Seared Scallops With Escarole Salad (Printable)

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

# What You 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

# Step-by-Step:

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.

# Expert Suggestions:

01 -
  • It tastes like something from a fancy restaurant but comes together in under half an hour on a weeknight.
  • The pesto vinaigrette does double duty as both salad dressing and scallop drizzle, so there's less to clean up.
  • Escarole adds a sturdy, slightly bitter crunch that holds up beautifully under the richness of the scallops.
  • You get that perfect golden crust on the scallops without any fuss or complicated technique.
02 -
  • Do not move the scallops once they hit the pan, I learned this the hard way when I kept poking them and they never got that crust.
  • If your scallops release a lot of liquid, they were probably wet-packed and you'll need to drain the pan and start over with fresh oil.
  • Escarole can be sandy, so wash it really well in a big bowl of cold water and spin it dry or your salad will be gritty.
  • The scallops will keep cooking after you take them off the heat, so pull them just before they're fully opaque or they'll turn rubbery.
03 -
  • Use a stainless steel or cast iron skillet if you want an even better crust, nonstick is easier but doesn't brown quite as deeply.
  • Let the scallops sit at room temperature for 10 minutes before cooking so they sear evenly instead of staying cold in the center.
  • If escarole is too bitter for your taste, swap in butter lettuce or baby kale for a milder salad base.
  • A microplane is perfect for zesting lemon over the finished dish for an extra pop of brightness.
Return