Savory pan seared scallops over spinach cobb salad with crispy bacon, creamy avocado, cherry tomatoes all in a fresh and simple lemon chive vinaigrette. Grain free, paleo, and Whole30 friendly!
Is there a better present to receive in the mail than high quality, delicious seafood? I think not. Unless you also want to gift all my groceries every week and present them to me on my doorstep. Just kidding. That’s crazy! What does it take to please this girl? Fabulously delicious and healthy seafood is more than enough, so thank you a million times, Sizzlefish!
The first package I had to dive into was the scallops. I triple heart scallops, but rarely (that means never) actually buy them, because, budget. But darn it they are good, and they happen to be Adam’s favorite, too. Remember how much he hates salmon? Well it’s the opposite with scallops. He’s a superfan of scallops and that makes me happy! So I had to figure something out.
I wanted simple, fresh, and great for a summer lunch or dinner. Nothing too heavy or creamy. I find that good scallops tend to hold their own and deserve to be the star of a dish. They don’t need a lot of fuss, they just need some good supporting cast members to allow them to shine. That’s what this salad did for these simple pan seared scallops, and it all came together quickly and oh so deliciously too 🙂
The bacon adds to the savory, crispy flavor, the tomatoes and avocado compliment the sweetness of the scallops. The vinaigrette is as simple and fresh as they come, and you don’t need a lot at all! Drizzle on just a little bit and go from there. The addition of fresh chives adds depth to the flavor while keeping it low FODMAP for those of you avoiding onions and garlic. Is that a win-win? I hope so. Try it out and taste test for yourself!
Pan Seared Scallops over Spinach Cobb Salad
Ingredients
- For the salad:
- 2-3 large handfuls baby spinach
- 4 slices sugar free uncured bacon
- 1 medium avocado
- 1/2 cup quartered cherry tomatoes
- For the scallops:
- 8 sea scallops 1/2 lb thawed if previously frozen
- Coarse sea salt
- Black pepper
- Bacon fat saved from cooking the bacon
- For the lemon vinaigrette:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tbsp + 2 tsp fresh squeezed lemon juice
- 1-2 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Instructions
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First, cook the bacon in a large cast iron pan over med-hi heat until crisp, drain on paper towel and set aside. Reserve a couple of tbsp of bacon fat to cook the scallops.
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Next, prepare the salad by arranging spinach, avocado (sliced to preference) tomatoes, and cooled/crumbled bacon in a serving bowl or platter and set aside.
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Now, prepare the scallops. Heat a large cast iron pan over med-hi heat and add the reserved bacon fat (or just use the same pan that you prepare the bacon in.)
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Pat the scallops dry with paper towel and sprinkle with black pepper. Sprinkle a small amount of coarse sea salt over the bottom of the pan.
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Once the fat begins to smoke, add the scallops to the pan one by one, and let cook on the first side about 2-3 minutes depending on thickness. Adjust the heat to prevent burning.
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After the first side is brown and crisp, flip each scallop and cook about 2 more minutes, or until opaque (just cooked through.) Immediately remove the scallops from heat and arrange over the salad.
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Lastly, whisk together the vinaigrette ingredients and drizzle over the salad just before serving. Enjoy!
Hope all of you are having a great week! I hope I am too (as I’m writing this post nearly a week early!) Even though I’m not blogging this week, I’m still reading (and hopefully answering) all of your comments.
You can also find me as always on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook (pick your drug social media outlet of choice) so come stop by and see what I’m up to!
Are you a fan of scallops?
Do you cook them or mainly order them when out to eat?
I hope you are having a great time! When I started to eat fish a few years ago (I was a really picky eater most of my life!) I did like scallops a lot! But then I had a bad reaction to calamari and was told to avoid scallops after that too. But this recipe looks awesome 🙂
Thanks! Seafood is tricky and common to have reactions to do better safe than sorry 🙂
That picture that you posted yesterday made my heart happy! (sad to intrude on it, btw, but I knew you would want in!). I love scallops–a HUGE diver scallop was the bite that changed my perception of food, actually. Alex doesn’t care for scallops, so we just about never have them (except when I had the Sizzlefish delivery). I’ve had so many terribly done scallops at restaurants, but when they are on, they are ON!
And bacon and avocado and tomato and spinach? Sign me up.
Shrimp and scallops are two of Adams favorites so he was excited to get these 🙂 and thank you, it’s been a great time over here!
I can never pass on a scallop or any fish for that matter! Scallops are hard to find though and like you said, pricey but definitely a nice treat to have once in awhile.
Great treat! We had them again in cape cod, yum!
When I ate seafood, I was never big on scallops. Something with the texture…just kinda weird, haha!
I think of you overcook they can be rubbery! The sizzlefish ones were amazing 🙂
Yum that salad looks great- specially that avocado on the side. I am pretty sure I have had scallops in the past- and I am also pretty sure I very much enjoyed them. Seafood is my favorite type of protein!
I love Cobb salads and topped with scallops it was a real treat 🙂
Yummy yummy! Hope you are having a fabulous time on vacation 🙂
Oh snap this looks so delicious. My husband loves scallops!!! I can’t wait to try this easy sauce as well 🙂 hope you’re having a fabulous time!
Adam normally isn’t a fan of seafood but he really loves scallops too! The chives are a great touch.
I am drooling over these pictures, I absolutely love scallops and this looks soo good! Hope you’re having a wonderful vacation!
Thanks so much! We are! This salad is such a treat.
This looks awesome! I plan on trying sizzlefish next month!! 😀
You will absolutely love it I’m sure 🙂
Ooh yum! I love scallops – they are such a meaty and delicious seafood! I don’t make them a frequently due to the price, but they are definitely worth the treat.
A great treat and even better that my husband loves them too 🙂
I absolutely love scallops, but have never made them myself. I order them frequently when I go out to eat because they usually one of the healthiest things I can find on the menu. Like you said, they can hold their own and don’t need a lot of crap to make them taste good! The day I splurge and buy them from the supermarket, I’ll be referencing this recipe!
this post makes me so happy. LIKE A LOT! BEST SALAD EVER!
Thanks!! Can’t wait to cook more of my Sizzlefish! It’s really incredible 🙂
Scallops are the BEST when cooked right. But I’m always skeptical of ordering them out because of so often getting served over cooked ones :X
xo,
Sarah Grace
I agree they are iffy but so good when done right!
This looks great! I tend to shy away from seafood because I was raised in New Mexico…you know…without a sea. But I know it’s healthy, so I’m always on the lookout for good seafood recipes. Thanks for sharing this!
Hope you enjoy this! It’s a great simple way to cook scallops 🙂
I have to try this! I love scallops but have never cooked them at home. This looks absolutely delicious! I mean bacon, avocado and scallops… what could be better.
It’s a great combo, and so easy!
This was one of the easiest & most delicious salads I’ve had in a while! Great combination of flavors. I added cucumber & red onion, but other than that followed the recipe exactly. Truly scrumptious! Thanks for sharing.
Nice recipe. The scallops look like shrimps. I like it.
I’m hungry as you see these dishes, great recipes really come to say you lose weight. These dishes look great
I made this for my daughter and myself. She rated it a 9.5 of 10! The only change I made was sautéing my spinach in a touch of the bacon fat as I prefer mine spinach cooked. Kept hers raw. Can’t wait to make again!
I, too, love scallops, but my wife does not, so I’m only able to cook them twice a year. We had this for lunch today, and I think it may earn me permission to cook them more often. Fantastic!