Seared Scallops with Sugar Snap Pea Slaw

Seared Scallops with Sugar Snap Pea Slaw is delicious and effortless.

Who knew you could do so little work and create a delightful meal? These scallops shine with only a sprinkle of salt and a few grinds of pepper. The flavor comes from the golden-brown sear. Now for the unique and crunchy, sugar snap pea-cucumber-radish slaw with a zesty lemon dressing. It’s a perfect pairing of flavors and textures. You’ll love this low-carb, light main course.

Seared Scallops and Sugar Snap Pea Slaw Tips

Slaw

Combine the veggies and slaw dressing shortly before serving. This will ensure the veggies remain crisp and the radishes don’t bleed into the dressing. I noticed this with my leftover slaw (but it still tasted fine).

There is a major lemon quick to this recipe. If you prefer a milder flavor, start with 1 tablespoon of lemon juice in the dressing. Then taste, and decide whether to add the additional tablespoon.

I went light on the chives for my slaw due to personal preference. But if you’re a fan, I recommend the full amount because they are a great addition to the dressing,

Scallops

One of the challenges of living in the middle of the country (aka far from an ocean) is getting fresh seafood. So I wasn’t surprised when I noticed a fishy small as I unwrapped my scallops. Having tackled this problem with fish in the past, I did a quick internet search to see if soaking them in milk would work. It did indeed solve the problem. I learned there is a protein in milk that binds with the chemical that gives seafood a fishy smell. You gotta love science, which saves your major investment in scallops!

Reheating – if you have leftover scallops, I found they reheated successfully on 70% power for about 30-40 seconds in the microwave.

A Cookbook to Love

This recipe from the Vegetables Illustrated cookbook comes from the folks at Cook’s Illustrated. They also bring us the America’s Test Kitchen show, where recipes are developed by test cooks and vetted by 40,000 at-home cooks. I’ve blogged a variety of recipes from this cookbook and continue to find new inspiration, including vegetables and entrees.

Favorite Seafood Recipes

Here are some of my other favorite seafood recipes.

Creamy Lemon Shrimp & Asparagus Pasta

A creamy Alfredo sauce with bright lemony flavor, plump shrimp, and asparagus nestled into your favorite pasta.

Check out this recipe

Mexican Tuna Steak

Buttery lime sauteed tuna steak served over a red pepper/onion saute topped with avocado salsa

Cedar Plank Herb Salmon

Super easy, flavorful and moist cedar plank grilled salmon with delicious herb dressing which serves as a marinade and finishing sauce.

Check out this recipe

Easy Lemon Herb Shrimp

Easy and delicious sauteed shrimp with lemon, spices, and fresh herbs. A healthy main course or appetizer in less than 30 minutes.

Check out this recipe

Seared Scallops with Sugar Snap Pea Slaw

Pan-seared scallops paired with a crunchy, lemony sugar snap pea, cucumber and radish coleslaw

5 from 1 vote

Print Pin Rate

Total Time: 25 minutes minutes

Servings: 4

Author: Recipe from Cooks Vegetable Illustrated cookbook

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds of large sea scallops tendons removed
• 2 tbsp. vegetable oil
• 1/4 cup mayonnaise
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives
• 1/4 tsp. lemon zest
• 2 tbsp. fresh lemon juice
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 8 ounces sugar snap peas strings removed, sliced thin on the bias
• 1 English cucumber halved lengthwise and sliced thin
• 4-6 radishes halved and thinly sliced

Instructions

• Place scallops on multiple layers of paper towels and top with additional paper towels, pressing gently to blot out the liquid. Let stand at room temperature for 10 minutes.
• Whisk mayo, chives, lemon zest, lemon juice, and salt in a large bowl. Add snap peas, cucumbers, and radishes and toss to coat. Set aside for serving.
• Heat 1 tbsp of vegetable oil in a large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat until a few drops of water (carefully) dripped in sizzle. Season scallops lightly with salt and pepper. Add half of the scallops and cook for 2 minutes without moving them, until well browned. Turn over and cook for another 1 1/2 – 2 minutes without moving until well browned on the second side. Transfer scallops to a serving platter and tent with foil. Repeat with the remaining scallops. Serve with slaw. Enjoy.

Notes

If your scallops smell fishy, place them in a large shallow bowl and pour milk over them. Let stand for 20 minutes. Then proceed with blotting dry and cooking per instructions.