can use the protein of your choice, like grilled shrimp or, of course, lobster.
Use different herbs in the butter: chives, tarragon, or basil would all be great in place of (or in addition to) the parsley.
Add a sauce: a drizzle of sriracha mayo or a remoulade would be great with the herbed butter if you want to add a little heat.
Use a different bread: brioche would make this sandwich feel extra indulgent. For a lighter option, try grilled focaccia.
Make it a full sandwich: of course, you can add a second slice of bread if you want! It won't look as pretty, but it will probably be easier to eat.
Or make it a salad: you can also leave the bread behind and serve the ingredients over lettuce. But you might miss the herbed butter!

Close-up of seared scallops sitting on top of bacon, avocado, tomato, and lettuce

Scallops and bacon together is my new idea of heaven. Yes, scallops went from the stuff nightmares are made of to what I imagine heaven to be like.

This scallop sandwich is one of the best ways to eat them. Once you try it, a plain BLT will feel like it's missing something.

What's your favorite way to eat scallops?

If you love scallops, too, check out my recipes for Pan Seared Scallops with Bacon Succotash and Grilled Scallops and Grits. I also can't wait to try these Sous Vide Scallops from A Duck's Oven.

📖 Recipe