A Lemon Garlic Scallop Pasta is the perfect restaurant-style meal that you can make at home! Picture it now. A nice crisp minerally white wine, this lemon garlic scallop pasta, maybe a side of this most delicious butter lettuce salad and some warm garlic bread. Sounds like a dream dinner.
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I think it's safe to say we're a bunch of pasta lovers here at WGC. And based on some of everyone's favorite recipes like Creamy Lemon Cacio e Pepe or Garlic Buttered Angel Hair with Burrata it's also safe to say we love garlic, lemon, herbs and things that are fresh and light and loaded with flavor. So this Lemon Garlic Scallop Pasta is right up our alley!
If you've never made scallops before - DON'T FEAR! I'm about to walk you through it. And if you've never had scallops before - omg let me be the first to welcome you to your new favorite seafood dish. Scallops are actually quite easy to make.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Scallops - Substitute the scallops in this Scallop Pasta recipe for shrimp or even a white fish like halibut. If using frozen scallops be sure to thaw them out entirely before cooking.
- Linguini
- Salt & Pepper
- Olive Oil
- Butter
- Garlic
- Shallot
- Red Pepper Flakes
- Fresh Thyme
- White Wine – This Scallop Pasta recipe can be made without the white wine, skip it and use twice the amount of stock.
- Seafood Stock
- Fresh Basil
- Chopped Chives
- Lemon
*For the full list of ingredients and instructions see recipe card below
How to Make Scallop Pasta
Step 1: For this Scallop Pasta recipe start by cooking the linguini. Hold off on starting the scallops until you drop your pasta into a pot of boiling water. Once the pasta is rolling, remove the muscle from the scallops and pat dry with a paper towel pat. Season the scallops heavily with salt and pepper.
Step 2: Preheat a large cast iron skillet over medium high heat. You want the pan to be hot before you place your scallops into the pan. Add a thin coating of olive oil so really get that good sear and lock in the flavor. Too much oil will splatter, but you want the pan to be coated so nothing sticks. Once the oil is shimmering, add the scallops. Sear the scallops for 2-3 minutes on each side until super golden brown. Don't futz with them they should only be flipped once.
Step 3: A minute before they're done, add 2 tablespoons of butter and baste the scallops, then remove from pan and tent loosely with foil to keep warm
Step 4: Add an additional drizzle of olive oil to the skillet and add the garlic, shallots, crushed red pepper flakes, thyme, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and sauté garlic and shallots 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly.
Step 5: Add wine to the pan and scrape up any pan drippings. Reduce the wine for 1 minute, then add seafood stock. Continue to cook for about 1 minute. Add the basil, chives, lemon zest and juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and stir the mixture until the butter has melted.
Step 6: Add the cooked pasta and cook for about 30 seconds, just to combine and let the pasta soak up the sauce. Nestle the scallops back into the skillet to serve the Scallop Pasta.
Tips & Tricks
1: First - you need to remove the muscle from the scallop. You can ask your fish monger to show you how! If scallops are readily available at your local markets, I've had a lot of luck ordering them (and seafood in general) from this Alaskan company!
2: Make sure your scallops are DRY. Pat both sides dry with a paper towel. That's going to get you the best color.
3: Season liberally with salt and pepper.
4: Use a cast iron skillet and crank that heat. You want the pan to be hot before you place your scallops into the pan.
5: Make sure you use a thin coating of oil so really get that good sear and lock in the flavor. Too much oil will splatter but you want the pan to be coated so nothing sticks.
6: Don't futz with them. Place them in the skillet and let them really brown before flipping. Don't peak or move them around. They only need to be flipped once, and when it's time to flip them, they should be so golden that it's really easy to flip!
FAQs
What do scallops pair well with?
My favorite way to serve scallops is with with pasta or over a salad like an avocado corn salad.
How do you know when scallops are done?
If scallops are firm to the touch then they are overcooked. If you touch them and they are mushy they are undercooked. Look for them to be golden brown on the outside and opaque in the center.
More Amazing Scallop Recipes
If you tried this recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it goes in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting today!
Lemon Garlic Scallop Pasta
Equipment
Ingredients
- ¾ pound linguini
- 1 pound scallops
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil plus some for drizzling
- 3 tablespoons butter divided
- 4 cloves garlic chopped
- 1 large shallot finely chopped
- ½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
- 4 sprigs fresh thyme leaves removed and chopped
- 1 cup white wine Sauv Blanc
- 1 cup seafood stock chicken stock will work too
- 1 cup fresh basil torn
- ½ cup chopped chives
- 1 lemon zested and juiced
Instructions
- Cook the pasta to package directions. Hold off on starting the scallops until you drop your pasta.
- Remove the muscle from the scallops and pat dry with a paper towel pat. Season the scallops heavily with salt and pepper.
- Preheat a large skillet (I like a cast iron skillet for this) over medium high heat. Add the olive oil, once shimmering, add scallops. Sear the scallops for 2-3 minutes on each side until super golden brown. The last minute, add 2 tablespoons of butter and baste the scallops, then remove from pan and tent loosely with foil to keep warm
- Add an additional drizzle of olive oil to the skillet and add the garlic, shallots, crushed red pepper flakes, thyme, salt and pepper. Reduce heat to medium low and sauté garlic and shallots 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add wine to the pan and scrape up any pan drippings. Reduce the wine for 1 minute, then add seafood stock. Continue to cook for about 1 minute. Add the basil, chives, lemon zest and juice and the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter and stir the mixture until the butter has melted. Add the cooked pasta and cook for about 30 seconds, just to combine and let the pasta soak up the sauce. Nestle the scallops back into the skillet to serve.
Delicious!! My husband loved it. It didn't say bay or sea scallops - I used bay and they were fine. Probably could use shrimp in place of the scallops. I changed a couple of things: I sautéed a handful of cherry tomatoes with the garlic and shallots - they added a bit of flavor and some color! Also I used parpadella pasta instead of linguini. Others said there wasn't enough sauce but there was plenty.
I am definitely making the scallops for my husband! Thanks for the idea!
I am not a fan of heavy, cream-based sauces, particularly with delicate meats such as scallop. This sauce is light and refreshing, and works well with the sweetness of the scallops. Feel free to add mushrooms if you want a bit more substance. This is definitely a keeper.
This was outstanding. Cast iron for the sear makes all the difference. Going to try with shrimp tomorrow for the boyfriend who doesn't like scallops. Will also add some spinach.
This has become one of our favorite all-time meals! The only comment I might make is that you should cut the lemon quantity in half. It is an absolute family favorite now. Not fiddling with the scallops while they are browning is key, the author was so correct!
Used black pasta that I had in the cupboard turned out amazing.
oooooolala!! fancy!
Amazing.... the pasta comes out tasting like it is in a cream sauce. The complex flavors are rich and the hint of spice at the end of tasking with the pepper is perfect.
This was supper yummy and quick and easy. I added steamed asparagus on the side and halved cherry tomatoes for some veggies. Will definitely make again!!
Ridiculous flavours. I don’t usually follow recipes exact but I took a chance and did with yours. I was very fortunate and had a friend ship me Digby scallops that he flash freezes when he harvests. Best in the world. Wow. Your recipe was the perfect one for them. So fantastic. Thanks for sharing it.
SO happy to hear it! xx
Hello all,
My wife and I stumbled across this recipe while driving back from the beach on Sunday… We had bought some fresh scallops and we’re looking for a delicious way to make them.
We ended up arriving home a little too late to eat pasta so I made the sauce and see how the scallops and served it without the pasta. It was absolutely delicious couldn’t wait to try it with the pasta.
After looking at it closely and getting a sense of the test, I said let’s make this a clam sauce.. Well we made it tonight with the class instead of the scallops and we’re absolutely blown away by the delicious test.
I would surely recommend this dish for everyone love scallops or clams.
It’s perfect summer food… And try it with a nice Chardonnay or Arneis.
Thnx Louis
Great recipe!
Excellent. Easy, delicious, not too greasy or indulgent. Great complexity and balance of flavors. This amount fed 4 of us nicely. Thank you!
Excellent !
Would definitely sear the scallops in OIL only and add butter after. The butter made my scallops not sear well or brown :/.
Loved it! Used 1/2 wine and broth. Thanks for the scallop searing pointers. They came out perfect! I will use this recipe regularly. TJs frozen scallops are actually quite good.