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If you love seafood and are looking for simple and delicious ways to cook it at home, this recipe for seared scallops over angel hair pasta is a good place to start. The ingredients come together with a delicious white wine butter sauce that blends perfectly with the sweet, delicate flavor of the scallops.
The delicate texture of angel hair pasta makes it one of our favorites and the perfect choice for tossing with a buttery white wine sauce like the one in this recipe. The finished dish is light yet elegant, and because scallops always seem like a treat to us, we think it’s special enough to make for a date night at home. That’s why we’ve written the recipe for two servings, but it can easily be doubled.
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Here’s what you need to know about the key ingredients in this recipe. The complete list, including quantities, is in the printable recipe card below.
- SEA SCALLOPS: Try to find sea scallops marked as “dry” or “dry pack.” This means they have not been soaked in the brine solution many processors use to extend shelf life and keep them from losing their natural moisture. If you can’t find dry scallops, you can still use the “wet” variety for this dish, but they won’t be as easy to sear.
- ANGEL HAIR PASTA: The buttery white wine sauce in this dish clings beautifully to the fine strands of angel hair pasta, ensuring a forkful of flavor with every bite. Thin spaghetti could be substituted.
- FRESH SPINACH: Serving the pasta and scallops atop a bed of sautéed fresh spinach adds both flavor and nutrition to this dish. You could opt to serve it on the side or omit it entirely if you choose.
- GRAPE OR CHERRY TOMATOES: Halved and added to the white wine butter sauce to wilt, grape (or cherry) tomatoes add a subtle acidity and pop of color to this dish.
- DRY WHITE WINE: When adding wine to this sauce, use a light, dry variety like Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. Avoid anything labeled as “cooking wine.” If you prefer an alcohol-free version, use low-sodium chicken broth.
Overview
How to Make Scallops With Pasta
Planning to make this recipe? Here’s a quick overview of how it’s done. Detailed, step-by-step instructions are in the printable recipe card below.
COOK THE SPINACH: Working in batches, sauté the spinach in a little oil until wilted, then set it aside until you’re ready to plate. While the spinach is cooking, put a pot of salted water on to boil.
MAKE THE SAUCE: Sauté some garlic in butter, whisk in flour, and then slowly add white wine until it thickens. Toss in halved grape tomatoes and cook just enough soften them. Transfer the sauce to a bowl, wipe out the pan for cooking the scallops, then add the angel hair to the boiling water.
SEAR THE SCALLOPS: Melt butter in the frying pan and swirl to coat the bottom. Add the scallops, one at a time, in a clockwise pattern, so you know the order to turn them. Sear the scallops on both sides until cooked, about 3 minutes total. Remove the pan from the heat and tend to the pasta.
FINISH THE DISH: Drain the pasta, setting a little of the cooking water aside. Mix the pasta with your white wine sauce, adding a splash of that reserved water if needed. Plate the spinach, top with pasta and tomatoes, then add the scallops. Drizzle those buttery pan juices over everything and serve immediately.
Tips for Success
- PREP YOUR INGREDIENTS: Have all your ingredients measured and close at hand, as timing is essential to the success of this dish.
- DRY THE SCALLOPS: Take the scallops out of the refrigerator 10 minutes before you plan to start cooking. Arrange them in a single layer on a plate, and blot gently with a paper towel.
- CHOOSE THE RIGHT PAN: Use a frying pan large enough to accommodate all the scallops in a single layer with at least 1/2-inch between them.
- DON’T OVERCOOK: As soon as the butter starts to sizzle add the scallops in a clockwise pattern, starting at the 12-o’clock so you know the order to turn them. They should need no more than a minute or two per side to cook. Look for a golden crust on the outside and a creamy, slightly translucent center.
More Scallop Recipes to Love
Once you’ve mastered perfectly cooked scallops, it’s easy to pair them with different, globally inspired flavors.
Consider trying a Spanish-style recipe that pairs scallops with roasted red pepper sauce and an Asian-fusion dish of seared scallops in a tangy tomato-lime butter served over couscous.
Scallops and Pasta with White Wine Butter
Ingredients
- 4 oz angel hair pasta
- 3/4 lb dry sea scallops, see notes below
- Vegetable oil
- Salt and freshly ground black pepper
- 10 ounces fresh spinach
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tablespoon flour
- 3/4 cup dry white wine, or low-sodium chicken broth
- 1 pint grape or cherry tomatoes, halved
Instructions
Prep the scallops and cook the spinach:
- Put a large pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta. Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and arrange them in a single layer on a plate or cutting board. Brush both sides with a little oil and season with salt and pepper.
- Coat the bottom of a large frying pan with a small amount of oil and heat over medium-high heat. Add a few handfuls of spinach at a time and toss continually with a pair of tongs until wilted. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
Make the sauce:
- Wipe out the pan and melt 2 tablespoons of the butter over medium heat. Add the garlic and sauté until soft and fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes (do not brown).
- Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring often, until golden, 1-1/2 minutes. Gradually whisk in the wine and cook until smooth and blended, 1 to 2 minutes more.
- Add the tomatoes, season with a little salt and pepper, and cook until softened and slightly wilted, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the sauce mixture to a bowl, set aside, and wipe the pan clean to cook the scallops.
Sear the scallops:
- Add the angel hair to the boiling water, and as soon as it returns to a boil, start cooking the scallops. Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter over medium-high heat, swirl the pan to coat, and add the scallops one at a time in a clockwise pattern.
- Cook until they release from the pan with ease, about 1-1/2 minutes. Use tongs to turn the scallops in the order you added them to the pan, and cook for another 1 to 1-1/2 minutes, then remove the pan from the heat.
Finish the dish:
- Drain the angel hair, reserving 1/4 cup of the cooking water. Return the pasta to the pan, add the white wine butter sauce with tomatoes, and toss to combine. If needed, add the reserved pasta water in 1-tablespoon increments until the sauce is evenly distributed (don't overdo it).
- To serve, divide the spinach between two serving plates, top each with a portion of pasta and tomatoes, then add the scallops. Spoon the remaining pan juices over the top and serve immediately.
Notes
Doubling this recipe:
This recipe is written for two servings. You can easily double it, but we recommend either cooking the scallops in two batches.What are dry sea scallops?
Dry sea scallops are scallops that have not been soaked in a brine-like solution frequently used to prevent them from losing their natural moisture. If the scallops you’re buying are not clearly marked, ask your fishmonger. Only the “dry” variety will work for this recipe as you will not be able to sear the “wet” type properly.Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Hi! Can this be done with frozen scallops (not in any liquid)?
Hi Payton,
Using frozen scallops is perfectly fine. As a matter of fact, it’s common practice for scallops (and other seafood) to be flash-frozen at very low temperatures on the boat right after they’re caught. Unless you live in an area where “day boat or diver” scallops are harvested and brought to market within a day, you are likely purchasing previously frozen scallops from your local seafood vendor anyway. Because they make such a quick and healthy meal, I keep a bag of frozen sea scallops on hand. I just take out what I need for dinner the night before and lay them out in a single layer on a plate, cover them with plastic wrap, and place them in the refrigerator. They do give off liquid as they defrost, so it’s important to blot them completely dry with paper towels before you cook them. Hope this answers your question.
Do u have to have the spinach? My family does not like spinach.
Hi Laurie,
You can certainly omit the spinach and serve whatever vegetable you like on the side.
Great recipe!! Thanks so much!
Thank You so much for this Yummy Dinner recipe! I made it for dinner & it was a Big Hit !
This was yummy! The directions that were given really helped with the timing of the preparation! It presented like a dish from a nice restaurant.
Hi Rosemary,
I’m pleased to hear that you enjoyed the dish and that the instructions worked out for you. Thanks for the positive feedback!