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
- 1 pound scallops medium size, about 12-14 scallops, thawed completely if frozen
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
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
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.
I used this recipe with shrimp meat. Fantastic!!!
Adele, I am so glad you gave this recipe a try and enjoyed it! 🙂
Cooked this dish with fresh Fettucine for New Year's eve dinner with my wife. She says it was "perfect."
Thank you
This comment made my day! So glad this recipe was perfect for you guys!
What a great recipe. The flavor was wonderful and it was very easy to make.
Gwen, thank you for such a positive comment! 🙂 Glad you enjoyed the recipe!
I have made many similar recipes and they were all good. After finding this website, my food went from good to stellar 5 star restaurant quality.
Wow, Brian, your comment made my day on Thanksgiving day! Thank you! Glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Wonderful!!
Glad you liked the recipe!
I could not believe how delicious this sauce was. It was like a dish from an Italian restaurant. I will be making it again!
Stephanie, your comment made my day! Thank you for taking the time to share such enthusiastic feedback!
I always double recipes for sauce and this did not work out at all. Sauce would not come together because way to much wine to cream ratio..I had to keep adding more cream and cheese until it came together and wasn't broken..about a whole extra cup of cream. Sorry just not for me. And yes I followed recipe exactly and am not new to cooking.
Delicious! One of my new favorites!
I am very happy to hear that! 🙂
Delish!! That’s the comments from my family although I don’t eat scallops. I found this recipe in a pinch. It satisfied his desire. Thanks again
I'm making this tonight for Valentines day using scallops and shrimp
Love this recipe. One of my favorite dish for guests. Also fine with prawns.
My husband and I made this together for a date night tonight! We used fresh fettuccine, but otherwise followed the recipe to a T. It was delicious!!!
First two times I made this the cream curdled. I think flour is needed, as starch prevents curdling, should start with a roux. Then it’s perfect !
Ana, yes, that's a solution! Also, I would make sure to use a block of Parmesan cheese and grate it yourself. Also, bring the cheese to room temperature before adding it to the cheese - you might have to microwave it briefly (without melting it!)
This is a hit in my home!
Garnishment is Italian parsley?