Sauteed scallops with pasta is a delicious, easy seafood pasta dish worthy for a lazy weeknight dinner, or special occasions and holidays- like your Italian Christmas Eve dinner. It’s made with simple ingredients and is sure to impress your loved ones in just twenty minutes!
When you’re looking for a quick and elegant meal, sautéed fresh scallops with pasta is the perfect choice. This dish combines tender, flavorful scallops with a light, garlicky pasta that’s simply delightful and pleasing to the palate.
Plus, cooking scallops is easy and quick!
This scallop pasta recipe is so easy to make and comes together in the time it takes to cook the pasta! I LOVE good quality, fresh seafood!
For me, it’s usually the best thing on the menu but, with the rising costs of food, it’s more economical to make scallops at home for a fraction of the price! Plus, you control what goes in it and what doesn’t!
You can pair this pasta dish with different side dishes like broccoli rabe or Air Fryer Parmesan Green Beans. Your family is sure to love this scallop pasta recipe!
Disclosure: This post contains Amazon affiliate links which means, if you make a purchase, I’ll receive a small commission but, the price you pay is the same.
Is it better to cook scallops in butter or oil?
It’s a matter of preference. Either or both butter and oil can be used to cook scallops. Butter adds a more velvety taste to scallops where extra virgin olive oil, for example, adds it’s own complex flavors.
How do you know when sauteed scallops are done?
The scallops will be just firm to the touch and opaque in color. Sea scallops generally take 3-5 minutes to cook. If you overcook them, they’ll become dry and rubbery.
What is the difference between bay scallops and sea scallops?
The most notable difference between bay scallops and sea scallops is the size. Sea scallops are bigger in size and are about 1 to 1 1/2 inches wide while bay scallops are about 1/2 inch wide. Usually, bay scallops are sweeter than sea scallops and cheaper in price.
Ingredients
*The full, printable recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
- fresh large sea scallops
- extra virgin olive oil
- butter
- garlic cloves
- lemon juice
- reserved pasta water (emulsifies the juices)
- dry white wine (optional)
- red pepper flakes (optional)
- pasta
- salt and black pepper
Summary Instructions
*The full, printable recipe is at the bottom of this post in the recipe card.
First, boil water in a large pot of salted water. Cook pasta al dente and reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water.
Meanwhile, pat the wet scallops dry with paper towels on both sides of the scallops to remove excess moisture. Add salt and black pepper.
If you want a good sear on the scallops, add them to the hot pan after the oil alone has heated and allow them to sear on both sides before adding in the remaining ingredients (except pasta.)
Then, in a large skillet on medium high heat, add oil and minced garlic cloves. Do not let the minced garlic get brown or it becomes bitter. Cook garlic 30 seconds before adding scallops.
Cook scallops for 1-2 minutes before adding butter, lemon juice, white wine (if you’re using) and pasta water. Continue to cook an additional 2-3 minutes.
Next, add in drained, cooked pasta.
Add red pepper flakes, if you desire. I thought they added a nice touch!
Sprinkle chopped parsley over the pasta and scallops. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.
Garnish with parsley flakes and serve. Serve your sautéed scallops with pasta immediately.
This dish is best enjoyed fresh. It pairs wonderfully with a glass of good white wine, such as Cabernet Sauvignon or Pinot Grigio.
Store leftovers in an airtight container and eat within 1-2 days.
Substitutions and Additions
- Add spinach leaves at the end when you add the pasta.
- Add halved cherry or grape tomatoes for the last 2-3 minutes of cooking.
- Substitute shrimp for half of the scallops. The cooking time is much the same.
- Substitute bay scallops for sea scallops in this recipe.
This is a delicious recipe for any night of the week. This seafood pasta dish makes an impressive home-cooked meal for date night, especially Valentine’s Day. It’s perfect for your Christmas Eve seafood dinner because it’s quick and easy. Add this scallop recipe to your list of pasta recipes.
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See more PASTA recipes.
Sauteed Scallops with Pasta
Ingredients
- 1 lb fresh large sea scallops
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tbsp butter
- 3 large garlic cloves cloves
- 1 tsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup dry white wine (optional)
- 8 oz pasta
- 1 dash red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/2 cup reserved pasta water (emulsifies the juices)
- salt and black pepper to taste
Instructions
- First, add pasta to salted boiling water. Cook until al dente. Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta water before you drain the pasta. A helpful reminder is to put the measuring cup inside the colander.
- Meanwhile, pat the wet scallops dry with paper towels on both sides of the scallops to remove excess moisture. Sprinkle with salt and black pepper. If you want a good sear on the scallops, add them to the hot pan after the oil alone has heated and allow them to sear on both sides.
- Next, in a large skillet on medium high heat add oil and minced garlic cloves. Do not let the minced garlic get brown or it becomes bitter. Cook garlic 30 seconds before adding scallops. Cook scallops for 1-2 minutes before adding butter, lemon juice, white wine (if you're using) and pasta water. Cook an additional 2-3 minutes. Add in drained, cooked pasta.
- Add red pepper flakes, if you desire. Garnish with a sprinkle of chopped parsley over the pasta and scallops. Add more salt and pepper if needed.
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