Seared Scallops with Pesto Sauce
Sea scallops are quite simple to cook and have a mild, buttery flavor. This recipe calls for topping the scallops with a light pesto sauce, but you can swap with another sauce, or even a simple squeeze of lemon. Complete your plate with a fresh, seasonal salad and a grain side dish, like this Red Quinoa and Farro.
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- Prep time
- 20 min
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- Cook time
- 4 min
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- Servings
- 4 Servings
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- Serving size
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4 scallops with 2 tbsps sauce
Ingredients
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fresh basil leaves
- 2 cup
- 2 cup
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olive oil (divided use)
- 5 tbsp
- 5 tbsp
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garlic (minced)
- 1 clove
- 1 clove
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Plain Nonfat Greek yogurt
- 1/4 cup
- 1/4 cup
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red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
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salt
- 1/8 tsp
- 1/8 tsp
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sea scallops
- 3/4 lb (about 16 scallops)
- 3/4 lb (about 16 scallops)
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black pepper
- 1/4 tsp
- 1/4 tsp
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unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp
- 1 tbsp
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Directions
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Make the pesto: Add the basil, 3 Tbsp of the olive oil, and the garlic to a blender; pulse until a rough paste forms. Add the yogurt, vinegar, and salt and purée until smooth.
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Dry the scallops with a paper towel and sprinkle with the pepper.
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Heat the remaining 2 Tbsp of olive oil and the butter in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the scallops and cook until browned, 1½ to 2 minutes per side. Using tongs, remove the scallops and place them on a plate to cool.
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Spoon 2 Tbsp of the pesto sauce onto each of 4 plates and top with the warm scallops.