Scallop & Broccoli Alfredo
The Starving Chef is supported by Hungry People like you. When you make a purchase through an affiliate link on my site, I may earn a little bit of cash on the side (at no extra cost to you) to help keep my kitchen running. Read our disclosures here.
Sometimes I like to make dishes on the fly. I had been craving some seafood Alfredo with such ferocity that I finally caved and dug through my fridge to see what I had on hand to make some for myself.
Fortunately, I tend to keep my refrigerator stocked with the base ingredients for pretty much every recipe, any time. I’ve gone as far to create a general list of ingredients that I keep on hand and restock as needed, in order to satiate my random desires of making whatever suits my fancy. This week that just so happened to be scallop and broccoli Alfredo.
The best thing about this recipe is that it can be easily customized to what you have buried in your freezer – feel free to add everything from scallops to shrimp or even calamari. This round I went with some bay scallops and frozen broccoli paired with some fresh mushrooms in a light cheese sauce.
First, I caramelized the scallops in a skillet with some butter. It’s best to leave room around each scallop so they aren’t over crowded in the pan, and also so they cook evenly rather than steam due to close proximity.
You’ll know the scallops are ready when they are no longer translucent through the sides and when the top is nice and crispy brown.
Remove the scallops from the pan, and without cleaning the pan, add another tablespoon of butter along with the fresh chopped mushrooms.
Then just add the thawed broccoli, and stir until the broccoli is heated through.
In a smaller pan, melt the 1/4 cup of butter and slowly whisk in the heavy cream. Then just add the Parmesan cheese and stir until it has melted into the sauce.
Cook the noodles according the instructions on the box, then drain and toss into the pan with the cooked broccoli and mushrooms.
Pour the Alfredo sauce over the noodles and stir until the noodles are completely covered.
Finally, add the scallops to the pan and reheat while folding gently into the noodles.
Top with shredded Parmesan cheese, serve right away, and enjoy!
It’s the perfect combination of creamy sauce and seafood – and easy enough for a quick weeknight meal.
Scallop & Broccoli Alfredo
Ingredients
- 8 oz bay scallops
- 2 cups fresh broccoli (or frozen & thawed)
- ½ cup mushrooms sliced
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 8 tablespoons butter split into 1/4 cups
- ½ cup Parmesan cheese + more for topping
- ¼ box angel hair or fettuccine pasta
Instructions
- Cook the noodles according to the instructions on the box.
- In a large pan, heat a tablespoon butter over medium high heat then add the scallops and caramelize on each side, or about 2-4 minutes until cooked through. Remove from the pan.
- Using the same skillet, without cleaning, heat another tablespoon of butter over medium heat. Add the fresh mushrooms and sauté. Add the broccoli to the pan and another tablespoon of butter, and stir until the broccoli has heated through.
- In a smaller pan, melt 1/4 cup of butter over medium low heat while slowly whisking in the heavy cream. Season with salt and pepper, to taste. Add the 1/4 cup of Parmesan cheese and stir until the cheese has completely melted into the sauce.
- Combine the cooked noodles into the pan with the broccoli and mushrooms. Pour the sauce over the noodles and stir well. Add the cooked scallops and fold gently into the pasta. Serve immediately and enjoy!
