I know that a lot of you are here for easy meals that are reasonably healthy but don’t sacrifice taste, and maybe you think that these lemon garlic scallops with parmesan risotto are a little too fancy for you. Let me tell you that this dish is easier than you think! And it’s a great meal when you’re in the mood for something a little fancier. Maybe you’re having friends over for dinner, maybe you want a date night in. Whatever the occasion, there’s nothing wrong with having a few nicer dishes in your recipe book.
Risotto is one of those things that intimidates a lot of people, but it really doesn’t need to. I always keep Arborio rice in my pantry so I can make some anytime we need a quick and easy dinner. It’s an easy dish to customize; we love butternut squash risotto, mushroom risotto, and of course this parmesan risotto. A lot of the ingredients that go into risotto may already be kitchen staples for you, things like butter, garlic, onions, white wine, and Arborio rice. Risotto needs this kind of rice. Just like sushi uses a certain type of rice, risotto does too. In a recipe that has relatively few ingredients, trust me that you need to use the right rice.
I absolutely love scallops, but unfortunately with a husband who is allergic to them I don’t eat them often. Since he’s gone for military training one weekend a month, I use that as an opportunity to enjoy some shellfish! This was the perfect recipe to perfect when he was out of town, and the perfect recipe to enjoy with a good friend for a little girls night in. Plus for girls night in you can wear sweatpants and I fully support that.
Whoever you make these lemon garlic scallops for, they’ll be a hit. I assure you!
- 4 tbsp. butter
- ½ yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 1½ cups Arborio rice
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 tsp. salt
- ½ tsp. freshly ground black pepper
- 1 tsp. ground dried thyme
- ¼ tsp. nutmeg
- 4-6 cups chicken broth
- ¾ cup shredded parmesan cheese
- 4 tbsp. butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 oz. sea scallops
- ½ tsp. salt
- ¼ tsp freshly ground black pepper
- ½ lemon, juiced
- For the risotto: melt the butter in a large pot. Add onions and garlic and cook until tender. Add rice and cook until it begins to smell toasty, stirring frequently, for about 5-8 minutes.
- Pour white wine in the pot and reduce heat to low. Stir occasionally and cook until liquid is almost gone. Add salt, pepper, thyme, and nutmeg.
- Add chicken broth cup by cup until the Arborio rice is tender. You'll need to stir the rice frequently and ensure it doesn't stick on the bottom. Wait to add the next cup of broth until the previous cup is almost completely reduced.
- Once the rice is tender, remove from heat and stir in parmesan cheese. Taste and adjust seasonings as needed.
- For the scallops: melt butter in a large skillet. Add garlic and cook for a few minutes until fragrant. Pat the scallops dry on both sides with a paper towel, then season with salt and pepper. Immediately put them in the skillet over medium-low heat and cook for 4-5 minutes per side until golden brown. Squeeze lemon juice on scallops once they are done cooking.
- Serve scallops on top of risotto.
- Enjoy!
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