Melt-in-your-mouth scallops seared in a bit of butter, with garlicky greens and creamy polenta. The perfect light, easy, and delicious elevated dinner recipe!
I don’t know about you, but I avoided cooking scallops for yearssss because I simply didn’t know how! Though when I eventually gave these pan-seared scallops a try, I was super impressed. They’re not only easy to make, but come together super fast. Scallops are tiny little things, and therefore only need a few minutes to fully cook. I prefer searing them in a pan with a little bit of butter. This gives them an irresistibly crispy outside, and buttery soft inside. And while pan-searing them is hands down the tastiest way to cook scallops, you can also grill them or cook them in an air fryer.
What You’ll Need For This Scallops Recipe
Large Sea Scallops – Head to your local seafood counter and pick up a pound of large sea scallops for this recipe! The two most common types of scallops you’ll find are sea scallops and bay scallops. Bay scallops are dislike the sea scallops we use in this dish in that they’re much smaller. Like teeny tiny bite-sized small. While delicious, bay scallops are best fried or baked, instead of seared. So once you’ve got your hands on big boy sea scallops, give them a quick rinse under cold water. Then, pat dry with a paper towel, before seasoning and cooking.
Fresh Greens – Any and all fresh greens are welcome here! I used a combination of fresh cut curly kale and fresh baby spinach. This is a great dish to use up any leftover green vegetables you might have lying around on the verge of going bad. In fact, the garlicky greens portion of this recipe came about because I had a very sad bunch of kale sitting in my fridge for over a week that I was determined to not let go to waste!
Polenta – If you’re at all unfamiliar with polenta, it’s simply dry, ground corn. It’s naturally gluten-free with an impressive amount of protein and fiber. Polenta is an extra healthy addition to this already super healthy meal. It’s sold in two different forms – dried, and pre-cooked. Pre-cooked polenta typically comes in a tube and is perfect for frying or baking. And while definitely delicious, we’ll use the pre-cooked kind in a recipe another time! For this scallops recipe, reach for a bag of dried polenta. Then, rehydrate and cook the polenta yourself in water, butter, and salt until thick and irresistibly creamy.
Tips and Tricks
- Don’t forget about your polenta! Return to the polenta every 5-10 minutes during the cooking process to give it a quick whisk and ensure no clumps are forming. By keeping a watchful eye on your polenta, you’ll guarantee a perfectly smooth and enjoyable side dish.
- If unsure whether your scallops are done or not, use a meat thermometer to check their internal temperature. Once a thermometer inserted into one of the scallops reads 125° Fahrenheit, then they’re done cooking and should be removed from the heat. Do everything in your power to avoid overcooked scallops, since those can be tough and chewy.
- Add or remove any element of this recipe that you’d like! If not a garlicky greens fan, simply swap them out for your favorite sautéed or roasted veggies. Also, if you prefer a different grain such as rice, quinoa, or farro, go ahead and use that instead!
Adjust This Recipe To Your Dietary Needs
Make it Dairy-Free: To make this recipe dairy-free, simply use non-dairy butter or replace the butter with equal parts olive oil!
Make it Gluten-Free: While this scallops recipe is already gluten-free, I’d recommend double-checking the polenta you’re using to ensure that it’s also 100% gluten-free. Polenta is sometimes made in a factory with, or shares equipment with gluten ingredients.
Perfect Seared Scallops with Garlicky Greens and Polenta
Ingredients
For the scallops:
- 1 pound large sea scallops
- salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon butter, I used non-dairy butter
For the greens:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced
- 1 bunch fresh greens (kale, Swiss chard, and/or spinach)
- 1/2 lemon, juice and zest
- salt and black pepper, to taste
For the polenta:
- 4 cups water
- 1 cup polenta
- 1 tablespoon butter, I used non-dairy butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Make the polenta by boiling the water in a large saucepan over medium-high head. Add in polenta, butter, and salt. Stir constantly for 3 minutes, or until polenta start to thicken.
- Reduce heat to low and cover with lid, simmer for 30 minutes whisking every 5-10 minutes.
- While polenta cooks, rinse scallops under cold water, then pat dry with a paper towel. Season both sides of scallops with salt and pepper.
- Heat butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then cook scallops in skillet for about 1-2 minutes per side or until cooked through. Set scallops aside and keep warm.
- In that same skillet, make the greens by adding in olive oil and garlic. Cook for 1 minute, then add in fresh greens, lemon juice and zest, a pinch of salt, and black pepper.
- Sauté greens until wilted and tender (about 5 minutes), then serve over polenta with seared scallops on top.
