Seared Scallops With Escarole Salad (Printable Version)

Golden seared scallops with crisp escarole, cherry tomatoes, and a vibrant pesto vinaigrette. Elegant and simple to prepare.

# 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

# Directions:

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 2–3 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.

# Additional Tips::

01 -
  • It looks like restaurant magic but comes together in less time than it takes to decide what to watch on TV.
  • The pesto vinaigrette does double duty, tying the sweet scallops and bitter greens together with barely any effort.
  • You get that satisfying sizzle and sear without spending an hour in the kitchen or dirtying every pan you own.
02 -
  • Wet scallops will never sear properly, so press them between paper towels before they go anywhere near the pan.
  • Do not flip them early. You will be tempted, but if you wait, they will release easily and reveal that perfect caramelized crust.
  • Overcrowding the skillet traps steam and prevents browning, so cook them in batches if your pan is small.
03 -
  • Let the scallops come to room temperature for 10 minutes before searing so they cook evenly and do not cool down the pan.
  • Make extra pesto vinaigrette and keep it in the fridge. It is perfect on grilled chicken, roasted vegetables, or tossed with pasta later in the week.
  • If you are nervous about timing, prep the salad first and leave it undressed until the scallops are almost done so nothing wilts or gets soggy.
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