Easy scallop recipe with a rich and creamy Parmesan sauce is served over a bed of pasta. These scallops are seared until there are perfectly cooked with a golden crust and then, cook the sauce in the same pan and toss it with your favorite pasta.
Don’t miss my quick and easy seared scallops and baked scallops recipes.
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While many people may find it intimidating to cook scallops, most absolutely love eating them! Enjoying the lightly sweet flavor and delicate texture are well worth learning to cook them at home. In fact, they are incredibly easy to prepare and only require a few minutes in a pan.
Although scallops cost more on average than a lot of other seafood, the cost of buying them and cooking at home is way less than at the restaurants. You will need just a few other pantry staples to turn them into a luxurious and delicious meal.
Pasta is a perfect pairing for this creamy scallops recipe because the sauce is very close to an Alfredo sauce. It’s like a Scallops Alfredo but with a bright addition of garlic. Don’t forget to finish it with some freshly grated Parmesan cheese!
Scallop Recipe Ingredients
If you’ve never purchased this type of seafood before, it can be overwhelming trying to figure out what to get. Not only are there different sizes to choose from, but each type may be packaged and sold differently, and some are soaked in a chemical solution.
You can find more information in my baked scallops recipe explaining what all of this means and what to look for at the seafood counter. In short, you want to get sea scallops, they are larger, and ask if they are “dry.”
“Dry” means that the scallops were not soaked in a chemical solution as a preservation method. Dry scallops are healthier and will sear much better without the excess liquid.
Cream Sauce For Scallops Ingredients
This sauce is amazing, it’s just like a quick Alfredo sauce but with garlic added.
Garlic – I always recommend using freshly pressed garlic for the best results. Minced garlic from a jar tends to have an older and at times unpleasant flavor.
Stock – Chicken stock will give you good flavor, but you can also use vegetable if you prefer. When using store-bought broths and stock, try to get “low sodium” or “no salt added” kind. Try to also get bone broth if available, it will have a richer flavor.
Heavy cream – for the best rich and creamy texture, do use heavy whipping cream and nothing less. Be sure to bring your dairy to room temperature first, so it doesn’t scald. Simply measure it out and let it sit on the counter while you prep the other ingredients and start the scallop recipe.
Parmesan – For the best flavor, buy a fresh block and grate it by hand! I recommend using a microplane zester because the smaller shreds will melt down smoother and easier into the sauce. If you don’t have the time to grate it yourself, some deli sections of the grocery store will have freshly grated parmesan cheese available.
See recipe card for complete information on ingredients and quantities.
How To Make This Scallops Recipe
First, prep and measure out your ingredients. If you’ll be serving these with pasta, boil water and start to cook the noodles few minutes before cooking scallops and sauce.
It’s also important to rinse the shellfish and pat them dry with a paper towel to ensure a gorgeous golden crust on the outside.
Preheat the pan first! Season with salt and pepper just before cooking and then place scallops in a hot skillet. Make sure to leave space between each one. Overcrowding will cause them to steam instead of sear.
Once they are in, do not touch them.
Sear on both sides: Once the first side has a nice crust, flip them in the same order they were added to the skillet. This guarantees that each is cooked for the same amount of time.
Then, remove them from the skillet before continuing. For more tips on seared scallop recipe, take a look at my post.
Melt butter and sauté garlic:
Lower the heat and swirl butter around until melted. Add pressed garlic and let it sit for a few seconds until fragrant.
At this point, you will want to deglaze the pan with stock. Pour it in slowly, then mix it into the other ingredients while scraping up any bits that are stuck to the bottom.
Add the cream.
Next, stir in the heavy whipping cream until well combined. Let it heat through before adding cheese.
6. Stir in Parmesan and let it thicken.
Sprinkle the cheese evenly over the liquid and mix until melted and smooth. Continue stirring while bringing the mixture to a gentle simmer until thickened.
Return scallops to the pan. This is just to warm them back up, so don’t leave them on the heat too long or they will overcook.
If you’re making this dish with pasta. Add cooked pasta to sauce and mix it until evenly coated. You can stir it in right with the scallops or take the scallops out and mix pasta with the sauce in the pan.
Frequently Asked Questions
These can be a bit finicky, especially if you haven’t made them before, so you will want to go by look and feel.
Both sides will have an even golden color, and the scallops will turn opaque all the way through. When gently pressed, they should feel firm and spongy to the touch with a little bit of give. Any firmer and they will be tough and rubbery.
You can also check the temperature for a more exact measurement. They should be 125°-130° in the center when done, so remove them from the heat at first number since they will continue to cook as they rest.
Yes, but do so carefully. Reheat them on the stove over low heat just until warmed through.
Leftovers of this scallop recipe should be good for 3 to 4 days stored in the refrigerator, in a food storage container with an air-tight lid.
As sad as it is, they are over-cooked. Scallops are very delicate and much like shrimp, turn chewy and rubbery when overcooked. When all the moisture and fat has been cooked out, there is nothing left to keep it tender.
Serving suggestions
I enjoy this scallop recipe with freshly cooked fettuccine so the noodles can soak up the extra sauce. Linguine or tagliatelle would make a great substitute as well.
Starches like rice and potatoes are another popular addition to this dish, but you could easily pair it with a sautéed or some roasted vegetables for a lighter option.
Broccoli and cauliflower are the most popular options for dishes with cream sauce because they soak up sauce so well.
More Delicious Seafood Recipes To Try
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Easy Scallop Recipe with Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 lb sea scallops (dry)
- sea salt or kosher coarse salt
- fresh cracked black pepper
- 2 tbsp canola oil
Sauce:
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 3 garlic cloves
- 3 tbsp chicken or vegetable stock
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
- salt to taste
Pasta:
- 1/2 lb fettuccine * or any other favorite pasta
Instructions
- Start cooking pasta according to the package instructions, if you're serving these scallops with pasta. Cook it at the same time as scallops and sauce, strain, and set aside.
Prepare Scallops:
- Rinse off scallops with cold water and pat each one dry with a paper towel. If there are any scallops that have the side muscle attached, simply remove it. (Side muscle cooks tough and it’s unpleasant to eat.)
Searing scallops:
- Preheat a cooking pan first over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and let it heat through until you start to see a little smoke (it should take less than a minute).
- Season scallops with salt and pepper on both sides right before adding the pan.
- Place scallops into the skillet but leave some room in between each one. To ensure a nice sear, don't overcrowd them.
- Do not move or touch them until ready to flip.
- Sear scallops for about 2 minutes (a few seconds more or a few seconds less depending on the size). Flip each on in the same order as you put them in and sear another 2 minutes.
- Take scallops out of the pan and set aside while preparing the sauce.
Prepare the sauce:
- Turn the heat down to medium and melt butter in the same pan where you cooked the scallops.
- Add pressed garlic and let it sear for a couple of seconds, until fragrant.
- Pour in stock and deglaze the pan by scraping the bottom of the pan.
- Pour in heavy whipping cream and slowly stir to mix. Let it heat through for a minute or two.
- Stir in grated Parmesan cheese and taste to see if you need more salt.
- Gently and slowly stir the sauce at it heats through and comes to a simmer. Let is gently simmer for a couple of minutes to thicken. Once sauce is thickened, add scallops back just enough to heat them up and take off heat.
- If you're making this dish with pasta, you can toss pasta with sauce or pour the sauce over the pasta. (Tossing will coat pasta much more evenly though.)
Video
Notes
- Nutrition notes: nutritional facts are calculated with fettuccine but note that it would change with other pasta or side dish options.
- *Gluten Free Notes: pasta is the only ingredient in this recipe that contains gluten. So make sure to use gluten free pasta is you need to make this recipe gluten free. My personal favorite gluten free pasta is Tinkyada.
- Storing: Leftovers should be good for 3 to 4 days stored in the refrigerator, in a food storage container with an air-tight lid.
- Reheating: Reheat them on the stove over low heat just until warmed through.
Nutrition
Originally published on Will Cook For Smiles in March 2021.
Paige says
Can I sub broth for stock?
LyubaB says
Yes, it will taste a little less rich but still very good.
Elizabeth says
I made this for my hubby and friends yesterday it was Amazing and yet so simple to make. Thank you
LyubaB says
You’re so welcome! I am so glad you liked it!
Carol F Mirkin says
This was amazing. It’s a bit labor intensive when prepping but absolutely worth it. Not a drop left
LyubaB says
I am so glad to hear you liked it, Carol!
Adele says
Awesome, love this recipe, turned out so yummy!
LyubaB says
Great! So glad you liked it!
Marci Barrier says
If I use wine instead of stock do I use the same amount
LyubaB says
Yes, you can use the same amount just make sure to simmer the white wine for a few seconds before adding the cream or the cream could curdle.
Tresa says
Love this recipe!
LyubaB says
So glad you loved it!
Rosemary says
Delicious dish! I added fresh broccoli to the last 6 minutes of cooking the fettuccine. I also used wine instead of stock. Will definitely make again. Thank you for a great recipe.
LyubaB says
You can’t go wrong with wine! I am glad you liked it!
Lynda says
No I decided this recipe was just too many calories. Then I read a comment where the cook made healthy changes. Now that’s for me! I’m to try the healthier choice. Wish me luck.
Bethesda says
Very easy and fast. I substituted a few things. I deglazed with white wine, added some ghee, and used oat milk. I used corn starch to thicken the sauce since the oat milk isn’t very thick.
Lisa Christiansen says
This recipe is delicious!! Thank you so much for sharing!! I decided to make it for our traditional Italian Christmas Eve fish dinner and it was an incredible hit!!! It will stay in my “favorites” folder!!💜
LyubaB says
You are so welcome! I am so glad you love it! 🙂
Heather says
This looks good.
I use spice world brand fresh minced garlic
In water and it does not smell old at all.
I guess it just depends on the brand you buy.
LyubaB says
Glad you liked the recipe.
Shannon says
Yummy!! These turned out so good! My first time making scallops and I was very happy with the outcome. I think that simple step of adding the broth and scraping the pan helped with the outcome of the sauce. I followed these instructions and the scallops seemed to be cooked perfect and tasted great! This will be a top addition to my dinner recipes!
LyubaB says
I am so glad you liked it, Shannon!