Sea Scallops with Wilted Greens
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jun 22, 2024 
Rich and savory Pan Seared Sea Scallops with Wilted Greens. A hearty meal that satisfies, yet is easy on the waistline.
Sea Scallops
The first time I ever seared scallops was on my honeymoon.
Lt. Dan and I got married right after college over seventeen years ago. We decided that before we took the plunge into our new “grown-up” careers, we would spend a month in Colorado, hiking, visiting natural hot springs, rafting, horseback riding, and taking lots of pictures.
One evening we planned to stay in our cabin and cook. Being honeymooners, we wanted to prepare something fancy… Pan seared scallops perhaps.
Pan Seared Scallops – Learning The Hard Way
I had some cooking experience, but coming from a family with five kids, we didn’t eat a lot of seafood or expensive proteins.
Like many new cooks, I was afraid of the possibility of raw seafood. The word bacteria kept trailing through my thoughts. What if I poisoned my new husband?
The image of us sitting in the ER on our honeymoon was more than I could bear. So I sautéed the scallops… And sautéed the scallops. And sautéed, sautéed, sautéed, until they ceased to be moist, buttery pillows of oceanic bliss, and turned into dense rubber balls, similar to those you get out of a 25-cent slot machine.
My sweet new hubby complemented my dinner as he struggled to chew. Upon first bite my teeth trampolined off the scallops. Oh dear, what had I done?
The truth is, many people overcook seafood. Whether due to fear of bacteria or oversight, it’s an absolute travesty to ruin fish and seafood by elongated cooking.
Perfect Pan Seared Scallops
Most varieties of seafood are best when just barely cooked through. Seared scallops are actually considered to be cooked to perfection when the top and bottom are caramelized and crisp, yet the inside is a touch undercooked.
This creates a contrast in texture and protects the light sweet flavor of the ocean scallops are known for.
Usually, 1-2 minutes cooking time per side over high heat will do the job!
Sea Scallops Serving Suggestions
Today I’ve paired “colossal” jumbo sea scallops with wilted greens and served them over white beans for a healthy low-carb meal. The acidity in the greens complements the devilishly rich scallops.
I like to serve Seared Scallops with Wilted Greens on their own to cut the carbs even further.
However, if a low-carb diet is of no concern, try Pan Seared Scallops with cheese grits, mashed potatoes, or mashed cauliflower, for and elegant low-country meal!
Or try sea scallops with creamy pasta, green spinach risotto, or saffron risotto!
Scallop Prep Work
The most important things to remember when cooking scallops…
- Remove the “foot” on the side of each scallop (it’s ta ough and not as flavorful)
- Dry the scallops thoroughly with paper towels
- Make sure the pan is piping-hot before adding the scallops
- Don’t overcook!
Follow these simple steps and you will have perfectly-cooked scallops with caramelized tops.
Ingredients Checklist
- Thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
- Shallots, sliced thin
- Garlic, minced
- Kale, chard, beet greens (really, any type of greens)
- Soy sauce (or coconut aminos)
- Red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- Jumbo sea scallops
- Olive oil
- Butter
How To Sear Scallops
- Slice the kale stems into thin pieces and the leaves into larger strips. Heat a large deep sauté pan to medium-high. Add the bacon a cook 3-4 minutes.
- Add the shallots and cook until soft, 3 more minutes. Next add the garlic, and kale stems. Cook another 4-5 minutes before adding the leaves. Toss until the leaves wilt over the heat. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, then salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
- Heat an iron skillet to high. Dry the scallops thoroughly and remove the “foot” on the side of each scallop. Salt and pepper liberally. Add the oil to the pan and swirl around. When it starts to smoke, quickly add the scallops to the hot skillet. Cook on high for about 1-2 minutes.
- Flip the scallops over and add the butter. Spoon the butter over the scallops as they cook another 1-2 minutes. Serve over warm greens.
Get the Full (Printable) Sea Scallops with Wilted Greens Recipe Below!
More Seafood Recipes
- Seared Scallops with Watermelon Salad
- Aguachile Verde
- Seared Ahi Tuna Salad with Avocado and Mango
- Clams Casino
- Best Clam Dip Ever
- Grilled Blackened Mahi Mahi
- Cheese Baked Oysters
- Mussels with Blue Cheese
- Pesto Salmon
- Epic Seafood Dressing
- Seafood Marinara with Shrimp
- Maryland Crab Cakes
Sea Scallops with Wilted Greens
Ingredients
- 3 slices of thick-cut bacon, cut into small pieces
- 2 shallots, sliced thin
- 2-3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 bunches kale, chard, beet greens…
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon red wine vinegar
- Salt and pepper
- 12 jumbo sea scallops
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon butter
Instructions
- Slice the kale stems into thin pieces and the leaves into larger strips. Heat a large deep sauté pan to medium-high. Add the bacon a cook 3-4 minutes.
- Add the shallots and cook until soft, 3 more minutes. Next add the garlic, and kale stems. Cook another 4-5 minutes before adding the leaves. Toss until the leaves wilt over the heat. Add the soy sauce, vinegar, then salt and pepper to taste. Keep warm.
- Heat an iron skillet to high. Dry the scallops thoroughly and remove the "foot" on the side of each scallop. Salt and pepper liberally. Add the oil to the pan and swirl around. When it starts to smoke, quickly add the scallops. Cook on high for about 1-2 minutes.
- Flip the scallops over and add the butter. Spoon the butter over the scallops as they cook another 1-2 minutes. Serve over warm greens.
why remove the foot? It is equally tasty
Hi Tony,
You do not have to remove the foot, if you prefer to keep it. Yet it does have a slightly tougher texture.
I have made this recipe several times and my husband and I love it. We never had luck with searing scallops, but your method is the ticket! Made it tonight with rainbow chard from our CSA and it was delicious! I shared your recipe with the members of the CSA.