Scallop Linguine
Scallop Linguine is a quick and easy seafood pasta recipe with a creamy sauce. Indulge in seafood flavors with al dente pasta.
Servings: 4
Calories: 998kcal
Ingredients
Scallops
- 40 grams/ 3 tablespoons butter unsalted, Note 1
- 500 grams/ 1 pound scallops Note 2
Pasta sauce
- 40 grams 3 tablespoons butter unsalted, Note 3
- 1 tablespoon garlic chunky chopped, Note 4
- ¼ teaspoon salt Note 5
- 1 cup/250 ml heavy cream Note 6
- 1 cup parmesan cheese Note 7
Pasta
- 500 grams/1 pound linguine Note 8
- ½ cup/125 ml reserved pasta water Note 9
- ¼ cup flat leaf parsely stems removed, finely chopped, Note 10
Garnish
- black pepper
- parmesan cheese finely grated using a micro plane zester
Instructions
- Scallops: rinse the scallops and then use paper towel to pat them dry. Next place a large sauté pan on the stove top, turn the heat to high and add the butter and scallops. Cook the scallops for 5-6 minutes, using a pair of tongs to flip them so that each side gets a nice sear. Once the scallops are cooked, use a slotted turner to remove them from the pan and place them into a paper towel lined bowl.
- Pasta sauce: next without rinsing or cleaning the pan, add the 2nd lot of butter, garlic and salt. Fry these stirring as you go for 1 minute to allow the butter to melt and garlic and salt to cook. When the minute is up pour in the cream, then add the parmesan cheese and turn the heat to low. Allow the cheese to melt into the cream and give it a stir or 2 as you go.
- Pasta: read and follow the packet instructions to cook the linguine in a medium pan of salted boiling water. Moments before it is al dente (a little bit chewy) use a heatproof jug to scoop out 1-2 cups of pasta water. Then use a colander over the sink to drain the pasta and discard the rest of the water.
- Combine: give the sauce a final stir then add the drained linguine to the pan. Next measure and pour in ½ cup (125 ml) of the pasta water then add the chopped parsley. Now take a pair of kitchen tongs and toss the pasta with the sauce until it is consistently mixed in.
- Pasta and scallops: once the pasta and sauce are combined add the cooked scallops back to the pan. Then gently stir to mix them in and allow them to heat through (3-4 minutes).
- To serve: garnish the dish with a liberal sprinkling of freshly grated parmesan cheese and some freshly cracked black pepper. Portion onto dinner plates and provide forks and spoons.
Video
Notes
- Note 1 - Butter (scallops): we use a couple of knobs of butter in the pan when we are cooking the scallops. Doing so gives them a lovely golden brown sear. We want it to be unsalted butter as we add salt directly to the pasta sauce.
- Note 2 - Scallops: juicy and succulent, scallops are a true delight to cook! You can use bay scallops or sea scallops. We don't need the shells or roe. Substitute with prawns (shrimp) for an alternative.
- Note 4 - Butter (sauce): when it comes to making the pasta sauce, the butter is one of the 1st ingredients that gets added to the pan. We use this to cook the garlic and salt.
- Note 5 - Garlic: you can use 2-3 cloves of fresh garlic, minced garlic or chunky chopped garlic as you see in the ingredients photo in the post. Whichever is the most convenient option for you is the one to go with.
- Note 6 - Salt: we use a little bit of salt when frying the garlic in the butter. For this reason it is recommended that the butter used in the recipe is unsalted butter. This way the dish doesn't become 'too salty!'. Cooking salt is recommended over table salt.
- Note 7 - Cream: cooking cream is what we are after. This forms the basis of our thick white pasta sauce.
- Note 8 - Parmesan cheese: we want to use a micro plane zester to grate this so that it is fresh and soft. We use some for the pasta sauce and then some as a garnish on the finished pasta.
- Note 9 - Linguine: this is a type of pasta that is long like spaghetti and wide like fettucine but not as wide.
- Note 10 - Parsley: a great fresh herb that adds a few pops of colour and flavor to the pasta.
Nutrition
Calories: 998kcal | Carbohydrates: 101g | Protein: 42g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 29g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 157mg | Sodium: 1192mg | Potassium: 648mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 1890IU | Vitamin C: 6mg | Calcium: 384mg | Iron: 3mg