Perfectly seared scallops rest atop lemon and spinach risotto in this restaurant quality, but so easy dinner!
It's fancy enough for special occasions, but easy enough for weeknight dinners!
Please excuse the not-so-great photo of this amazing recipe! That is the photo I took back in 2013 when I first made this.
I am going back through my blog and updating posts that don't have a recipe card. In an ideal world, I would be remaking all those recipes, but there are a lot of them and I don't want you to have to wait until I get them all remade.
Especially when they are as delicious and as easy as this recipe!
Ingredients.
- Scallops - if your scallops are large, count on about 4 per person. If they are the smaller bay scallops I use a pound to a pound and a half.
- Stock - vegetable gives a milder flavor to the risotto. You can use chicken stock.
- Oil - I used extra virgin olive oil. You can use any other neutral oil.
- Rice - you'll want to use a special short-grain rice for risotto. Arborio is what I used, sometimes you also find rice marked "rice for risotto."
- Lemon zest - try to find organic, since you are using the zest.
- Spinach - baby leaves will work best and wilt beautifully.
- Parmesan cheese - to serve.
Instructions.
How to make the risotto.
Bring the stock to a boil, in a saucepan, over medium-high heat. Then lower the heat leaving it at simmer.
In another saucepan, heat the oil over medium-high heat. Add the rice and stir to coat each grain of rice in the hot oil. Add the stock, 2 cups or so at a time. Stirring frequently, until the stock has been absorbed. Continue adding the cups of stock until all the stock has been absorbed and the rice is tender. Sprinkle with salt and pepper, reduce the heat, and cover to keep warm.
How to make the scallops.
Place a skillet over high heat and heat the oil. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel and season with salt and pepper. Place them in the skillet and cook for about a minutes and half per side, or until seared.
To serve.
Stir the lemon zest and the baby spinach into the risotto and stir until the spinach wilts.
Spoon the risotto onto a plate and top the scallops. Serve with extra lemon wedges and grated parmesan on the side.
I am definitely going to be making this again in the near future and will come back up and update the photos. According to my notes this was excellent! It looked and tasted fancy, but it was so easy!
This would be a great special occasion dinner. However, there is no reason not to treat yourself on a weeknight when this scallop recipe is so easy!
You could also use the risotto by itself or with other seared meats or fish! It would be great with a quickly pan-seared salmon!
More easy, but fancy seafood recipes!
Recipe.
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Seared Scallops on Lemon Risotto
Ingredients
Scallops
- 1 ½ pounds scallops around 4 per person, if large
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- salt and pepper
Lemon Spinach Risotto
- 5 ½ cups vegetable broth
- 2 cup arborio rice
- salt and black pepper
- 2 lemons one zested, one cut into wedges
- 5 ounces baby spinach
To Serve
- Parmesan cheese freshly shaved or grated
Instructions
Risotto
- Add the stock to a medium saucepan and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Then reduce the heat and let it simmer.
- In another saucepan heat the oil over medium-high heat. When it's hot, add the rice and stir to coat the rice. Cook for about a minute or so, or until the outside edges become a little transparent.
- Then add the stock a cup or two at a time. Stirring frequently until the stock is absorbed. Continue this until all the stock has been used and the rice is tender.
- Season with salt and pepper and keep warm.
Scallops.
- Place a frying pan over high heat and heat the oil. Pat the scallops dry and season with salt and pepper.
- When the oil is shimmering, add the scallops and cook for about a minute on each side or until seared.
To serve.
- Stir the spinach and lemon zest into the risotto and divide it among 4 plates.
- Top with the scallops.
- Serve with lemon wedges and Parmesan cheese.
Carole from Carole's Chatter says
Hi Pam, love this. Would you like to share this with the other participants in Food on Friday over at Carole's Chatter? I have a weekly link up party – each week there is a different ingredient or theme. The current theme is Scallops!
You can see upcoming themes in one of the pages at the top of my home page. If you would like to join in the fun please schedule a reminder for each week. The collection starts at 7am Friday New Zealand time – which might be some time Thursday your time – aren't time zones confusing? Well they confuse me! Hope to see you soon. Cheers, Carole
Chris says
So vibrant and pretty, it seems like Summer.
Lori Lynn says
You made it even prettier by plating it on yellow.
LL
Pam says
Carrie - you are the first person who caught that! It's supposed to be 6 1/2 oz spinach leaves!
grace says
it's so hard to find one that delivers in both looks and personality. uh...flavor. i mean looks and flavor. 🙂
CarrieB says
Is the recipe really calling for only six spinach leaves? 2 oz each? That seems odd...
Otherwise, this looks fantastic. Must. Try. (Probably with a handful of baby spinach leaves)
Summer Flies says
I am definitely going to try this!
Sarah says
One word...YUM. Scallops and risotto are two of my favourite things.
Peter M says
Pam, you hit a home-run with this dish..it even looks like saffron was added. Nicely done!
a good yarn says
Donna Hay. Worshipped by some. Scorned by others. It's a good thing the recipes hold up.
raidergirl3 says
Scallops make everything better, and you never need to do much more than grill them. mmm
Marjie says
I love scallops, but at the cost versus the quantity I need, I don't cook them too often!
Lee says
I have some scallops and this recipe looks fantastic. Thanks!
Psychgrad says
I think scallops almost always look impressive. This dish sounds delicious.
Katherine Aucoin says
I know the lemon really added that extra crispness in flavor. Always on the hunt for different risotto recipes and "easy" makes it that much more attractive.
MM says
It is beautiful. Seafood, lemon, spinach, risotto...all things I dig. Especially together. Thanks!
Jennifurla says
simple, gorgeous, tasty.
Nezzy says
Mmmmmmm, Pam...I bet it would be delicious!!!
I've got a rump~roast in the oven right now but I'll try this one soon and very soon. Looks lip lickin' good to me. :o)
God bless ya and have a cozy kinda day!!!
June says
Wow - this looks like something we'll love. Going on the menu list as we speak! Thanks Pam.
Big Dude says
This looks like a must try Pam and I have some scallops in the freezer I need to use.
Amy says
Lemon, spinach, and scallops...yes, yes, and yes! @Anonymous - it's in the last step #4...stir the spinach through the risotto and spoon onto serving plates.Sold!
KarenP says
That looks wonderful! I love risotto and I love scallops.
Pierce says
Donna Hay, gotta check her out. And just as Joanne said, each time I see it on your site I think I will do that...then forget. Love scallops.
Kim says
This looks gorgeous, light and flavorful.
Les says
Risotto and scallops. The perfect marriage. Definitely going to make this one. Thanks, Pam!
Joanne says
Every time I make a Donna Hay recipe from your blog, it never fails to please. Either that means you're a fabulous recipe picker (probably true) or she's an eternal rockstar! This looks great. I love the lemony flavors in the risotto.
Anonymous says
Where does the spinach come in? The amount in the recipe isn't clear.