Elegant, easy and makes you like a Food Network star!
Artichokes & Browned Scallops Pasta is fancy enough for entertaining but easy enough you could whip it up as a weeknight meal. Scallops may seem like a splurge, but sometimes you can catch them on sale like I did and tuck them in the freezer for the right occasion. To make it even more economical, you can also substitute the scallops for some fish or shrimp if you'd like.
I first made this recipe on a trip to upstate New York with friends. We stopped by a village butcher who had scallops in the case. We got them and went back to their vacation home, and I made a variation of this recipe. Ever since, making this dish brings back happy memories!
Dreaming of a seaside villa in Italy? This dish will whisk you away!
This recipe is perfect for a romantic dinner. Dreaming of a trip to the beach or a seaside villa in Italy, let the flavors of this dish whisk you away!
We start with browning the scallops in butter and oil and then removing them so they retain their crisp texture and tender inside. Onions and white wine deglaze the pan. Then we add artichokes, capers, green olives, lemon juice and zest and cream for the sauce.
Any good pasta will do for the base. For this one we selected an organic trofie pasta. It's from northern Italian and is thin and looks twisted. In Italy, it's most often teamed with a thin pesto sauce because it can get into the crevices created by the braids. Since our artichoke sauce is thinner and the scallops are delicate, we thought it would be the perfect choice.
If you love this recipe, you might like our Perfect Pantry Pasta or our Broiled Salmon with Creamy Orange Sauce.
Artichokes & Browned Scallops Pasta
Recipe Ingredients
Everything you'll need for this delicious recipe is below.
Serves 4 people
1 lb scallops
1 12 oz jar marinated artichokes (drained) or 1 can artichokes (drained)
3 T butter
3 T olive oil
1/2 c heavy whipping cream
1 c dry white wine
1 T capers
1/4 c green olives (about 16 medium whole olives)
4 T parsley chopped
1 lemon juice and zestt
1 large onion chopped
2 cloves garlic chopped
1 T butter to add to sauce at the end
1 lb box trofie pasta (cooked to package directions)
1 t salt
1/2 t pepper
chives, parsley or dill to garnish
Preparation Instructions
1. Boil water and prepare pasta to package directions.
2. In a sauce pan, add 2 T butter and 3 T olive oil to heat.
3. Dry scallops and sprinkle with a little salt and pepper.
4. When oil is hot, add dry scallops.
5. Brown 1-2 minutes on each side.
6. Remove from heat and set aside on a warm platter.
7. In the same pan, add onion.
8. Simmer for about 3 minutes in the existing olive oil and butter, stirring to deglaze pan.
9. Add onion and cook for 1 minute more.
10. Add wine, olives, capers, salt, pepper, lime juice and zest, cream.
11. Cook until reduced and thickened slightly about 5 minutes.
12. Add dill and parsley and cook a minute more.
13. To serve, put pasta into an individual pasta bowl.
14. Spoon sauce with artichokes over pasta.
15. Place browned scallops on top.
16. Garnish with fresh parsley, chives and/or dill.
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