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Pan Seared Scallops with Tomatoes, Olives, and Capers
5 from 15 votes

Pan Seared Scallops with Tomatoes, Olives, and Capers

Pan Seared Scallops served with a tomato, olive, and caper sauce combine tender seafood with a butter-based sauce enriched with blistered cherry tomatoes, kalamata olives, capers, fresh basil, and lemon juice. The sauce is lightly spiced with red pepper flakes and enhanced by the richness of browned butter and olive oil. The scallops develop a golden crust when seared and pair perfectly with the bright, savory sauce spooned over them.

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
15 mins
Total Time
30 mins
Servings: 5 servings
Course: Dinner
Cuisine: American

Ingredients

For the Tomato, Olive, Caper Sauce:
  • 2 Tablespoons butter unsalted
  • 1 olive oil 1/2 tablespoon
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes crushed
  • 1 garlic large clove, finely minced
  • 1 pint cherry tomato sliced in half
  • 3 Tablespoons kalamata olives seedless, roughly chopped
  • 2 Tablespoons caper drained and rinsed
  • 1/4 cup white wine dry
  • 1/2 cup basil fresh, finely chopped
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice fresh
  • 1/2 teaspoon salt more to taste
For the Seared Scallops:
  • 1 sea scallop 1/2 pound, patted dry
  • 1/2 tablespoon butter unsalted
  • 1 tablespoon olive oil
  • sea salt freshly ground
  • black pepper freshly ground

Instructions

For the Tomato, Olive, Caper Sauce:
    Cup of Yum
  1. In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add the butter and cook, tilting the pan frequently, until butter has lightly browned. It should smell nutty and have amber bits on the bottom of the pan. 
  2.  Add the olive oil and crushed red pepper flakes sauté for 1 minute. The add in the garlic and cook, stirring frequently, for another minute, or until garlic is fragrant.
  3. Add the cherry tomatoes and cook, stirring occasionally, until they're soft and blistering, but still hold their shape, about 8 minutes.
  4. Stir in the olives and capers and cook for 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
  5. Add in the white wine, stir, and allow the mixture to come to a gentle simmer.
  6. Stir in the basil, lemon juice, and salt, and cook for 2 minutes. Pour over scallops and serve warm!
For the Seared Scallops:
  1. Remove the tiny side muscle from the scallops (if they have one). Rinse scallops with cold water and pat dry with a few sheets of paper towels. You want to make sure you get as much moisture out of them as possible. Set aside on a paper towel. 
  2. Add the butter and oil to a large sauté pan over high heat. 
  3. While the pan heats up, lightly salt and pepper the scallops.
  4. Once the pan begins to lightly smoke, gently add the scallops into the pan, making sure they are not touching.
  5. Sear scallops for about 1 and 1/2 minutes, then gently flip and cook for another 1 and 1/2 minutes, or until both sides are golden brown. Don't touch them at all while they're searing.
  6. Tops with sauce, and serve warm! Preferably over pasta or rice.