This recipe for seared scallops and pasta is an elegant, one-dish dinner that’s easy to make and sure to please seafood and pasta lovers alike.

A serving of pasta, seared scallops and grape tomatoes tossed with white wine butter and served over a bed of sautéed spinach.

Served over a bed of sautéed fresh spinach, this dish combines delicate angel hair pasta, pan-seared sea scallops and grape tomatoes with a light, white wine butter sauce.

How to Make Perfect Scallops and Pasta

The primary key to success with this recipe is timing, so be sure to have all your ingredients prepared and close at hand and then follow these 10 easy steps in order.

  1. Put a pot of salted water on to boil for the pasta.
  2. Sauté the spinach in batches and set it aside until you’re ready to plate.
  3. Start the sauce by sautéing a few cloves of garlic in butter, then stirring in the flour.
  4. Gradually add white wine and cook until thickened and smooth.
  5. Add the tomatoes and cook just long enough to soften them, then then transfer the mixture and wipe out the pan for cooking the scallops.
  6. Add the pasta to the boiling water.
  7. Melt some butter in your frying pan, give it a swirl, and add the scallops, one at a time in a clockwise pattern.
    Tip: By adding the scallops to the pan individually, you’ll know the order in which to turn them so they cook evenly and to just the right doneness.
  8. Once the scallops are cooked (about 3 minutes total), remove the pan from the heat and tend to the pasta.
  9. Reserve some of the pasta water, then drain the angel hair and combine it with the white wine butter and tomatoes, adding a little of that reserved liquid as needed.
  10. Finish the dish by plating individual servings of spinach and topping with a portion of angel hair and tomatoes. Add the scallops, spoon the buttery pan juices over top and enjoy!

Special note: This recipe is written for two servings. You can easily double it, but we recommend either cooking the scallops in two batches or dividing them between two separate pans.

A plate of scallops and spaghetti tossed in white wine butter with napkin, and salt and pepper shakers in the background.

More scallop recipes:

Here are some more scallop recipes you can add to your repertoire. And, if you want to get all our tips for making perfectly seared scallops, be sure to read through the notes on our recipe for Pan-Seared Scallops with Roasted Red Pepper Sauce.

Seared Scallops and Angel Hair Pasta with White Wine Butter

Scallops and Pasta with White Wine Butter

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This recipe for seared scallops and pasta is an elegant, one-dish dinner that's easy to make and sure to please seafood and pasta lovers alike.
Yield: 2 servings
Prep: 10 minutes
Cook: 20 minutes
Total: 30 minutes
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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 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

  • Put a large pot of salted water on to a boil for the angel hair.
  • Arrange the scallops on a plate in a single layer and pat dry with paper towels. 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. Working in batches, add a few handfuls of spinach and toss continually with a pair of tongs until wilted.
  • Transfer the cooked spinach to a plate and repeat the process until all the spinach is cooked.
  • 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. 
  • Whisk in the flour and cook 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 and cook just long enough to soften them, 2 to 3 minutes. Transfer the mixture to a bowl, set aside and wipe out the pan.
  • Add the angel hair to the boiling water and as soon as it returns to a boil, begin 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 lightly seared, about 1-1/2 minutes per side. Tip: Use tongs to turn the scallops in the order in which you added them to the pan and don't try to turn them too quickly or they might stick. Once properly seared, you'll find they release from the pan easily.
  • As soon as the scallops are cooked, remove the pan from the heat.
  • Reserve 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain the angel hair and return it to the pan. Add the sauce and tomato mixture and toss to combine, adding the reserved pasta water in small increments to help coat the pasta evenly.
  • To serve, divide the spinach between 2 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.

Tips for Making This Recipe

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.
Author: Lynne Webb
Course: Seafood
Cuisine: Italian
Calories: 760kcal, Carbohydrates: 69g, Protein: 35g, Fat: 32g, Saturated Fat: 15g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g, Monounsaturated Fat: 11g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 101mg, Sodium: 790mg, Fiber: 8g, Sugar: 6g, Iron: 6mg
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