Description

Creamy Garlic Butter Tuscan Scallops are a decadent and flavorful seafood dish featuring golden seared scallops bathed in a rich sauce of garlic, butter, sun-dried tomatoes, spinach, and Parmesan cheese, finished with Italian herbs. Perfect for a quick yet elegant meal, this recipe combines tender scallops with a luscious creamy sauce that pairs wonderfully with pasta, rice, or vegetables.

Ingredients

Units Scale

Scallops

28 oz scallops

Sauce & Seasoning

2 tablespoons salted butter
4 cloves garlic, finely diced
1 yellow onion, small, diced
1/2 cup white wine (optional)
5 oz sun dried tomato strips in oil, drained (reserve 1 teaspoon of the jarred oil for cooking)
1 3/4 cups heavy cream or half and half
1 pinch salt to taste
1 pinch pepper to taste
3 cups baby spinach leaves, washed
1/2 cup fresh grated Parmesan cheese
2 teaspoons dried Italian herbs
1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
1 teaspoon reserved sun dried tomato oil

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Instructions

Prepare Scallops: Thoroughly pat scallops dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture, which helps achieve a good sear.
Sear Scallops: Heat olive oil or the reserved sun dried tomato oil in a large pan or skillet over medium-high heat until hot and sizzling. Place scallops in a single layer without overcrowding, working in batches if necessary. Season with salt and pepper. Fry for 2-3 minutes on one side until a golden crust forms, then flip and cook for another 2 minutes until lightly browned and opaque. Remove scallops and transfer to a plate.
Sauté Aromatics: Melt the salted butter in the same pan. Add diced onion and sauté until soft and translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the finely diced garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
Deglaze Pan: Pour in the white wine (if using) and let it reduce to half while scraping the bottom of the pan to loosen any flavorful browned bits. Then add the drained sun-dried tomatoes and cook for 1-2 minutes to release their flavor.
Make Creamy Sauce: Reduce heat to low-medium. Pour in the heavy cream or half and half and bring to a gentle simmer, stirring occasionally. Season the sauce with salt and pepper to your preference.
Add Vegetables and Cheese: Stir in the baby spinach and allow it to wilt in the sauce. Next, add the Parmesan cheese and let the sauce simmer for another minute until the cheese fully melts.
Finish the Sauce: Mix the dried Italian herbs through the sauce. Remove the pan from heat.
Combine and Serve: Return the scallops with their juices to the pan and gently stir to coat them in the sauce. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Serve immediately over your choice of pasta, rice, zucchini noodles, cauliflower mash, cauliflower rice, or steamed vegetables.

Notes

For a lighter option, use half and half instead of heavy cream to reduce calories and fat.
Patting scallops dry is essential for a golden sear; wet scallops will steam rather than brown.
If you don’t have white wine, you can substitute with chicken broth or just skip it for a non-alcoholic version.
Reserve a little of the sun-dried tomato oil for extra flavor when searing the scallops or starting the sauce.
This dish pairs well with a variety of sides including pasta, rice, or low-carb alternatives like zoodles or cauliflower rice.

Nutrition

Serving Size: 1 serving (approx. 1/4 of recipe)
Calories: 460 kcal
Sugar: 3 g
Sodium: 520 mg
Fat: 34 g
Saturated Fat: 18 g
Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
Trans Fat: 0.3 g
Carbohydrates: 8 g
Fiber: 2 g
Protein: 28 g
Cholesterol: 115 mg