The Most Mouth-Watering Diver Scallop Pasta Dishes You Can Make at Home

Diver Scallop Pasta Recipes

Diver scallops are hand-harvested by skilled divers from the ocean floor, avoiding the bycatch and seafloor disruption associated with trawl netting. Their natural sweetness and quick cooking time (under 4 minutes total) make them well-suited to pasta dishes where the sauce is prepared first and the scallops are cooked last and placed on top rather than cooked into the sauce.

Products used in these recipes: Jumbo Sea Scallops • Hokkaido Scallops • Alaskan Pink Scallops • Smoked Weathervane Scallops .

Searing technique (applies to all recipes using fresh/frozen scallops)

Pat scallops completely dry before cooking — surface moisture creates steam and prevents browning. Use a stainless steel or cast iron pan at high heat with a high-smoke-point oil (avocado oil, grapeseed, or clarified butter). Do not move scallops once placed. Searing time by size: Jumbo/Hokkaido (U10, ~1.5 oz each): 1.5–2 minutes per side. Standard (U20): 1–1.5 minutes per side. Alaskan Pink (smaller): 45–60 seconds per side. Remove immediately when opaque at the center — overcooked scallops become rubbery and release liquid into the pasta.

Note on Smoked Weathervane Scallops (Recipe 2): Smoked scallops are fully cooked through the smoking process. Do not sear them — high heat will overcook and toughen them. Add to pasta warm (gentle 1–2 minutes in the pan with residual heat) or at room temperature.

Recipe 1: Creamy garlic butter scallop pasta

Rich, indulgent, and fast. Total time: approximately 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Alaskan Pink Scallops
• 12 oz fettuccine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 cup heavy cream
• ½ cup freshly grated Parmesan
• 2 tbsp butter
• Fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped
• Salt and black pepper

Steps: Cook fettuccine al dente; reserve ½ cup pasta water. In a separate pan, melt butter over medium heat, add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add heavy cream and simmer 3–4 minutes until slightly thickened. Stir in Parmesan; thin with pasta water as needed. Season. Toss pasta in sauce. In a separate hot pan, sear scallops 45–60 seconds per side (Alaskan Pink are small). Top pasta with scallops and parsley. Serve immediately. Use freshly grated Parmesan — pre-grated does not melt as smoothly.

Recipe 2: Lemon herb pasta with smoked scallops

Light, bright, and no searing required. Total time: approximately 15 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Smoked Weathervane Scallops (fully cooked — do not sear)
• 12 oz spaghetti
• Juice and zest of 1 lemon
• 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
• Fresh basil and dill
• Salt, black pepper, optional red pepper flakes

Steps: Cook spaghetti al dente; reserve ½ cup pasta water. Toss hot pasta with olive oil, lemon juice, and zest. Loosen with pasta water as needed. Season. Place smoked scallops on top — serve at room temperature or warm briefly (1–2 min in a dry pan over low heat). Garnish with basil and dill. Add red pepper flakes if desired.

Recipe 3: Tomato basil scallop linguine

Classic Italian-style. Total time: approximately 30 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Hokkaido Scallops
• 14 oz can crushed tomatoes (or 1 lb fresh vine-ripened, chopped)
• 12 oz linguine
• 3 cloves garlic, minced
• Fresh basil, torn
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, black pepper, optional sugar (to balance acidity in canned tomatoes)

Steps: Heat olive oil over medium heat; cook garlic 1 minute without browning. Add tomatoes and simmer 15 minutes. Season; add a pinch of sugar if the sauce tastes sharp. Cook linguine al dente. Sear Hokkaido scallops 1.5–2 minutes per side (they are large — allow full time for the interior to cook through). Toss linguine in tomato sauce. Plate; top with scallops and fresh basil. Serve immediately.

Recipe 4: Pesto scallop penne

Fast and aromatic. Total time: approximately 20 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Jumbo Sea Scallops
• 12 oz penne
• ½ cup pesto (homemade or store-bought)
• Cherry tomatoes, halved
• 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted

Steps: Cook penne al dente; reserve ¼ cup pasta water. Toss hot pasta with pesto, loosening with pasta water as needed. Add cherry tomatoes. Sear Jumbo scallops 1.5–2 minutes per side. Top pasta with scallops and toasted pine nuts. Serve immediately. Toast pine nuts in a dry pan over medium heat 2–3 minutes, watching closely — they burn quickly.

Recipe 5: Scallop carbonara

Carbonara is an emulsified egg-and-cheese sauce — no cream used. The technique matters: if the eggs hit too much heat they scramble; if the pasta is too cold the sauce won’t emulsify. Total time: approximately 25 minutes.

Ingredients:

• 1 lb Alaskan Pink Scallops
• 12 oz spaghetti
• 3 large eggs + 1 egg yolk
• ¾ cup finely grated Pecorino Romano or Parmesan (or a mix)
• 4 oz pancetta or guanciale, diced
• Black pepper (generous)
• Salt (pasta water only — pancetta and cheese add significant salt)

Steps: Whisk eggs, yolk, and cheese together in a bowl; season with black pepper. Set aside. Render pancetta in a large pan over medium heat until crispy; remove from heat. Cook spaghetti al dente; reserve 1 cup pasta water. Add hot pasta to the pancetta pan (off heat). Add egg-cheese mixture and toss quickly, adding pasta water a splash at a time until the sauce coats the pasta and emulsifies — it should be creamy, not scrambled and not soupy. The residual heat from the hot pasta cooks the eggs; the pan must be off direct heat throughout. Sear scallops 45–60 seconds per side in a separate hot pan. Top carbonara with scallops and extra black pepper. Serve immediately — carbonara tightens quickly as it cools.

More scallops: Full Scallops Collection .

Videos: Global Seafoods YouTube Channel .