Scallop Pasta with White Wine Sauce
This scallop pasta recipe with white wine sauce is an impressive dinner made in about 45 minutes. Learn to sear scallops until perfectly golden brown, then toss with pasta in a heavenly, creamy sauce for an entree that will truly impress family and friends.
Ingredients
- 24 oz sea scallops size 10/20
- ½ tablespoon coarse kosher salt
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 6 oz white wine Sauvignon Blanc or dry Riesling
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice
- 8 oz spaghetti or angel hair, fettuccine
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for pasta. Generously salt it.
- When the pasta water comes to a boil, add pasta and cook it al dente according to package directions.
- Once the pasta is cooked, drain it and reserve about ½ cup of the pasta cooking water.
- Meanwhile, thoroughly dry the scallops with paper towels. (This is important to achieve a beautiful seared crust!)
- Generously season with salt on both sides.
- Heat a large stainless steel or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. (I recommend using a 12-inch skillet to give plenty of room for scallops.)
- Add 1 tablespoon of oil.
- Add the scallops one by one to the sizzling-hot skillet in a single layer, making sure they don’t touch each other. (Work in batches.)
- Sear the scallops for about 2 minutes without disruption until golden crust forms. If the scallops are still stuck to the pan, it means they are not ready. Don’t force it. Try again in about 30 seconds.
- Using a pair of kitchen tongs, flip the scallops and cook the other side for another 2 minutes. The center of the scallops should be slightly translucent. Overcooking will result in chewy, rubbery scallops that no one would care for. Remove the scallops onto a clean plate.
- Repeat with the remaining oil and scallops.
- When all the scallops are cooked, reduce the heat to medium-low and add wine. (Be careful, as it might splatter when you add wine.) Deglaze the pan by scraping the bits off the bottom of the skillet with a wooden spoon, about 1 minute.
- Pour in heavy cream and cook gently for about 2 minutes.
- Add the pasta, scallops, and lemon juice. Toss to combine. Salt to taste. If needed, add the reserved pasta-cooking water to thin out the sauce.
Notes
Note 1: Sea scallops come in different sizes. I recommend large scallops (also labeled size 10/20, which means 10-20 scallops per pound). They're typically around 2-inch rounds, perfect for pan searing! Also, choose dry-packed scallops. This means they’ve been packed with no additives or soapy-tasting chemicals. They should look dry, have a slightly pink hue, and have a pleasant smell. Wet-packed scallops release more liquid as they cook, making it harder to achieve the golden brown sear we want.
Storage:
- It’s best to enjoy your pasta and scallops in white wine sauce right away! The scallops become rubbery once reheated. To plan ahead, you can boil the pasta and refrigerate it for 3-5 days.
- Reheat the boiled noodles by submerging them quickly in boiling water. Then, follow the recipe instructions, searing the scallops and creating the sauce.
- It’s best to enjoy your pasta and scallops in white wine sauce right away! The scallops become rubbery once reheated. To plan ahead, you can boil the pasta and refrigerate it for 3-5 days.
- Reheat the boiled noodles by submerging them quickly in boiling water. Then, follow the recipe instructions, searing the scallops and creating the sauce.
Nutrition
Calories: 631kcalCarbohydrates: 51gProtein: 29gFat: 31gSaturated Fat: 15gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 12gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 122mgSodium: 1567mgPotassium: 558mgFiber: 2gSugar: 2gVitamin A: 880IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 66mgIron: 2mg
* Disclaimer: All nutrition information are estimates only.
