Air Fryer Garlic Miso Scallops
Sweet scallops under a blistered miso butter, six minutes flat.
Kit that makes this foolproof
A few inexpensive bits that get you crispier results with less mess.
A roomy air fryer
A larger basket means fewer batches and crispier results.
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Perforated liners
Less sticking and mess, without blocking the airflow.
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Silicone tongs
Turn and lift without scratching the non-stick basket.
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Before You Start
Scallops cook so fast that most methods overshoot them. Six minutes under a miso butter that blisters and browns on top while the scallop barely poaches beneath is the air fryer at its gentlest. Buy dry-packed scallops if you can. Soaked ones weep brine and refuse to brown.
Instructions
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1
Pat the scallops obsessively dry and pull off the small side muscle if it is still attached.
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2
Mash the butter, miso, garlic and mirin into a smooth paste.
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3
Preheat the air fryer to 200°C / 400°F for 3 minutes. Heat matters more than usual at this timescale.
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4
Sit the scallops in a single layer, flat side up, and cap each with a thin disc of the miso butter.
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5
Air fry for 5 to 6 minutes until the butter has browned and bubbled and the scallops are just opaque through, 50 to 55°C / 122 to 131°F inside.
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6
Squeeze over lemon, scatter with chives and serve immediately, spooning the basket-drawer butter over rice or bread.
♨️ Air fryer notes
- Cook at 200°C / 400°F and preheat for 2 to 3 minutes for the crispiest result.
- Keep everything in a single layer with space around each piece. Overcrowding steams food instead of crisping it, so cook in batches if your basket is small.
- Shake or turn halfway, and check a few minutes early, since air fryers cook faster than ovens and every model runs slightly differently.
💡 Cook's tips
- Dry-packed or day-boat scallops brown. Wet-packed ones (soaked in phosphate, suspiciously white) steam in their own brine no matter what you do.
- The miso cap does the browning for you. Do not flip the scallops. They are too delicate and the second side does not need it.
🔀 Make it your own
- A teaspoon of gochujang mashed into the butter instead of miso for a spicy version.
- The same butter and timing works on thick white fish portions, adding 2 minutes.
📦 Storing & reheating
Scallops are a cook-and-eat proposition. Leftovers keep a day and are best cold, sliced into a salad, never reheated.
❓ Frequently asked
How long do scallops take in an air fryer?
5 to 6 minutes at 200°C / 400°F for large scallops, no flip. They are done when just opaque with a slight give, around 52°C / 126°F in the centre.
Why are my scallops rubbery?
Overcooking, and it happens in under two extra minutes. Scallops keep cooking off the heat, so pull them while the centre still looks a touch translucent.
Adapting your own recipe? Use the oven to air fryer converter for temp and time, or the recipe scaler to halve or double this.
