Lemon Butter Scallops and Pasta | A Delicious Recipe to Try

During one of our anniversary trips, my husband and I went to a fancy restaurant to celebrate. We asked the waiter for recommendations, and he suggested to try the scallops. I'd never tried them before, but he was so convincing that we decided to order them.

The other night, my husband wanted pasta for dinner, but I was craving the scallops. So, I grabbed a few ingredients to make lemon butter scallops. I knew the sauce would pair great with seafood.

30 minutes later, we were having a quick yet fancy dinner at home.

Lemon butter scallops served over pasta

Appliances

To make this dish, you'll need a sous-vide precision cooker like Anova. Or, if you have a Thermomix, you can use the sous-vide function there.

Ingredients You Will Need

To create this dish, gather fresh and quality ingredients. Here’s what you’ll need:

• Scallops: 400 gr of sea scallops.

• Pasta: Linguine or spaghetti works best for holding the sauce.

• Butter: Unsalted butter for the sauce.

• Garlic: Fresh cloves, minced.

• Lemon: Both juice and zest to brighten the flavor.

• White wine: A dry white wine adds depth.

• Fresh Thyme: Finely chopped for garnish.

• Olive oil: For searing scallops.

• Honey: For the sweet flavour.

• Salt and pepper: To taste.

  
  

Preparing the Lemon Butter Scallops

The key to perfect scallops lies on using the sous-vide technique before searing them. It keeps the golden crust while keeping the inside tender. Follow these steps:

1. Place the scallops in a mixing bowl, add 1 tbsp of olive oil, salt and pepper and mix.

2. In a vacuum bag, place the scallops side by side. Seal using a vacuum sealer.

3. Set the sous-vide temperature to 50° C and let it cook for 30 minutes.

4. Remove the scallops from the bag and pat them dry.

5. Heat olive oil and butter in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Once the butter is melted, add the scallops and fry them until a golden crust forms underneath. Then flip and repeat the process until all scallops are seared.

6. Transfer the scallops onto a bowl.

7. Add wine, butter and garlic to the pan and fry for approximately 1 minute until fragrant.

8. Add lemon juice, lemon zest and honey. Leave the sauce to simmer for approx. 2 minutes.

9. Remove the pan from direct heat and add the cooked scallops back. Toss gently with the sauce to coat them in it evenly.

Cooking the Pasta

• Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil.

• Add pasta and cook according to package instructions until al dente.

• Reserve about 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Bringing It All Together

To serve:

• Plate the pasta.

• Arrange the lemon butter scallops on top.

• Pour more sauce on top of the scallops.

• Sprinkle with thyme for color and freshness.

• Optionally, add a wedge of lemon on the top.

Tips for Success

• Dry the scallops before searing: Wet scallops contain added water that prevents a good sear.

• Don’t overcrowd the pan: Sear scallops in batches if necessary to maintain heat.

• Fresh lemon juice and zest make a big difference in flavour.

• Reserve pasta water to adjust sauce consistency.

• Serve immediately to enjoy scallops at their best texture.

Would you like to cook along with me?

Let me know if this is a dish you'd like to cook along with me and we'll set a date!

Marcela Chein | Thermomix Canada | Ontario's Top Seller