Seared Scallops With Escarole Salad (Printable)

Golden scallops with crisp escarole salad and vibrant pesto vinaigrette. Ready in 30 minutes, elegant and simple.

# Ingredient List:

→ 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

# How to Make:

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 approximately 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 to 3 minutes until golden brown. Flip and cook for another 1 to 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 Tips:

01 -
  • It looks like you spent hours but takes less time than most takeout orders.
  • The pesto vinaigrette doubles as both salad dressing and scallop drizzle, so there's no juggling multiple sauces.
  • Scallops get a restaurant-quality sear at home without any fancy equipment or technique.
  • The bitterness of escarole plays beautifully against the sweetness of perfectly cooked scallops.
02 -
  • The single biggest mistake is moving the scallops too soon, let them sit undisturbed or they'll stick and tear instead of developing that crust.
  • If your scallops have that little side muscle still attached, pull it off before cooking because it gets rubbery and chewy.
  • Don't dress the entire salad with all the vinaigrette at once, it gets soggy fast and you want some left for drizzling over the finished plates.
03 -
  • Let your scallops sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before searing so they cook more evenly and don't cool down the pan.
  • Use a stainless steel or cast iron skillet if you have one, nonstick works but you won't get quite the same crust.
  • If you're doubling the recipe, sear the scallops in batches and don't crowd the pan or they'll steam instead of sear.
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