Here’s another delicious jazzed-up midweek dinner recipe that’s quick and simple to put together! Before you roll your eyes thinking “scallops on a week night?” yes, you can definitely substitute for prawns, squid or just omit it completely and it will still taste amazing. But there’s nothing wrong with a little splurge now and then! While scallops might seem fancy for a weekday, I’ve found that they actually cook faster than many other proteins, making this a perfect option for when you want something special without spending hours in the kitchen. The addition of the scallops will also make this great for a weekend brunch.

Why This Recipe Works

The combination of sweet cherry tomatoes and delicate scallops creates a light yet satisfying dish. The quick-cooking method preserves the scallops’ tender texture, while the fresh tomato sauce provides a bright, clean foundation that lets each ingredient shine.

The scallops: they are so easy and quick to cook, you definitely don’t need long! With a bit of butter, you only need 2 minutes on each side. Too long and it will be rubbery and unpleasant to eat. For cheaper, you can also use frozen scallops.

Understanding Key Components

1. Tomato Sauce: This light, fresh sauce relies on burst cherry tomatoes rather than long-simmered tomato paste, creating a brighter, fresher flavor profile perfect for seafood. The pasta sauce is a simple fresh tomato base with a dash of white wine – You can definitely omit the white wine if you don’t consume alcohol. Substitutions and Tips:
   • Grape tomatoes for sweeter sauce, mixed color tomatoes are great for presentation, roma tomatoes (diced) if you’re looking for value and canned cherry tomatoes are best for off-season.
   • Fresh herbs can vary – basil, parsley are great options
   • You can omit the white wine if you don’t consume alcohol!
2. Seafood: Fresh scallops provide a sweet, delicate protein that elevates this dish from everyday to special occasion worthy. With a bit of butter, you only need 2 minutes on each side. Too long and it will be rubbery and unpleasant to eat. For cheaper, you can also use frozen scallops. Substitutions and Tips:
   • Large shrimp
   • Squid rings
   • Can omit for vegetarian version

Tips

For the perfect scallops:

• Pat completely dry
• Season just before cooking
• Pan must be very hot
• Don’t overcrowd
• Two minutes per side maximum

For the Sauce:

• Reduce wine properly, we want to cook off the alcohol while retaining its flavour
• Reserve pasta water and adjust to get desired sauce texture/thickness
• Adjust seasoning at end
• Finish with fresh herbs

Storage and Make-Ahead Tips

• Cook pasta while you make your sauce.
• Scallops must be cooked fresh
• Sauce can be made ahead of time. Keep refrigerated if you make this the day before and reheat in the pan.
• Storage: pasta and scallop are best consumed same day.

Remember: The key to success is timing and not overcooking the scallops. Have everything ready before you start cooking them!

Ingredients

2 punnets cherry tomatoes
1 shallot, finely diced
3 garlic cloves, minced
Chilli flakes, to taste
½ cup white wine
2 tbsp butter
½ cup parmesan cheese, grated + garnish
¼ cup parsley, finely chopped
2 servings Cucina Matese spaghetti 
8-10 scallops
¼ lemon
Parsley, finely chopped for garnish

Method

1. Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Add spaghetti and cook to al dente. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water.  
2. While the pasta is cooking, heat up a drizzle of olive oil in a pan on medium heat. Add tomatoes and shallots, and cook until the vegetables are soft. Burst the tomatoes, add garlic, chilli flakes and sauté for an additional 5 minutes or until half the juices have evaporated. 
3. Add white wine and simmer until the alcohol is cooked off. Add parmesan, butter and parsley. Mix well
4. When the pasta is ready, add it into the sauce. Use pasta water to get desired consistency. 
5. Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and season on both sides. In a separate pan, melt some butter and sear the scallops for 2 minutes on each side or until golden brown. Squeeze lemon juice over the scallops. 
6. Plate pasta and top with scallops, parsley and extra parmesan.