Seared Scallops With Spicy Red Pepper Sauce

Learn how to pan sear scallops to perfection with this simple recipe! Plus, a roasted red pepper sauce that’s spicy, nutty, smoky, and totally addictive. Just 20 minutes and this restaurant-quality dinner is on your table!

a close up of a plate of seared scallops served on a spicy red pepper sauced and garnished with crushed almonds. - 4

Photo Credits: Elana Lepkowski

Cooked quickly over high heat, these seared scallops taste like a cross between a lobster and a crab but with a slightly more springy texture. The deliciously spicy red pepper sauce—a simplified version of Spanish romesco —comes together quickly in a food processor.

Hesitant to spend money on scallops that you’re nervous to cook? Don’t be—once you learn the easy technique, you can dress up your date night with everything from scallop pasta to Mediterranean-style scallops to this seared scallops recipe.

What’s more: you can make the sauce a few days in advance. In fact, you may want to double the recipe and freeze it to have on hand for dipping veggies, spreading on toast, or even tossing with cooked pasta. Plus, if you are pressed for time, you can use jarred roasted peppers instead of roasting your own . No guilt here!

Ingredients and Substitutions

This pan-seared scallop recipe uses a handful of pantry ingredients to build vibrant flavor. Here is what you’ll need:

Roasted red bell peppers: You can happily use store-bought red peppers, though I always prefer cooking roasted red peppers from scratch whenever possible.
Almonds: Substitute walnuts.
Garlic: Adds a delicious sweet and savory flavor.
Red chili flakes: This sauce needs a kick of heat. Feel free to add more chili if you prefer, or substitute with Aleppo pepper .
Extra virgin olive oil: Adds a great depth of flavor. I recommend something robust and peppery, like our Spanish Hojiblanca .
Balsamic vinegar: Adds brightness to balance the sauce. Substitute with sherry vinegar.
Salt and pepper enhance the flavor.
Scallops: Fresh, unprocessed scallops should have a beige tinge, translucent, moist sheen, and fresh sea smell (see more sourcing tips below).
Paprika: Gives the scallops a final sweet and spicy touch.

How to Make Pan Seared Scallops

To make these pan seared scallops, you’ll need a food processor, knife, and cutting board. I prefer a stainless steel pan for a nice caramelization, but no matter what pan you use just be sure your oil is very hot.

Get ready. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Rinse the scallops under cold water. If they have a small abductor muscle attached to the side (also known as the “foot”), pull it off and discard it. Pat dry with paper towels, then place them between two layers of paper towels and set aside.
Toast the almonds. Spread 2/3 cup of almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer. When your oven is hot, add the almonds and toast, tossing occasionally until they’re golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes.
Make the sauce. If you roasted the bell peppers yourself, peel away their skins and tear them into strips, discarding the seeds. Add to a food processor, along with 1/2 cup of the toasted almonds and 1 tablespoon olive oil. Add 1 minced garlic clove, 3/4 teaspoon chili flakes, 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar and 1/4 teaspoon of salt and black pepper. Blend until smooth. Thin with in a little more olive oil as necessary and taste to check the seasoning—the dip should taste salty and spicy. Set aside.
Get ready to cook the scallops. Crush the remaining almonds in a mortar and pestle, or use a knife to finely chop. Dry the scallops well with another clean paper towel. The more moisture you can remove, the better caramelization you will achieve. Lightly season with salt.
Sear the scallops. In a stainless-steel pan over medium heat, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the scallops and cook without nudging for 1 1/2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 1 1/2 minutes. Both sides should have a golden caramelization.
Serve. Serve the scallops on top of the red pepper sauce, finished with a sprinkle of crushed almonds, smoked paprika, chili flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil.

How to Tell if Scallops are Fresh

Pan fried scallops are lightly cooked, so it’s important that the shellfish is fresh. Here’s how to buy scallops:

Look for beige scallops (not pure white )–or even creamy pink or orange. Orange scallops are female and tend to be richer and sweeter. Pure white scallops are usually contain sodium tripolyphosphate, which removes allows scallops to be preserved for longer.
Check the date: We all know that buying fresh is the ultimate luxury–ideally straight off the boat! That would be nice, but most of us need to instead check the harvest date.
Are frozen scallops okay? Depending on where you live, frozen scallops can be superior in quality as they are flash-frozen immediately after harvest. Simply thaw frozen scallops in the refrigerator, then dry well before cooking.

An overhead photo of a plate of seared scallops served on a spicy red pepper sauced and garnished with crushed almonds. - 5

Tips for Pan Searing Scallops

I have two main tips to get perfectly golden pan-seared scallops:

Make them very dry–very, very dry. Scallops hold a lot of water, which can make them boiled-like and soggy. Drying them well allows instant searing without steaming in the pan.
Cook them hot and fast. I prefer to use a stainless-steel pan to get a better caramelization. Make sure the oil is very hot. The moment you see the oil start to smoke, this is when you add your scallops. Cook on each side for just about a minute and a half. Do not overcook them or they will become rubbery.

What to Serve with Pan Seared Scallops

Pan-seared scallops with red pepper sauce are nutritious and satisfying enough to stand on their own, but you may want to pair them with something fresh. To start, go for a crisp salad like Maroulosalata . Or, roast an extra red pepper for shopska salad . For a dinner party, serve with a crisp white wine or white wine sangria .

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Ingredients1x2x3x

▢ 15 large scallops
▢ 2/3 cup almonds
▢ 2 large roasted red bell peppers (or one 16-ounce jar, drained)
▢ 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil (divided)
▢ 1 large garlic clove, minced
▢ 3/4 teaspoon red chili flakes, plus more for serving
▢ 1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
▢ 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
▢ Kosher salt
▢ Sweet paprika, for serving

Instructions

Get ready. Preheat your oven to 325°F. Rinse the scallops under cold water. If they have a small abductor muscle attached to the side (also known as the “foot”), pull it off and discard it. Pat them dry with paper towels, then place them between two layers of paper towels and set aside.
Toast the almonds. Spread the almonds on a baking sheet in a single layer. When your oven is hot, add the almonds and toast, tossing occasionally until they’re golden brown and fragrant, 10 to 15 minutes.
Make the sauce. Add the bell peppers to a food processor (if you roasted them yourself, first peel away their skins and tear them into strips, discarding the seeds). To the processor, add the garlic, chili flakes, balsamic vinegar, black pepper, 1/2 cup of the toasted almonds, 1 tablespoon of the olive oil, and 1/4 teaspoon of salt. Blend until smooth. If the mixture seems too thick, blend in a little more olive oil. Taste to check the seasoning—the dip should taste salty and spicy. Set aside.
Get ready to cook the scallops. Crush the remaining almonds in a mortar and pestle, or use a knife to finely chop. Remove the paper towel from the scallops and pat dry with another clean paper towel. The drier you get them, the better they’ll caramelize. Lightly season the scallops with salt.
Sear the scallops. In a stainless-steel pan over medium heat, heat the remaining 1/4 cup of olive oil. When the oil starts to smoke, add the scallops and cook without nudging for 1 1/2 minutes. Flip and cook the other side for 1 1/2 minutes. Both sides should have a golden caramelization.
Serve. Serve the scallops on top of the red pepper sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of crushed almonds, smoked paprika, chili flakes, and a drizzle of olive oil. Enjoy.

Notes

Shop this recipe: Visit our shop to browse quality Mediterranean ingredients, including the olive oil and Spanish paprika used in this recipe.
High heat is essential to sear the scallops without overcooking them, and will prevent sticking. Do not add the scallops until the oil is smoking (and turn on your oven vents!).

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*This post has recently been updated with new information for the readers’ benefit.