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Pan Seared Scallops & Veggie Saute

Perfect Pan Seared Scallops with Bacon & Veggie Saute

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How to pan sear scallops in bacon fat, served with sauteed butternut squash, mushrooms, and spinach. A quick 15-minute dinner all cooked in 1 skillet!
Prep Time 5 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 20 minutes
Servings 1 serving
Calories 339
Author Alyssia Sheikh

Ingredients

Bacon & Veggie Saute

  • 2 slices bacon cooked & chopped (optional)
  • ¼ cup onion diced
  • ¾ cup sliced mushrooms
  • ¾ cup butternut squash small cubes
  • 2 cups spinach
  • coconut aminos to taste
  • black pepper to taste
  • no salt needed if including bacon

Bacon Fat Scallops

  • 4 oz Butcher Box frozen sea scallops, thawed* (or fresh scallops)
  • 1-2 Tbsp reserved bacon fat
  • pepper to taste (salt is optional)

For Serving

  • ½ lemon juice & zest
  • fresh parsley
  • sesame seeds

Instructions

To Cook Bacon & Veggie Saute:

  • Cook bacon as desired. Remove bacon from pan and rest on paper towels. Reserve some of the bacon fat for cooking the scallops, and leave the rest of the fat in the pan for the veggies.
  • Add onion to heated pan and saute 1-2 minutes over medium-high heat. Add butternut squash cubes and mushrooms. Cover and cook over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, until reduced and softened to your liking, stirring occasionally.
  • While veggies cook, chop bacon.
  • Add spinach and cover for about 1 minute, until wilted. Stir in a dash of pepper and a splash of coconut aminos, if desired. (There’s no salt needed when cooking with bacon, so season to taste.)
  • Remove veggie saute from heat, stir in chopped bacon, and set aside.
  • Wipe out pan and cook scallops with reserved bacon fat.

To Cook Scallops in Bacon Fat:

  • *If using frozen scallops, transfer to the fridge to thaw 24 hours before cooking.
  • When ready to cook, remove thawed scallops from package and pat dry with a paper towel. Rest 5-10 minutes on paper towels at room temperature. (Make sure they are very dry for a nice sear!)
  • Heat reserved bacon fat (or butter, ghee, oil) in a pan over medium-high to high heat for 1-2 minutes, until it’s hot and almost smoking.
  • Add scallops into hot pan with bacon grease and season to taste with pepper.
    (Salt is optional.)
    Don’t move them on the pan! Cook 1-2 minutes and then flip once browned.
    (If the pan gets too hot or smoky during cooking, turn heat down slightly.)
  • Season again after flipping, searin for another 1-2 minutes on the other side.
  • Finish with a squeeze of lemon juice, some lemon zest, and a sprinkle of fresh parsley. Serve pan seared scallops with bacon & veggie saute, garnish with sesame seeds, and enjoy!

Video

Notes

Note on Searing Scallops with Bacon Fat

If you’d rather omit the bacon or you don’t want to cook your scallops with bacon grease, you can also cook pan seared scallops in butter, ghee, or a high smoke point oil instead.

Nutrition

Serving: 4oz scallops + veggies | Calories: 339kcal | Carbohydrates: 28g | Protein: 25g | Fat: 15g | Cholesterol: 55mg | Sodium: 831mg | Fiber: 5g | Sugar: 9g