Garlic Butter Scallop Pasta Recipe (2024)

What You’ll Love About Scallop Scampi

• It’s a delicious meal!
• Restaurant quality meal at home
• Tender scallops, chewy pasta, and crunchy topping
• Made with minimal ingredients
• Ready in less than 20 minutes

How to Make Scallop Linguine

This is an overview on how to make scallop pasta, the detailed instructions can be found below in the recipe card.

FAQs

Can you use a different type of pasta?

For seafood dishes with a butter or olive oil “sauce” – longer shaped pasta is recommended. Linguine is excellent, but you could also use angel hair pasta, spaghetti, bucatini, or fettuccine. And of course, if you prefer to use a different kind of pasta, use your favorite!

Should I use bay scallops or sea scallops?

The biggest difference between bay scallops and sea scallops is their size. Sea scallops are larger in size and most likely (sustainably) farmed. If you order a scallop dish at a restaurant, it’s probably with large sea scallops. Bay scallops are found off the East coast in bays (hence the name) and harbors. They are much smaller and sweeter and more tender and what you’ll find in dishes like stews or casseroles where a large scallop would be tricky to eat.

I recommend using bay scallops for this easy scallop pasta as it’s easier to eat the scallops and pasta and you’ll also save some money!

How to cook scallops so they are not rubbery?

The key to this easy scallop recipe is not to overcook the scallops. The best way to do this is to remove from heat once they are cooked through and cook just until they reach an internal temperature of 115 degrees F – the temp will continue to rise after cooking. Using an instant-read meat thermometer will ensure they are cooked to the proper temperature.

Storage Instructions

This scallops and linguine recipe is best served fresh, but store any leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 1-2 days.

How to reheat

Reheat the bay scallops pasta in a hot skillet until warmed through. Drizzle some olive oil or heavy cream if it’s dry.

Can you freeze scallop scampi pasta?

This pasta won’t freeze very well, but I doubt you’ll have any issues finishing it! You can always cut the recipe in half if you need to.

How to Feed Scallop Pasta to the Whole Family

See Also

33 Date Night Recipes

I get it, feeding kids can be tough! But following theDivision of Responsibilityand knowing your job and your child’s job makes it SO much more enjoyable. You’ll be able to feed your kids any meal, which will help ensure that they are eating a variety of nutritious foods – with plenty of play food sprinkled in.

You know I’m a fan of feeding one meal to the entire family and this scallop linguine recipe is no exception! (But I also get it if you want to save this one for parents only!) I know my kids adore pasta, but scallops aren’t a food we have frequently, so I offered a tiny portion of a scallop. Serve the meal with a few items you know your kids will eat, like fruit, milk, and/or bread and butter.

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Ingredients

UnitsScale

Breadcrumb mixture:

• 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup pine nuts
• 1 clove garlic
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese (high quality)
• 1 tsp. lemon zest

For the scallop linguine:

• 1 lb. linguine
• 1 cup starchy pasta water (reserved from cooking pasta)
• 1 lb. bay scallops (the small ones)
• 2 Tbsp. olive oil
• 2 Tbsp. butter
• 1/2 tsp. sea salt
• 2 cloves garlic
• for finishing: high-quality olive oil, flaky sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, fresh parsley

1. In a small food processor, pulse together garlic and pine nuts until chopped into small pieces. Add panko bread crumbs and pulse until just combined. Heat butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat and toast breadcrumb mixture for 2-4 minutes, until golden brown. Set aside, and when cool, stir in lemon zest and parmesan cheese.
2. Cook pasta in a large pot of salted water according to package instructions to al dente, reserving 1 cup of pasta water.
3. Meanwhile, pat scallops dry with a paper towel. Heat olive oil and butter in a large stainless steel skillet and when hot, add scallops in a single layer. Season with sea salt and cook for about 2-4 minutes, until just cooked through. Add garlic to skillet and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
4. Add cooked linguine and about 1/4-1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to scallop skillet and toss together, adding more pasta water if needed.
5. Serve pasta in shallow bowls and drizzle with high-quality olive oil. Top with breadcrumb mixture and season with flaky sea salt, freshly cracked pepper, red pepper flakes, and chopped parsley to taste.

• Bay scallops are smaller than sea scallops and work really well in this scallop pasta recipe. If you prefer, you could also use sea scallops or read more about the difference above in the post.