Date Night Sea Scallops
Feb 13, 2019, Updated Apr 29, 2025
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If you missed out on making a Valentine’s Day reservation for your better half, a quick trip to the grocery store is all that stands between you and a home-cooked, fancy-pants dinner. While this is a great date night dish, it’s also easy to make it for one or up to four guests. Just adjust the number of scallops you get at the seafood counter.
While I’ve served these seared scallops on a small bed of sauteed yellow squash spirals, they would be incredible on a bed of butternut squash puree or parsnip mash … both a bit more seasonal. The key to the flavor is a few spoonfuls of my updated Dairy-Free Pesto.
If you’ve seen scallops on a menu and felt they were too difficult to make at home, rest assured you will feel like an award-winning chef with this approachable preparation. Scallops don’t even have to be an expensive option for a pescatarian dinner. They can be purchased frozen at many big-box stores and grocers.
Date Night Sea Scallops
Ingredients
- 8-10 scallops, depending on size
- 4 tablespoons ghee
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- Flaked sea salt
- Cracked black pepper
- 1 lemon, optional for garnish
- Dairy-Free Pesto for serving
Instructions
- In a large skillet on high heat, melt together ghee and olive oil. Once hot, reduce heat to medium-high.
- Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and season liberally with sea salt and cracked black pepper.
- Carefully place scallops into skillet, cooking for 3 minutes. Use tongs or a spatula to flip and cook for an additional 3 to 4 minutes, until a browned “crust” forms and scallops are cooked through.
- Plate scallops on a bed of prepared squash or zucchini noodles. Garnish with Dairy-Free Pesto and zested lemon.
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