White Wine Scallop Pasta
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A bright, elegant dish that feels like a little escape to the coast
There’s something so special about a simple pasta that feels elevated — the kind of meal that comes together in under 30 minutes but tastes like you spent the afternoon in an Italian seaside kitchen.
This White Wine Scallop Pasta is exactly that. Golden, buttery scallops meet a bright lemon-basil sauce, silky pasta, and a drizzle of our premium extra virgin olive oil… and suddenly dinner feels like an occasion.
I love this dish because it hits that perfect balance of cozy and fresh — the warmth of garlic and pasta wrapped around the brightness of lemon and herbs, with scallops that feel like a treat any night of the week. The fragrance alone will make you feel like you’re cooking something truly special.
Serve it with a simple salad, a glass of crisp white wine, and someone you enjoy sharing a slow meal with. It’s one of those recipes that reminds you how magical good ingredients can be.
Scroll down for the full recipe — and get ready for your kitchen to smell absolutely heavenly.
White Wine Scallop Pasta
Rated 5.0 stars by 1 users
Category
Main Course
Cuisine
American
Author:
Servings
2-3
Prep Time
10 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
A bright and elegant pasta dish featuring golden seared scallops, garlic, lemon, fresh basil, and a silky EVOO finish. Perfect for a cozy night in or an easy, impressive dinner party.
Ingredients
- 12 large sea scallops, cleaned and patted dry
- 8 oz spaghetti or linguine
-
3 tbsp Premium Extra Virgin Olive Oil, plus extra for drizzling
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- ½ cup white wine
- 1 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste
- Red pepper flakes, optional
- Freshly grated Parmesan, for serving
- Fresh parsley, chopped, for garnish
Directions
- Boil spaghetti or linguine in salted water until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of pasta water, then drain.
- Pat dry and season with salt and pepper.
- Heat 2 tbsp EVOO in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Sear scallops 1–2 minutes per side until golden and opaque. Remove and set aside.
- Add remaining tbsp EVOO to the skillet and reduce heat to medium.
- Add garlic and red pepper flakes; sauté 1 minute until fragrant.
- Pour in white wine and scrape up browned bits.
- Simmer 2–3 minutes until reduced by half.
- Add cooked pasta, lemon zest, lemon juice, and chopped basil.
- Toss gently. If dry, add reserved pasta water 1 tbsp at a time.
- Return scallops to the skillet and nestle them into the pasta.
- Warm through and adjust seasoning.
- Divide into bowls, top with Parmesan and parsley, and drizzle with a little extra EVOO.
Recipe Note
Pro Tips
- Dry scallops well for the best sear
- Swap basil for parsley if desired
- Add cherry tomatoes for a pop of brightness
3 comments
Where are you?
I made this often when we lived in Nigeria. They had fresh shrimp very large too
I always avoided cooking with seafood for fear of not getting it right. But this recipe made me realize how truly simple it is to prepare seafood for the pasta dishes I love to order when I eat out!!! Thank you!!!