Creamy Garlic Pasta with Pan Seared Scallops

• servings: 2 servings
• active time: 7 minutes
• total time: 22 minutes

Ingredients

6-8 ounces high-quality dried spaghetti or fettuccine noodles

5 Tablespoons unsalted butter (divided)

6-8 garlic cloves (thinly sliced)

1 teaspoon fine sea salt (or to taste, divided)

Freshly ground black pepper (to taste)

Crushed red pepper (to taste)

1 Tablespoon all-purpose flour

½ cup vegetable stock (or white wine)

⅓ cup whole milk (room temperature)

½ - 1 cup pasta water

½ cup grated parmesan (or freshly grated (finely))

Parsley ( to garnish, as desired)

8 Sea Scallops* (pat dry)

Optional: squeeze of lemon or lemon zest

Directions

Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook the pasta approximately 2 minutes less than the package directions state for al dente pasta. Be sure to reserve approximately 1 cup of pasta water. Drain and set aside.

While the pasta cooks, begin making the sauce and let the scallops come to room temperature. Pat scallops dry and sprinkle with salt and pepper on the tops and bottoms.

Garlic Cream Sauce

Heat a large skillet over medium-low heat and add 3 tablespoons butter. Once the butter is melted, add the thinly sliced garlic cloves and let cook for 2-4 minutes until it becomes slightly tender, being careful to not burn them. Add salt, pepper, and a dash of red pepper flakes as desired.

Stir in the flour until combined completely and cook for an additional minute, continuing to stir so it doesn't burn.

Whisk in the vegetable stock slowly until combined. Then, whisk in room temperature milk and bring to a low simmer to thicken slightly.

Add the just-under al dente noodles to the sauce and stir to combine. Add the pasta water bit by bit and bring to a simmer on low, continuing to add additional pasta water as needed until your desired sauce consistency is reached (I usually add around 1/3-1/2 cup). Stir in parmesan cheese until melted and remove pasta from heat. Don't forget to taste test for salt levels!

Pan-Seared Scallops

The scallops should have already been pat dry and sprinkled with salt and pepper. As the sauce finishes cooking, heat a smaller stainless steel skillet or cast iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add the remaining 2 TBSP butter and let melt.

Once the butter is hot and slightly bubbly, add the prepared scallops "standing up" on the flat edge. Let cook for approximately 1-2 minutes (depending on their size) until a golden crust forms. Flip the scallops (they should easily come up, if not, cook a little longer) and cook for another 1-2 minutes until a golden crust forms and the inside is translucent. Remove from heat and top pasta with scallops.

Optional: squeeze a lemon on top, or stir in lemon zest, for added brightness to the pasta. Garnish with fresh parsley as desired, and enjoy!

Nutrition

• Calories: 759 kcal
• Total Fat: 38 g
• Saturated Fat: 23 g
• Trans Fat: 1 g
• Cholesterol: 112 mg
• Sodium: 1067 mg
• Total Carbohydrate: 74 g
• Dietary Fiber: 3 g
• Total Sugars: 5 g
• Protein: 29 g