Seared Scallops With Escarole Salad (Printer View)

Golden seared scallops with crisp escarole and vibrant pesto vinaigrette. Elegant simplicity in 30 minutes.

# What You'll Need:

→ Scallops

01 - 16 large sea scallops, patted dry
02 - 1 tablespoon olive oil
03 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Escarole Salad

04 - 1 large head escarole, washed and torn into bite-size pieces
05 - 1 cup cherry tomatoes, halved
06 - 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced
07 - 1/2 cup shaved Parmesan cheese
08 - 1/4 cup toasted pine nuts

→ Pesto Vinaigrette

09 - 1/4 cup prepared basil pesto
10 - 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
11 - 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
12 - 1 teaspoon honey
13 - Salt and pepper to taste

# Method Steps:

01 - In a small bowl, whisk together the pesto, lemon juice, olive oil, and honey. Season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
02 - In a large bowl, combine escarole, cherry tomatoes, and red onion. Drizzle with about half of the pesto vinaigrette and toss gently to coat. Top with shaved Parmesan and pine nuts.
03 - Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Season scallops on both sides with salt and pepper. When the oil is hot and shimmering, add scallops in a single layer. Sear without moving for 2-3 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 1-2 minutes until just opaque in the center. Do not overcook.
04 - Divide the salad among 4 plates. Top each with 4 scallops. Drizzle with remaining pesto vinaigrette and serve immediately.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • It tastes like you spent hours in the kitchen when you really only need thirty minutes, which is exactly the kind of magic we all need on busy weeknights.
  • Scallops have this natural sweetness that plays beautifully against the peppery greens and tangy vinaigrette, creating something that feels both elegant and comforting.
02 -
  • Overcooking scallops is the most common mistake, and it happens in seconds—they go from tender and sweet to rubbery and sad faster than you'd think, so pull them at the moment they barely turn opaque.
  • Dry-packed scallops versus wet-packed makes an enormous difference in how they sear, so check your label or ask your fishmonger because it directly affects that golden crust everyone comes for.
03 -
  • If your scallops stick to the pan, they're not ready to flip yet—patience here is what creates that golden crust.
  • A squeeze of fresh lemon juice over the finished dish right before eating brightens everything in a way that bottled lemon juice simply cannot compete with.
Return