These seared sea Scallops Over Wilted Spinach and Parmesan Risotto is easy enough for weeknight cooking or perfect for a special occasion.
Scallops over Spinach Parmesan Risotto
These Scallops Over Wilted Spinach and Parmesan Risotto looks like a fancy dish from a restaurant and would be wonderful to make if you have something to celebrate. Sea scallops were on sale, so that was a special enough occasion for me! Scallops may be intimidating for some, but they are actually quite easy to make. Here, I seared them in some butter and served them on top of a bed of parmesan risotto with sauteed spinach, delicious! A few of my other favorite risotto recipes are Butternut Squash Risotto, Creamy Mushroom Risotto, and Spring Asparagus Risotto.
This recipe has been popular on my website for years (since 2009), which doesn’t surprise me because it’s so good! So naturally I felt this deserved a photo makeover.
What exactly is risotto?
Risotto is a creamy Italian rice dish that requires constant stirring. It can be a bit of a labor of love, but it’s so worth it!
- Cook dry arborio rice with shallots in butter for a couple of minutes.
- Add wine, salt, and pepper.
- Pour in one cup of warm chicken stock, stir until the rice is absorbed, and then add another cup. Continue adding the broth and stirring for 20-25 minutes.
- Mix in the Parmesan and parsley.
How to Cook Scallops
There are a few important things to keep in mind when cooking scallops.
- Pat the scallops dry to ensure you get a good sear on them. If they’re too wet, they won’t turn a nice, golden color when they cook.
- Use a non-stick pan or well-seasoned cast iron skillet so that the scallops don’t stick and tear.
- Make sure your pan is really hot before putting the scallops in.
- Once you put the scallops in the pan, do not touch them for a few minutes so that they properly sear.
- Be careful not to overcook – scallops cook in about five minutes.
Tips & Variations:
- If you prefer not to cook with wine, you can use extra chicken stock. If you do use wine, pick a good white wine that you would also drink.
- If you’re a pescatarian, sub vegetable broth for chicken.
- Not a fan of scallops? Swap with shrimp.
- You can easily double this recipe to feed more people.
More Scallop Recipes You’ll Love:
Scallops over Wilted Spinach Parmesan Risotto
Scallops over Wilted Spinach Parmesan Risotto
For the risotto:
- 1 cup arborio rice
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 shallot, minced
- 1/2 cup white wine
- 4 cups fat free chicken stock
- salt and pepper
- 1/4 cup grated parmesan cheese
- 2 tbsp chopped parsley
For the scallops:
- 16 oz sea scallops, about 12-14
- salt and fresh pepper
- 2 tsp butter
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 shallot, minced
- 10 oz baby spinach, washed
For the risotto:
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Heat chicken stock in a small pot.
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In a medium size heavy sauce pan, add butter on medium-low heat. Add shallots, sauté about 1 minute.
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Add rice mixing well until well coated and transluscent, about 2 minutes.
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Add wine, salt and pepper and mix well until it is absorbed into the rice.
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Ladle 1 cup stock into rice and mix until all stock is absorbed, add another ladle, and continue adding and stirring until all broth is absorbed, about 20-25 minutes.
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Add parmesan cheese and parsley, mix well and serve.
For the scallops:
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Wash scallops and pat dry with a paper towel. Season with salt and pepper.
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Heat a medium size pan on a high flame. When pan is hot, melt 1 tsp butter and place half of the scallops in the pan.
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Sear without touching them for a few minutes until the bottom forms a nice caramel colored crust. Turn over and cook about another minute or 2, until the center is slightly translucent (you can check this by viewing them from the side) and the bottom is seared. Be careful not to overcook.
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Remove from the pan and set aside on a warm plate.
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Add addition 1 tsp butter and cook remaining scallops. Set aside.
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Add olive oil to the pan and sauté shallots, add spinach, salt and pepper. Toss until spinach wilts, 2 to 3 minutes.
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Serve scallops with spinach over risotto.
Serving: 3/4 cup risotto and 5 oz scallops/spinach, Calories: 481kcal, Carbohydrates: 16g, Protein: 23.5g, Fat: 17g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Cholesterol: 67mg, Sodium: 628mg, Fiber: 2.5g, Sugar: 1.3g
Blue Smart Points: 13
Green Smart Points: 11
Purple Smart Points: 13
Keywords: pan seared scallops recipe, scallop risotto, Scallops over Wilted Spinach Parmesan Risotto, scallops with spinach, spinach risotto