This creamy and elegant scallop piccata pasta is the perfect meal for 2 for a cozy date night at home that comes together quickly. The scallops are first seared then served on top of pasta, drizzled with a creamy lemony piccata sauce. It’s one of my go-to dishes for Valentine’s Day!
Why You’ll Love This Scallop Piccata Pasta
We are a huge fan of scallops in this house, and we eat them regularly. While we usually enjoy the pan seared version with lemon garlic ghee, I decided to try them over pasta with piccata sauce for a date night in with my husband, and the result blew us away!
If you don’t know what a piccata sauce is, it’s a classic Italian lemony butter sauce with capers and garlic. The tangy and bright flavor is wonderful, and it’s usually served over chicken. However, this lemon caper sauce also pairs beautifully with seafood, and the flavor combination with scallops is just perfection.
With simple, easy ingredients and mostly made in just one pan, it looks fancy enough to impress while coming together quickly enough for a weeknight meal!
Watch a Short Video of This Recipe
Ingredient Notes
For exact ingredient amounts and instructions, see the printable recipe card below.
- Angel hair or fettuccine pasta: If you are gluten free like me, just use gluten free pasta. If you don’t want to use pasta, this dish would also be wonderful over some rice!
- Wild Alaskan Company weathervane scallops: Weathervane scallops are my favorite scallops! They are big, sweet in flavor, and harder to overcook than the smaller scallops like bay scallops. If you can’t find them, large sea scallops will work fine for this recipe.
Wild Alaskan Company is where I get high quality scallops every time (among other delicious seafood) that are wild caught and frozen at the peak of freshness. You can get $30 off your first box with my code: JEANCHOI - Butter: Essential for browning the scallops nicely and giving an amazing flavor to the piccata sauce. You can use salted or unsalted butter.
- Extra virgin olive oil: You can also use your favorite neutral oil.
- Garlic: Use 3 cloves garlic for a fantastic depth of flavor in the lemon caper sauce.
- Chicken broth: I like to use chicken broth to deglaze the pan. Some people like to use dry white wine for a bit more brightness in the flavor.
- Fresh lemon juice: If you really love the lemony flavor, feel free to add lemon zest as well. I didn’t feel that it was necessary.
- Heavy cream: Heavy cream gives a bit of creaminess to the sauce. Full fat coconut milk can also be used.
- Capers: Capers really make this dish with their pop of flavor, and it’s an essential component of the piccata sauce.
- Parsley
Step-By-Step Instructions
Expert Tips
- When searing the scallops, make sure to dry the scallops well and not to crowd the pan. Otherwise, they’ll steam from the moisture instead of getting a nice crust from the searing.
- To make this dish gluten free, make sure to use gluten free pasta.
- You can also make this scallop piccata pasta dairy free. Replace butter with vegan butter, and use full fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
- Other seafood would go wonderfully in this dish, like shrimp, lobster, or even crab meat. Feel free to experiment with your favorites.
Storage and Reheating Tips
- This dish is best enjoyed right away. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days in the fridge.
- You can reheat the scallop piccata pasta in the microwave, but I recommend sautéing on the stovetop over medium heat for a few minutes. You can add a splash of heavy cream if the pasta seems dry.
More Flavorful Seafood Recipes
Smooth and Creamy Shrimp and Corn Bisque
Thai Shrimp Cakes with Sweet Chili Mayo
Mahi Mahi in Creamy Sun Dried Tomato Sauce
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Scallop Piccata Pasta
Video
Ingredients
- 4 oz angel hair or fettuccine pasta I used gluten free
- 1 lb Wild Alaskan Company weathervane scallops or sea scallops (use code JEANCHOI for $30 off you first box!)
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil or any neutral flavored oil of your choice
- 3 garlic cloves minced
- 1/2 cup chicken broth
- 2 tbsp lemon juice
- 1/4 cup heavy cream or full fat coconut milk
- 1/4 cup capers
- 1 tbsp fresh parsley chopped
Instructions
- Boil water and cook pasta according to package instructions. Drain.4 oz angel hair or fettuccine pasta
- While the pasta is cooking, pat the scallops dry with a paper towel then season with salt and pepper.1 lb Wild Alaskan Company weathervane scallops, Salt and pepper
- Heat butter and olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Pan sear the scallops for 2-3 minutes per side or until browned on both sides without crowding the pan (you may need to do this in 2 batches). Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with aluminum foil to keep them warm.2 tbsp butter, 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- Reduce the heat to medium, and cook garlic in the same skillet for 1 minute until fragrant. Pour chicken broth and lemon juice, and bring to a simmer scraping any brown bits from the bottom of the pan.3 garlic cloves, 1/2 cup chicken broth, 2 tbsp lemon juice
- Stir in heavy cream and simmer for about 3-4 minutes.1/4 cup heavy cream
- Stir in the capers and fresh parsley. Season with more salt and pepper, to taste.1/4 cup capers, 1 tbsp fresh parsley
- Divide the pasta between 2 pasta bowls, then divide the scallops on top. Pour the sauce over the two bowls. Serve warm.
Notes
- When searing the scallops, make sure to dry the scallops well and not to crowd the pan. Otherwise, they’ll steam from the moisture instead of getting a nice crust from the searing.
- To make this dish gluten free, make sure to use gluten free pasta.
- You can also make this scallop piccata pasta dairy free. Replace butter with vegan butter, and use full fat coconut milk instead of heavy cream.
- Other seafood would go wonderfully in this dish, like shrimp, lobster, or even crab meat. Feel free to experiment with your favorites.
- This dish is best enjoyed right away. However, leftovers can be stored in an airtight container up to 3 days in the fridge.
- You can reheat the scallop piccata pasta in the microwave, but I recommend sautéing on the stovetop over medium heat for a few minutes. You can add a splash of heavy cream if the pasta seems dry.
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