Creamy Tuscan Spaghetti with Jumbo Scallops is one of our favorite ways to cook scallops! Skip the restaurant and make this seafood dinner right at home!
We love making seafood recipes at home! Check out this Quick Shrimp Stir Fry or this Asian BBQ Salmon, one of our kids favorites)! You can’t stop dipping in this Garlic Shrimp Scampi sauce…make sure to have a lot of bread!
Do you guys make scallops a lot at home? Before we made this Creamy Tuscan Spaghetti with Jumbo Scallops recipe, I can definitely say we did not.
I really don’t know why, either. We both love scallops, they’re really easy to make and a healthy dinner on top of it! What’s not to love…
Scallops can be seasoned, seared and served as is with rice or pasta on the side or a salad if you are keeping things low carb. So just a few minutes in a skillet is all you need for a delicious seafood dinner.
Scallops can be a little on the pricey side so watch for them when they go on sale, grab a bunch and freeze what you don’t need. We grab fresh scallops whenever we can but frozen are great too!
HOW TO SEAR SCALLOPS
Searing scallops the correct way is crucial to making any scallop recipe. There’s a fine line between a perfectly seared scallop and a tough, overcooked scallop so knowing when to quit is key.
What you need to do is dry the scallops off really, really well with paper towels so the surface of the scallops are completely dry. Next get your skillet fairly hot, a cast iron skillet works great here. Drizzle oil in the pan so the scallops don’t stick and place them in.
Don’t move them around once you get them in the skillet. Leave them for a few minutes until a nice crust forms and they’re ready to turn, just like in the picture above.
If the scallops are still sticking to the pan when you go to turn them they aren’t done. Leave them another minute or two, they’ll release when the crust is formed. Also make sure you’ve gotten enough oil in your pan to keep the scallops from sticking, because they will also stick if there isn’t enough oil coating the bottom of the pan.
Ingredients:
400g spaghetti
12 jumbo scallops
3 tablespoons olive oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
2 cups fresh spinach
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
1 cup heavy cream
Salt and pepper to taste
Fresh basil for garnish
Instructions:
Cook the spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente, drain, and set aside.
Pat the scallops dry and season with salt and pepper. In a large pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium-high heat and sear the scallops for 1-2 minutes on each side until they have a golden crust. Remove and set aside.
In the same pan, add the remaining olive oil and garlic, and sauté until fragrant. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook until they start to soften.
If using wine, add it now and let it reduce by half. Then add the heavy cream, and bring to a simmer.
Stir in the spinach until it wilts, then toss in the cooked spaghetti until everything is well combined and heated through.
Return the scallops to the pan, warm them up for a minute, and then turn off the heat.
Serve garnished with fresh basil.
