Has a seafood dinner ever been so pretty? I absolutely LOVE any combination of seafood and pasta so this gorgeous Blackened Scallop recipe with a Spring Green Risotto checks all the boxes.
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Blackened Sea Scallop Recipe
Sea scallops are a luscious choice for any seafood dinner. I love their buttery texture, slight sweetness, and how they seem small but are surprisingly hearty & rich.
If you've never enjoyed a scallop, think of it as a cross between crab and large, succulent shrimp! It's a bit sweet but has the texture of a really succulent shrimp.
Blackened scallops are not only beautiful to look at, but that seared seasoning on the outside is incredibly delicious! It pairs well with pastas, veggies, or a simple puree or soup.
This recipe features a simple seasoning mixture, a touch of butter, and served on top of a cheesy, vegetable filled spring risotto.
Types Of Scallops
There are a few types of scallops you may find. So let's talk about them! You will likely find diver scallops, bay scallops, and sea scallops in stores.
Diver Scallops- Larger in size, $$$
These scallops are hand picked by divers and this can be thought of a more ecologically friendly way of picking them. Divers can ensure they choose large, matured scallops and not just grabbing everything the net comes across.
These are priced accordingly, diving for the scallops is time consuming and requires more man power than the other two types I'll discuss. You could expect less than 10 scallops in a pound.
Bay Scallops - Smallest, $
Bay scallops are caught near the bay and are MUCH smaller in size. For example, they can come up to 100 scallops in a pound!
These might be a good option for seafood soups. They cook quickly and that means it's also easy to over cook them and make them tough.
Sea Scallops- Mid sized to larger, $$
This is my favorite option because I can typically find these in my grocery store for a fair price. For around $20 a pound, you could get around 20-30 scallops. This is perfect for a fancy dinner at home or an impressive dinner party dish.
These are succulent, mid sized so they don't overcook before you get that nice sear on the outside.
How Many Scallops Are In A Pound?
When purchasing scallops you may see a few things on the package that refers to how many scallops per pound you can expect.
On the packaging you may see numbers like: U8, U10, or 20/30 assortments. This specifies about how many scallops you'll get per pound!
After reviewing the types of scallops above (diver, bay, and sea scallops) they each will differ because of their size!
Diver Scallops will have less than 10 scallops a lb and will be the most expensive option.
Sea Scallops are the middle ground! With 20/30 scallops per pound, this is typically my favorite choice.
Bay Scallops are the smallest and least expensive. They are great for soups, stews, or even mixed into pastas. These can have up to 100 scallops per pound.
Ingredients
Now the fun part! Let's make these delicious blackened scallops with spring risotto. The scallops, scallop seasoning, and risotto mix are deceptively easy and you're left with a show-stopping dinner dish.
Scallops & Scallop Seasoning Ingredients
- flaky sea salt
- freshly ground pepper (I used a tri-peppercorn mix, pink peppercorns would be amazing too!)
- granulated garlic
- dried oregano
- dried parsley
- 20/30 scallops
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Spring Green Risotto Ingredients
- 1.5 cups arborio rice
- 3-4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1/2 a yellow onion, diced
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 1 tsp salt (to taste)
- 1 tsp pepper
- 5-7 stalks of asparagus, chopped
- 1/2 cup green peas
- 1/2 cup parsley, chopped
- 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves, chopped
How To Blacken Scallops
Blackening scallops really comes down to a couple of simple but important tips. This is how to do it!
Tools Needed
- cast iron skillet (I love using this lodge cast iron skillet but you can find great ones at thrift stores!)
- saucepan for the risotto (my Caraway pan set is a must have and it's perfect! This link will automatically apply a discount for you)
How To Blacken Seafood
Blackening seafood consists of heavily seasoning the scallops and searing them in a hot pan to essentially "blacken" the herbs and spices on the outside.
- Make sure they are nice and dry before seasoning and searing. Bring them out of the fridge and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- Season them generously to create the crust. Heavily season both sides of the scallops. I then pour a bit of melted butter onto them!
- Place the cast iron skillet over medium high heat and let it get screaming hot. This may take a couple minutes.
- Place each scallop on the pan and let them sit! If you cannot easily move them on the pan, don't flip it yet. It should release easily from the pan.
- Flip them over and cook for 1 additional minute, then turn off the heat and remove from the heat. Let this sit until the internal temperature of the scallop is 125 to 130 degrees.
Wet Scallops vs Dry Scallops
Cooking scallops in the cast iron is the best way to get that nice sear on any seafood, but especially these! This has to do a lot with your scallops being "wet scallops" or "dry scallops"
Wet Scallops are opaque and may have a milky looking liquid coming off of them. Especially if you've done this from frozen scallops. This is a treatment on the scallops and may affect the flavor. You can definitely use these however if it's what you have access to!
Dry Scallops are the superior option. They have no treatment and appear much more tan in color and have no milky liquid surrounding them. You may need to visit a fish monger or reputable market nearby to source these. They are key to that perfect caramelization!
How To Not Overcook Scallops
This has to do with monitoring the internal temperature. I always use my instant read mead thermometer, like this one.
The temperature you want to reach is 125-130 degrees Fahrenheit. I typically sear them on one side until they gently release from the pan (1-2 minutes?)
Flip them over and sear 1 minute. Turn off heat and remove the pan from the heat. I then let them sit until the temperature reaches 125-130. Perfect every time!
What To Serve with This Dish
So I paired these scallops with an easy, delicious, fresh risotto with lots of spring vegetables in it!
More flavors you might like to pair with these blackened scallops include...
- Any filet or steak for a surf and turf!
- A delicious hearty soup like Butternut Squash or Corn Chowder
- Crusty bread is a must! Try out my easy Dutch Oven Bread and you'll be hooked.
FAQ & Tips
I stored these for 24 hours in a Tupperware container and I would recommend keeping these for up to 3 days in the fridge that way.
I slowly reheated the scallops along with the risotto in a saucepan the following day and they were still tender and delicious!
If you enjoy scallops and seafood, try out my Scallop, Shrimp and Pancetta Pasta!
Blackened Scallops with Spring Green Risotto
Equipment
- 1 Cast iron skillet
- 1 Saucepan
- 1 Pair of Tongs
Ingredients
Scallops
- 1 tablespoon flaky sea salt
- 1 tsp freshly ground pepper I used a tri-peppercorn mix, pink peppercorns would be amazing too!
- 1 tablespoon granulated garlic
- 1 tablespoon dried oregano
- 1 tablespoon dried parsley
- 1 lb of 20/30 sea scallops
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
Spring Green Risotto
- 1.5 cups arborio rice
- 3-4 cups chicken stock
- 1 cup dry white wine
- 1 tbsp melted butter
- 1/2 a yellow onion diced
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1 tsp salt to taste
- 1 tsp pepper
- 5-7 stalks of asparagus chopped
- 1/2 cup green peas
- 1/2 cup parsley chopped
- 2 tablespoons tarragon leaves chopped (optional)
- 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Prepare the risotto by heating a saucepan over medium high heat with 1 tablespoon of butter.
- Sauté the onion and garlic for 1-2 minutes.
- Add in the arborio rice and stir.
- Add the white wine and continue to cook over medium heat until the wine is absorbed.
- Slowly begin adding the chicken stock 1 cup at a time and stirring. Wait until it is absorbed each time before adding the next cup.
- Season with salt and pepper then add the parmesan cheese and green vegetables.
- Stir to combine, then cover and remove from heat. The residual heat will tenderize the veggies while you cook the scallops.
- Make sure the scallops are nice and dry before seasoning and searing. Bring them out of the fridge and pat them dry with a paper towel.
- In a small bowl combine salt, pepper, granulated garlic, oregano, and parsley.
- Heavily season both sides of the scallops with the mixture.
- Pour melted butter onto them
- Place the cast iron skillet over medium high heat and let it get screaming hot. This may take a couple minutes.
- Place each scallop on the pan and let them sit! If you cannot easily move them on the pan, don't flip it yet. It should release easily from the pan.
- & You may need to do this in batches not to crowd the pan.
- Flip them over and cook for 1 additional minute, then turn off the heat and remove from the heat. Let this sit until the internal temperature of the scallop is 125 to 130 degrees.
- Plate the risotto and serve the scallops on top. Enjoy!
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