Scallop pasta with garlic and white wine

February 5, 2017 by Caroline's Cooking

Sometimes the best meals are some of the simplest, and this scallop pasta with garlic and white wine is definitely one of those. A quick, easy yet delicious dinner equally good for a special occasion or a busy night.

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scallop pasta with garlic and white wine in skillet with forks to side

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When it comes to food for Valentine's day, I often think simple is best. Not many would be unhappy with a good steak, some mussels in white wine or some tasty scallops.

This scallop pasta takes the best of your simple pasta dishes with garlic and white wine and adds some delicious scallops. It's easy to make but you don't need to admit that part. And while it may not look like much, it has a wonderful flavor that's sure to be a hit.

bowl of scallop pasta with garlic and white wine with skillet behind

My husband and I have a bit of a habit of ordering the same thing in restaurants. It could be embarrassing at first, and often one of us would choose something else just to be different. Now we've grown used to it. It's not exactly a bad thing to have similar tastes in food, after all.

These days, if I don't order the same, it can be because I'm trying to choose something that works to give a bit to the kids. And sometimes I need to try a little of his to see what I'm missing!

I remember one time when this happened was in a lovely restaurant in Portland, Maine, when my eldest was relatively young so he was sharing part of my meal.

My husband ordered what I would have opted for myself - grilled lobster over linguine with garlic and butter. From the bit I tried it was delicious and I was happy to order it myself when we returned over a year later.

skillet with scallop pasta with garlic and white wine from overhead with bowls and forks to side of skillet

This scallop pasta is inspired by that dish as an easier version to make at home, but which still feels that bit special. Making the sauce with wine adds a lovely complementary flavor to the dish and allows you to use a bit less butter as well.

What pasta should you use?

I made it here with bucatini, (and made a bit too much, in case you think the pan looks a bit full - I have adjusted the amount of pasta in the recipe below!) but you could use any pasta. I think bucatini or linguini probably work best, but something smaller like fusilli would also be an option.

This pasta is an authentic Italian pasta that we have enjoyed and I recommend (affiliate link, meaning we'd earn commission on any purchases, but we genuinely loved it!)

scallop pasta with garlic and white wine in skillet, topped with sprig of parsley

How to make this easy scallop pasta

This dish comes together in just a few simple steps:

Set your pasta to cook in boiling water;
As it's cooking, warm the butter then add scallops and sear on both sides;
Add the garlic and cook a minute;
Deglaze the pan with wine;
Add in a little parsley and then mix through the cooked pasta.

Scallop pasta is such a simple but flavorful meal. I for one would much rather enjoy something like this at home for Valentine's day than join the hoards in a busy restaurant. Or find any old excuse to enjoy this, because it's definitely better than a once-a-year meal.

scallop pasta with garlic and white wine in bowl

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Want more easy pasta recipes? Try these:

Crab pasta
Pasta puttanesca
Pasta alla Norma (pasta with eggplant and tomato)
Plus get more ideas for 30 minute meals.

If you like scallops, you might also like pan seared scallops with celeriac remoulade or coquille St Jacques (scallop gratin).

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4.86 from 7 votes