Scallop Spaghetti in Creamy White Wine Butter Garlic Sauce with Capers - a gourmet meal that's easy to make! Scallops are first seared and then smothered in creamy butter garlic pasta sauce with capers. You'll love this Italian pasta. Scallops are moist and full of flavor!
Looking to introduce something new into your weeknight dinner menu? Then, make this scallop spaghetti with white wine sauce! Your family will love it! This Italian style pasta looks fancy and presentable like an entree from a gourmet restaurant. But it's easy to make.
What do scallops taste like? Scallops have a mild, buttery, almost sweet taste.
What to serve with scallops? They taste amazing on their own like these seared scallops with bacon in lemon cream sauce. You can serve them roasted asparagus or green beans. Scallops are also fantastic with creamy pasta and garlic. Take a look at this delicious scallop pasta with creamy Mozzarella sauce.
What makes this recipe special
- The simple alfredo sauce is made with white wine! Wine adds so much dimension to a regular pasta sauce. Use Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio, or Sauvignon Blanc.
- The scallops and pasta absorb the creamy white wine sauce with garlic. You get the creamy deliciousness with every bite! You will love the addition of capers to the creamy pasta sauce.
Scallop Spaghetti
- Scallops are pan-seared in the skillet with olive oil until crispy. They acquire a beautiful golden crust that will make your dinner look very gourmet and appetizing.
- Pan-seared scallops and pasta are then combined with easy-to-make white wine garlic sauce. Because the sauce uses butter, Parmesan cheese, and heavy cream, you can call this dish scallop pasta alfredo.
- Creamy white wine butter garlic sauce also features capers. They provide a sharp and salty taste to the scallops and pasta.
Why make this recipe
- Because the scallops are smothered in a creamy sauce, they are moist and flavorful. You don't have to worry about overcooked scallops when you combine them with creamy pasta. White wine butter garlic sauce will make scallops taste creamy and soft.
- What's great about scallop pasta recipes is that you don't have to worry about a side dish. You get a complete meal in a single dinner.
- The scallop pasta in white wine sauce with capers looks very gourmet, but it's easy to make.
Best scallops to use for pasta
- Use sea scallops. They are big size scallops that are usually about 1.5 to 2 inches in diameter.
- Because of their large size, sea scallops are easy to sear. Using them will make it easy to get that nice golden crust on your scallops.
How to thaw frozen scallops
- Thaw frozen scallops in the fridge overnight.
- Do not use a microwave oven. Don't thaw on the kitchen counter.
- After thawing and right before cooking, pat dry scallops with paper towels.
Creamy white wine butter garlic sauce
This is a creamy sauce featuring cream and Parmesan cheese - perfect for scallop pasta:
- First, cook butter, olive oil, and minced garlic on medium heat for about 1 minute, until garlic softens. Then add white wine and bring to boil. Boil for several minutes until the wine reduces in half.
- Next, add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Simmer and stir for several minutes until the sauce thickens.
- Remove from heat.
- Stir in drained capers and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper.
Tips for searing scallops
- Use a large skillet. This will give you more surface for searing more scallops. It's important not to overcrowd scallops. If you use a small or medium-size skillet, you might have to sear scallops in 2 batches.
- Use a stainless steel skillet or cast iron skillet. These skillets work best for searing and creating a golden crust.
- Make sure the scallops are completely thawed. Pat dry scallops with paper towels.
Variations
Scallops and pasta in white wine sauce might look like a gourmet meal, but there are many variations you can make to this recipe:
- Use any type of pasta with long strands. Use spaghetti, fettuccine, pappardelle, or linguine pasta.
- To make creamy alfredo sauce you can use any of these cheeses: Parmesan, Mozzarella, Pecorino Romano, or Asiago.
- Best wines to use for white wine sauce: Chardonnay, Sauvignon Blanc, Pinot Grigio.
Delicious gourmet scallop recipes
If you enjoyed this scallop spaghetti, take a look at other delicious recipes:
- Scallop Pasta with Creamy Mozzarella Sauce
- Seared Scallops with Bacon in Lemon Butter Sauce
- Seared Scallops with Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce
Scallop Spaghetti in White Wine Sauce
Ingredients
White Wine Sauce
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic minced
- 1 cup white wine
- 1 cup heavy cream
- ¼ cup Parmesan cheese shredded
- 2 tablespoons capers drained
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice freshly squeezed
- salt to taste
Pasta
- 8 oz spaghetti
Seared Scallops
Instructions
How to make white wine sauce
- In a medium skillet, heat butter, olive oil and minced garlic on medium heat.
- Cook for about a minute, until garlic softens.
- Add wine. Bring to boil. Boil for several minutes until the amount of wine reduces approximately to half.
- Add heavy cream and Parmesan cheese. Bring to boil, and immediately reduce to simmer. Simmer for a couple of minutes, stirring at all times, until the sauce thickens a bit.
- Remove from heat. Stir in drained capers and freshly squeezed lemon juice. Season with salt and pepper. Taste, add more lemon juice, salt and and pepper if needed. Keep covered.
Pasta
- Cook spaghetti according to package instructions until al dente. Drain. Add to the sauce, stir to combine.
How to sear scallops
- If using frozen scallops, make sure the scallops are thawed completely.
- Blot each scallop with paper towels to remove extra water.
- Season scallops with salt
- Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet on high heat until hot but not smoking. Oil should not be smoking, just rolling easily around the skillet.
- Add scallops without overcrowding the pan.
- Sear on one side for about 4 minutes until the scallops are a golden color. Don't move the scallops around the pan in the beginning.
- Turn the scallops to the other side and cook for 2 or 3 more minutes.
- Remove from heat and transfer the scallops to the plate immediately.
- Don't allow the scallops rest in the hot skillet, off heat. That will make them steam and lose their crust.
- Add cooked scallops to the spaghetti with the creamy white wine sauce and reheat gently. Serve.
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Hi Julia
Since I cannot digest onions and have issues with fresh garlic as well (an onion cousin), I use powered onion and garlic. What I also like to do is use garlic infused EVOO (Trader Joe's) instead of garlic powder. I also like Meyer lemon or blood orange infused EVOO. Does not seem to alter flavor. Can't wait to try this but if I can't get it done early in the week, it has to wait until Passover is over. I sure do appreciate not only your recipes but also the easy and thorough directions.
That sounds like a great way to adapt the recipe to your needs! Garlic-infused EVOO is such a smart swap! I hope you enjoy the dish whenever you get the chance to make it! And thank you so much for your kind words—I’m so glad you find my recipes and instructions helpful. 🙂
Do you have an alternative for a non-shellfish option?
You can try sliced or diced chicken (or rotisserie chicken) or cubed salmon (if you can eat salmon).
The scallop recipe looks lovely, but 1. Cup of cream is far too rich for us. Could you kindly recommend a substitute?
Thank you so very much,
Lisa
Hi Lisa! Here are some lower-fat alternatives:
1) To replace 1 cup of heavy cream, whisk 2 tablespoons of cornstarch into 1 cup of milk. Cornstarch thickens without adding flavor.
2) Half-and-half would work too!
3) Use evaporated milk (NOT condensed milk :)).
Let me know if you try this pasta!
This is one of my favorite "fancy" recipes to make at home! So easy, flavorful, and makes for a special evening...or just because we're craving it 🙂
A highly creative collection of ingredients resulting in a surprisingly savory and tangy Alfredo dish with the added bonus of seared scallops. The recipe was well explained and easy to follow. I stirred in fresh Italian parsley at the end which was a nice added touch. This crowd pleaser will now be part of our dinner rotation.
Yum! Perfect. You don’t need to make any changes. I’ve made this 3 times and it’s a guaranteed winner.
Aw, Susan, thank you so much for the wonderful review!!
This was really good! Ran out of white wine, so I had to use 1/2 cup Sherry. Added a little more heavy cream as well. I used GreenWise Patagonia scallops. They were smaller but excellent. A new favorite.
Great thinking on the spot - glad Sherry worked instead of white wine. And thank you for taking the time to share your review. ❤️
This is one of my favorite recipes for dinner! It feels fancy but is so easy and makes for great leftovers. I have made it at least three times and plan to do so again this week. Thanks for sharing a great dish!
Catherine, I am so glad you love this recipe and made it 3 times! Thank you for taking the time to share this review - it means so much to me! 🙂
Looks delicious. Silly question but...How would you heat gently without over cooking or loosing crispiness?
Susan, I think scallops will probably lose their crispiness when reheated, but if you reheat them gently and on lower heat, that should prevent them from getting overcooked and rubbery in texture.
Can you imagine how much Cline would have loved this???