Fettuccine Alfredo With Scallops

🤍 Recipe Highlights

I have summarised everything that you will come to know and love (LOVE ❤) about this scallop alfredo pasta recipe in the points below:

• Simple ingredients: each of the ingredients needed for the recipe are simple and easy to find at the local store. The scallops will be in the deli or seafood section. The fresh parsley can be home grown and is used to compliment the scallop and fresh pasta combination.
• Dinner made easy: pasta is easy, seafood is easy, the natural pairing of the 2 makes things simple. This creamy fettuccine alfredo with scallops recipe will tick the dinner box with minimal effort required.
• Comfort food: when we use both cream and cheese in this scallop alfredo pasta recipe we know we are heading in the comfort food direction. There is a lovely richness to the sauce that offers a non spaghetti bolognese pasta pairing. This seared scallop and pasta combination works well and delivers delicious results.
• Sophisticated: whilst the whole family will likely love this scallop alfredo sauce recipe, it is also a special occasion type dish that takes simple home cooking to the next level. More than a simple pasta dish alfredo pasta with scallops is date night friendly and offers a signature style dish.
• Taste and texture: the creamy parmesan sauce brings the flavor, the succulent juicy scallops satisfaction and the chewy al dente pasta the variety of texture in the dish. The balance between the carbs from the pasta and protein from the seafood work exceptionally well as a combination!

🥗 Ingredients

The photo below is to show you everything you need to make the recipe. Please refer to the printable recipe card for specific ingredient measurements as well as detailed instructions.

As you can see the recipe calls for:

• Butter: the butter is used to cook the scallops in. As such, we don't use oil in the recipe.
• Scallops: plump, juicy and delicious these are an excellent protein! Purchase from the grocery store or local fish shop. Either bay scallops or sea scallops will work well.
• Salt: we use salt in the sauce as a means to season it. As such the butter we use to cook the scallops and butter used to make the sauce should be unsalted.
• Butter: as above. This butter (unsalted) is used as the basis for creating the creamy alfredo sauce.
• Garlic: you can use 2 fresh garlic cloves, chunky chopped garlic (as shown in the photo above) or minced garlic.
• Parmesan cheese: we add this to the cream. It melts and thickens the alfredo.
• Cream: we want to use heavy cream for the recipe. It is the key ingredient for the creamy pasta sauce.
• Fettuccine: cooked till al dente (a little bit chewy).
• Reserved pasta water: not shown above as this is leftover from when we cook the pasta. It helps to create the creamy thick alfredo sauce.

🍝 Creamy Scallop Pasta

• Parsley: we want to chop this using kitchen scissors and toss it through the pasta. This way it is consistently combined, not simply 'on top' of the pasta.
• Parmesan cheese: a little more cheese grated over the top of the dish is the perfect way to finish it off!
• Pepper: we want to sprinkle some freshly cracked black pepper over the dish for serving.

Top Tip: I like to provide you with a number of substitutions and variations giving you an array of options when making my recipes. If in doubt of any of the above ingredients, or wanting alternatives, read this section (further below) before jumping into the instructions on how to make the recipe which are coming next 😉👌.

🍳 Instructions

Here are the step by step instructions to make the recipe. We start by cooking the scallops.

• Cook the scallops (Photo 1)
• Start the sauce (Photo 2)
• Add the cream (Photo 3)
• Then add the parmesan cheese (Photo 4)

👩‍🍳 How to Make Fettuccine Alfredo With Scallops

To make the fettuccine alfredo with scallops we start by searing the scallops in butter on the stove top.

To do so, place a large sauté pan on the stove, turn the heat to high then add the butter and scallops.

Cook the scallops for 3-5 minutes, flipping to the second side as you go so that each side gets a lovely brown color sear to it.

Then once the scallops are cooked, remove them from the pan and place them onto a paper towel lined plate.

Next get started on the alfredo cream sauce. To do so without rinsing or cleaning the pan melt butter and add the garlic and salt.

Fry these for 1 minute allowing the butter to melt and the garlic to soften.

Once done pour the cream into the pan as you see in the photos above. Then add the grated parmesan cheese to the centre of the pan and turn the stove down to low heat.

On a separate element place a medium sized sauce pan of boiling salted water. Then read and follow the package directions to cook the fettuccine. Moments before it is al dente use a heatproof jug to scoop out 1-2 cups of the pasta water.

Then use a colander over the sink to drain pasta, discarding the rest of the water as you go.

• Reserve pasta water (Photo 5)
• Stir the sauce till it is consistent (Photo 6)
• Add reserved pasta water (Photo 7)
• Then add the chopped parsley (Photo 8)

Give the pasta sauce a stir to ensure all of the cheese has melted into the creamy sauce and then add the drained cooked pasta to the pan.

Measure and pour in ½ cup (125 ml) of the reserved pasta water and add the chopped parsley. Then use a pair of kitchen tongs to toss the pasta, sauce and fresh herbs.

• Add the cooked scallops (Photo 10)

Once the pasta is tossed and the creamy pasta sauce is consistently mixed in add the seared scallops back to the pan as you see me about to do in the photo above.

Then allow the scallops to heat through and gently stir to fold them into the pasta.

• Heat through and garnish (Photo 11)

Now you are at the point where you can get your garnish on with a liberal sprinkling of cracked black pepper and scattering of some freshly grated parmesan cheese. Grab some forks, spoons and bowls and rejoice in that 'dinner is done! 😁👏.

🍽 Serving Suggestions

For a garlic bread and pasta pairing try the Tortilla Garlic Bread, Ciabatta Garlic Bread, Turkish Garlic Bread or the Garlic Pizza Bread.

This is a filling and satisfying meal that you will be well fed from. It is likely that you won't want more other than a simple side salad, in which case, the Cherry Tomato Caprese Salad, Herb Salad or Panzanella Salad pair nicely.

For wine, try a crisp rose, chilled glass of a dry white wine like a pinot gris or a smooth red like a pinot noir.

Add some lemon wedges to allow a little squeeze of lemon juice over the pasta if you like the flavor combination.

👍 How to Guide

How to Store

Store leftovers of the scallops with alfredo sauce in a sealed, airtight container. They can be kept for up to 2 days and need to be reheated before being consumed.

How to Freeze

I don't recommend freezing leftovers of this dish. The creamy alfredo sauce disappears once frozen. It is best cooked and consumed or leftovers reheated the next day.

How to Reheat

Add leftover scallop fettuccine to a bowl and cover with cling wrap. Then heat on high in the microwave for 1-3 minutes until warmed through.

😉 Substitutions and Variations

Here are my sub ins and outs that you might be thinking about as you read the post and I will tell you if I think they will work or why they won't:

• You can use linguine, spaghetti, tagliatelle, angel hair or pappardelle as alternatives to the fettuccine if you wish too.
• Or your favorite pasta will work too if none of those listed above take your fancy.
• For a vegetable to add to the mix, you can use frozen peas or chopped and fried asparagus.
• Add some diced bacon and fry it off with the scallops.
• Add additional protein with some juicy cooked shrimp or leftover shredded chicken (in which case you can add it at the end as it only needs reheating, not cooking).
• You can use curly leaf parsley or basil leaves (finely chopped) for garnish if you prefer too.

💡 Tasty Tips

Here are my top tips and tricks that I want to share with you so that you master the recipe from the get go:

• You want to cook the scallops so both sides have been seared in the butter. A pair of tongs will help you to flip and rotate them.
• Don't worry about cleaning the pan after removing the scallops. Even if there are crispy little black bits. These simply add to the flavor of the pasta!
• Do turn the heat down once you have added the parmesan cheese to the sauce. This way it will melt into the cream, not clump into blobs of cheese.
• If alfredo sauces are your thing you might also like the Linguine Alfredo, Salmon Fettuccine, Penne Alfredo, Macaroni Alfredo or the Rigatoni Alfredo 😉👌.

🤓 Frequently Asked Questions

What can I add to fettuccine alfredo to make it better?

Adding some succulent juicy scallops that have been seared in butter is a great way of taking a simple fettuccine alfredo up a notch or two!

What is the secret to thick Alfredo sauce?

The secret to creating a luscious and thick alfredo sauce is by using equal parts of heavy cream and parmesan cheese.

What is the best type of cheese to use for homemade alfredo sauce?

Parmesan cheese freshly grated using a micro plane zester is the best type of cheese to use for homemade alfredo sauce. Pecorino romano is a good substitute if you don't have parmesan cheese. In both cases, cheese that you grate yourself will give the best results.

😍 More Easy Dinner Recipes

I like to offer you some more suggestions to make the main meal of the day the most inspired and tasty! Here are those suggestions:

• Garlic Chicken Parmesan Pasta
• Prawn Tagliatelle (Shrimp)
• Chorizo Pasta Bake
• Baked Ziti With Meatballs
• Mince Pasta Bake
• Prawn Pesto Pasta
• Pork Belly Fried Rice
• Herb Crusted Rack Of Lamb

It is time to get our scallops on my friend! You can also find all of my seafood recipes or dinner recipes in the one spot.

Adrianne

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