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    Gastronotherapy » Recipes » Main Course

    Creamy Scallop Linguine

    Modified: Oct 22, 2023 · Published: Sep 6, 2021 · by MaryAnne · 10 Comments

    Jump to Recipe Jump to Video Print Recipe

    This creamy scallop linguine is the stuff of dreams: perfectly pan-seared scallops are combined with pasta that's tossed in a creamy white wine-garlic-lemon sauce. It's a 30-minute dinner that's easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for a holiday or date night.

    *This is a new & improved recipe. The original one included bacon but I found that it wasn't necessary.

    Bowl of creamy scallop linguine with seared scallops and fresh parsley.

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    In this scallop linguine recipe, lemon and white wine add acidity, keeping the dish light, while still tasting like a gourmet Italian meal.

    Make it for your next special occasion, or when you want to make an easy meal that feels a bit more indulgent. And if you love seafood pasta, be sure to try my garlic shrimp pasta!

    Jump to:
    • ⭐️ Why This Pasta with Scallops is the Best
    • 🧄 Ingredient Notes
    • 📝 Variations and Substitutions
    • 🔪 How to Make Scallop Linguine
    • 👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips
    • 🥖 What to Serve with Scallop Pasta
    • 💬 Frequently Asked Questions
    • 🍝 More Pasta Recipes
    • Creamy Scallop Linguine Recipe

    ⭐️ Why This Pasta with Scallops is the Best

    • Succulent scallops are pan-seared and combined with a delicious lemon garlic pasta that's out-of-this-world
    • Elegant enough for a special occasion or holiday, but simple and easy enough for a weeknight meal
    • Quick and easy scallop pasta that's ready in just 30 minutes
    • Protein-rich meal that can be customized for dairy-free or gluten-free folks

    🧄 Ingredient Notes

    Linguine ingredients arranged on a table.
    • Garlic - I highly recommend using fresh garlic for optimal flavor.
    • Shallots - Using shallots builds flavor in our lemon garlic sauce. You can also swap ⅓ of a yellow onion or red onion as a substitute.
    • White wine - Choose a bright and acidic white wine, like pino grigio or sauvignon blanc.
    • Linguine noodles - Spaghetti or fettuccine noodles would also work well for this recipe, as would spiraled zucchini noodles.
    • Scallops - Large scallops or smaller bay scallops will both work great. You can use frozen scallops but make sure they are completely thawed (and patted dry) before using.
    • Heavy cream - Makes our pasta super creamy; you can use whole milk as a substitute. However, because milk has more water than cream, you won't need as much pasta water to thin out the sauce. Just add water a little at a time to get your desired consistency.
    • Lemon juice - Using freshly-squeezed lemon juice adds bright, citrus notes.
    • Fresh parsley - Adds earthy, aromatic herbyness.

    The key to getting a beautiful golden crust on your scallops:

    • Pat dry with a paper towel before cooking
    • Sear quickly over high heat (this prevents scallops from drying out and helps them develop a crisp exterior)
    • Don't touch scallops while cooking until you are ready to flip them over

    📝 Variations and Substitutions

    • Make dairy-free: Substitute dairy free heavy cream and butter to go dairy-free.
    • Shrimp can be substituted for the scallops here.
    • Spicy pasta: Add ½ teaspoon of red pepper flakes for a pop of heat.
    • Add veggies. Add 1 cup of chopped veggies for added nutrition. Sauteed asparagus or mushrooms would work well.
    • Make gluten-free: Use gluten-free noodles for a gluten-free meal.

    🔪 How to Make Scallop Linguine

    Over high heat, bring a large pot of (salted) water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to (al dente) package instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking together. After pasta is cooked, set aside ¾ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.

    Linguine noodles cooking in a large pot.

    Pat scallops dry with a paper towel (this will ensure a nice crust on the scallops). Season with salt and pepper. Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Place scallops in pan, spaced out evenly. Sear for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until a golden brown crust forms. Transfer scallops to a plate and cover with foil.

    Seared scallops with a golden brown crust in a large skillet.

    Using the same skillet, add butter and shallots, and cook over medium-low heat until translucent, around 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.

    Diced shallots and garlic sauteing in butter in a large skillet.

    Deglaze the pan by adding white wine and vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits (this is where the flavor is!). Pour in heavy cream and bring to a simmer for around 3-4 minutes (the sauce will still be pretty thin, but will thicken up after pasta water is added).

    Deglazing pan with white wine and vegetable broth.
    Heavy cream added to garlic wine pasta sauce.

    Add cooked pasta to pan and toss with the sauce and ¼ cup of pasta water (this will help sauce stick to the noodles). Add more pasta water if needed.

    Cooked pasta added to pasta sauce.

    Distribute pasta evenly over 4 plates and place scallops on top (divided evenly as well). Sprinkle fresh lemon juice over pasta and garnish with fresh parsley.

    Seared scallops and pasta plated in a bowl with a fork.

    👩🏼‍🍳 Expert Tips

    • Storage: Place in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
    • How to reheat: Place leftovers in a medium skillet with 1-2 tablespoons of water, and heat on medium-low for 5-10 minutes, until heated through.
    • You can use large scallops or smaller bay scallops. Either size works just fine.
    • Thicken it up. If your pasta sauce turns out too watery, check out my post on how to thicken homemade spaghetti sauce.
    • Pat scallops dry. This will ensure a beautiful golden crust when searing.
    • Salt your pasta water. As the water is absorbed into the noodles, the salt is absorbed along with it, giving it flavor.
    • Reserve pasta water. Be sure to reserve ¾ cup of pasta water before draining. It contains starch, which helps to thicken our sauce and ensures that it sticks to the pasta.
    • Cook pasta al dente. Cook your pasta according to package instructions to avoid overcooked, mushy pasta. It should be firm-tender when you bite into it.

    🥖 What to Serve with Scallop Pasta

    Because this is a hearty meal, I recommend pairing it with roasted vegetables, like Brussels sprouts; a piece of crusty bread, like sourdough focaccia; or a side salad, like fennel salad.

    💬 Frequently Asked Questions

    Why are my scallops rubbery?

    Because scallops are a lean protein, they need to be cooked with some form of fat, like oil or butter. They should be cooked fairly quickly at a high heat, which prevents them from turning rubbery. Cooking quickly at a high heat creates a beautiful golden crust on the outside with a firm-tender interior.

    What is the best cooking method for scallops?

    Pat scallops dry with a paper towel (this will ensure a nice crust on the scallops). Season with salt and pepper. Add 1 tablespoon oil to a medium-sized skillet and heat over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Place scallops in pan, spaced out evenly. Sear for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until a golden brown crust forms.

    Is it ok to rinse scallops before cooking?

    You can rinse your scallops before cooking, but be sure to pat them dry before cooking. Any leftover water could cause scallops to steam in the pan (instead of searing), preventing them from developing a golden crusty exterior.

    🍝 More Pasta Recipes

    • Large plate of garlic shrimp spaghetti with two forks.
      Garlic Shrimp Spaghetti
    • Plate of spaghetti pasta with a fork resting on the side.
      Easy Garlic Butter Pasta (20 minutes)
    • slice of no boil lasagna being lifted from baking dish.
      Vegetarian No Boil Lasagna (with regular noodles)
    • Broccoli pasta bake with plates, parsley, serving spoon, and a white napkin.
      Cheesy Broccoli Pasta Bake

    Tried this recipe? Please leave a star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating below and/or a review in the comments section further down the page. You can also stay in touch with us through social media by following us on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok, and Facebook.

    Subscribe to my email newsletter to get a FREE e-book of 15 Healthy Weeknight Recipes, and get new recipes delivered to your inbox every week!

    Bowl of creamy scallop linguine with seared scallops and fresh parsley.

    Creamy Scallop Linguine Recipe

    Author: MaryAnne
    This creamy scallop linguine is the stuff of dreams: perfectly seared scallops are combined with pasta that's tossed in a creamy white wine-garlic-lemon sauce. It's a 30-minute dinner that's easy enough for a weeknight but impressive enough for a holiday or date night.
    5 from 7 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 5 minutes mins
    Cook Time 20 minutes mins
    Total Time 25 minutes mins
    Course Main Course
    Cuisine American, Italian
    Servings 4 servings
    Calories 548 kcal

    Ingredients
      

    • 12 ounces linguine or spaghetti noodles
    • 2 Tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
    • pinch of sea salt and ground black pepper
    • 1 pound scallops
    • 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
    • 2 shallots, diced
    • ¼ teaspoon sea salt
    • ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
    • 4 garlic cloves, minced
    • ¼ cup white wine
    • ½ cup low-sodium vegetable broth
    • ¼ cup heavy cream
    • 1 lemon, zested and juiced
    • ¼ cup fresh parsley, chopped

    Instructions
     

    • Over high heat, bring a large pot of (salted) water to a boil. Add linguine and cook according to (al dente) package instructions, stirring occasionally to prevent the noodles from sticking together. After pasta is cooked, set aside ¾ cup of pasta water and drain the pasta.
    • Pat scallops dry with a paper towel (this will ensure a nice crust on the scallops). Season with salt and pepper. Add oil to a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat for a few minutes. Place scallops in pan, spaced out evenly. Sear for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until a golden brown crust forms. Transfer scallops to a plate and cover with foil.
    • Using the same skillet, add butter and shallots, and cook over medium-low heat until translucent, around 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Add garlic and cook for an additional minute.
    • Deglaze the pan by adding white wine and vegetable broth, scraping up any browned bits (this is where the flavor is!). Add heavy cream and bring to a simmer for around 3-4 minutes (the sauce will still be pretty thin, but will thicken up after pasta water is added).
    • Add cooked pasta to pan and toss with the sauce and ¼ cup of pasta water (this will help sauce stick to the noodles). Add more pasta water if needed.
    • Distribute pasta evenly over 4 plates and place scallops on top (divided evenly as well). Sprinkle fresh lemon juice and lemon zest over pasta, and garnish with fresh parsley.

    Video

    Notes

    The key to getting a golden brown crust on your scallops:
    • Pat dry with a paper towel before cooking
    • Sear over high heat
    • Don't touch scallops while cooking until you are ready to flip them over
    ---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
    • Storage: Place in an airtight container and keep in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
    • Salt your pasta water. As the water is absorbed into the noodles, the salt is absorbed along with it, giving it flavor.
    • Reserve pasta water. Be sure to reserve pasta water before draining. It contains starch, which helps to thicken our sauce and ensures that it sticks to the pasta.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 548kcalCarbohydrates: 74gProtein: 26gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 7gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 7gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 52mgSodium: 605mgPotassium: 560mgFiber: 4gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 632IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 59mgIron: 2mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Sarah

      December 19, 2021 at 11:22 am

      5 stars
      I love scallops and linguine, so I will be trying this!

      Reply
      • Gastronotherapy

        December 20, 2021 at 12:43 pm

        Fantastic! Let me know how it turns out, Sarah!

        Reply
    2. Carrie Wilkens

      December 31, 2022 at 9:14 pm

      5 stars
      It was very good and easy. I like the variation options as i almost never have all the ingredients on hand.

      Reply
      • MaryAnne

        January 07, 2023 at 2:55 pm

        Thanks so much, Carrie!

        Reply
      • Jeannie

        February 15, 2024 at 7:23 am

        5 stars
        I made this recipe for our Valentines 🩷dinner last night. Preparation was quick as the directions were specific and easy to follow. I chose to use shrimp in place of scallops as I had frozen shrimp available. The result was delicious, so flavorful.. yum! I will definitely try making it with scallops next time. I love your recipes and the detailed directions/ videos!

        Reply
        • MaryAnne

          February 15, 2024 at 7:31 am

          So happy to hear that it was a hit, Jeannie! Thanks for leaving a review! 🙂

          Reply
    3. Kari

      October 23, 2023 at 9:01 am

      5 stars
      This was a perfectly delicious and easy Sunday meal! You are right that it's light enough for a "regular" meal, so it didn't feel like a big splurge. But there's so much flavor between the garlic, wine, shallots, and lemon! I love your recipes and am always very happy with the results. Thanks for another winner!

      Reply
      • MaryAnne

        October 23, 2023 at 1:16 pm

        Thanks so much, Kari! Thanks for being such a fan of my recipes! 😍

        Reply
    4. Star

      October 29, 2023 at 2:12 pm

      5 stars
      So delicious! Thank you!

      Reply
      • MaryAnne

        October 29, 2023 at 4:28 pm

        You are welcome, Star! Thanks for leaving a review!

        Reply
    5 from 7 votes (2 ratings without comment)

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    Hi! I’m MaryAnne, the writer, recipe developer, and photographer behind Gastronotherapy, where I bring vibrant, delicious, and thoughtfully crafted mainly vegetarian and vegan (flexitarian) recipes to life. While my focus leans toward wholesome, nourishing dishes, my love for dessert ensures that indulgence always has a place at the table!

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