Seared Scallops with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce

These seared scallops are crisped in extra virgin olive oil to create a golden-brown exterior and soft interior. The tender delights are served with a roasted red pepper sauce that’s spicy, nutty, smoky, and totally addictive. Just 20 minutes and this restaurant-quality dinner is on your table! 

This seared scallop recipe is the type of dish you order at a restaurant, with the fresh scallops showing off their delicate hint of sweetness and buttery texture, while the roasted red pepper and walnut sauce adds a colorful and smoky base. 

Hesitant to spend money on scallops that you’re nervous to cook? Don’t be—with a few simple tips and tricks you can enjoy restaurant-level scallops for a fraction of the price. Once you learn the easy technique, you can dress up your date night with everything from scallop pasta to Mediterranean-style scallops to this seared scallops recipe.

Cooked quickly over high heat, these seared scallops taste like a cross between a lobster and a crab but with a slightly more springy texture. The deliciously spicy red pepper sauce—a simplified version of Spanish romesco—comes together quickly in a food processor.

What’s more: you can make the sauce a few days in advance. In fact, you may want to double the recipe and freeze it to have on hand for dipping veggies, spreading on toast, or even tossing with cooked pasta. Plus, if you are pressed for time, you can use jarred roasted peppers instead of roasting your own. No guilt here!

Table of Contents

1. What You’ll Need
2. How to Make Pan Seared Scallops
3. How to tell if Scallops are Fresh 
4. Should You Buy Fresh or Frozen Scallops? 
5. How to Store Scallops
6. Tips for Pan Searing Scallops: How to Get the Crispy, Golden Brown Exterior
7. What to Serve with Pan Seared Scallops
8. You’ll Also Like: Restaurant-Worthy Scallop Recipes
9. Seared Scallops with Spicy Red Pepper Sauce Recipe

What You’ll Need

This pan-seared scallop recipe uses a handful of pantry ingredients to build vibrant flavor and a few simple techniques for the perfect texture. Here is what you’ll need:

• Roasted red bell peppers: You can happily use store-bought red peppers, though I always prefer cooking roasted red peppers from scratch whenever possible. 
• Almonds: Roasted almonds add crunch and nutiness. 
• Garlic: Adds a delicious sweet and savory flavor.
• Red chili flakes: This sauce needs a kick of heat. Feel free to add more chili if you prefer, or substitute with Aleppo pepper. 
• Extra virgin olive oil: Adds a great depth of flavor. Use the best quality olive oil you can find.
• Balsamic vinegar: Adds brightness to balance the sauce.
• Seasoning: Salt and pepper enhance the flavor.
• Scallops: Use large beige-colored scallops (see sourcing tips below).
• Paprika: Gives the scallops a final sweet and spicy touch. 

How to Make Pan Seared Scallops

To make these pan seared scallops, you’ll need a food processor, knife, and cutting board. I prefer a stainless steel pan for a nice caramelization, but no matter what pan you use just be sure your oil is very hot.

• Get ready. Preheat your oven to 325°F.
• Prep the scallops. Rinse the scallops under cold water. If they have a small abductor muscle attached to the side (also known as the “foot”), pull it off and discard it. Pat dry with paper towels, then place them between two layers of paper towels and set aside.
• Toast the almonds. Spread 2/3 cup of almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer. When your oven is hot, add the almonds and toast, tossing occasionally until they’re golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes. 
• Make the sauce. If you roasted the bell peppers yourself, peel away their skins and tear them into strips, discarding the seeds. Add to a food processor, along with 1/2 cup of the toasted almonds and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 1 minced garlic clove, 3/4 teaspoon chili flakes, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Thin with in a little more olive oil as necessary and taste to check the seasoning—the dip should taste salty and spicy. Set aside.
• Get ready to cook the scallops. Crush the remaining almonds in a mortar and pestle, or use a knife to finely chop. Dry the scallops well with another clean paper towel. The more moisture you can remove, the better caramelization you will achieve. Lightly season with salt.
• Sear the scallops. In a stainless-steel pan over medium heat, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the scallops and cook without nudging for 1 1/2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 1 1/2 minutes. Both sides should have a golden caramelization. 
• Serve. Serve the scallops on top of the red pepper sauce, finished with a sprinkle of crushed almonds, smoked paprika, chili flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.

How to tell if Scallops are Fresh 

Pan fried scallops are lightly cooked, so it’s important that the shellfish is fresh. Here’s how to buy scallops:

• Check the color: Ensure they are not pure white but beige–or even creamy pink or orange. Orange scallops are female and tend to be richer and sweeter. Pure white, wet, and milky scallops are usually pumped with a chemical (sodium tripolyphosphate) which removes nutrients and color and allows scallops to be preserved for longer. You do not want these. Fresh, unprocessed scallops should have a beige tinge, translucent, moist sheen, and fresh sea smell.
• Check the date: We all know that buying fresh is the ultimate luxury–ideally straight off the boat! That would be nice, but most of us need to instead check the harvest date.

Should You Buy Fresh or Frozen Scallops? 

Depending on where you live and what your local fish market looks like, frozen scallops can sometimes be superior in quality as they are flash-frozen immediately after harvest. Simply thaw frozen scallops in the refrigerator, then dry well before cooking.

How to Store Scallops

Scallops have a short shelf life as they cannot close their shell completely. Therefore, they die quickly out of the water. Because of this, they are best cooked as soon as you purchase and, if possible, placed on ice to preserve their freshness. 

Tips for Pan Searing Scallops: How to Get the Crispy, Golden Brown Exterior

The first tip for the best pan seared scallops is to make them very dry–very, very dry. Scallops hold a lot of water. If they are not dried out, you will end up with overcooked boiled-like soggy scallops. Drying them out allows instant searing of the scallop while inhibiting steaming in the pan. To dry scallops:

• Pat them down a few times with a paper towel. Even when you think they are dry, dry them again. 
• Let them stand wrapped in a paper towel for at least 10 minutes, then dry them again with another dry paper towel. The more moisture you remove the crispier the scallop will become when you pan fry it. 

Second, cook them hot and fast. I prefer to use a stainless-steel pan to get a better caramelization. Make sure the oil is very hot. The moment you see the oil start to smoke, this is when you add your scallops. Cook on each side for just about a minute and a half. Do not overcook them or they will become rubbery.

What to Serve with Pan Seared Scallops

Pan-seared scallops with red pepper sauce are nutritious and satisfying enough to stand on their own, but you may want to pair them with something fresh. To start, go for a crisp salad like Maroulosalata. Or, roast an extra red pepper for shopska salad. For a dinner party, serve with a crisp white wine or white wine sangria.

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