Sweet Corn and Scallop Pasta

By Kay Chun

Updated August 2, 2021

  • Bryan Gardner for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Barrett Washburne.
Media 1 of 1
Total Time
20 minutes
Rating
4(1,219)
Comments
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Scallops have a mildly briny, delicately nutty flavor that pairs extremely well with sweet corn. The key to properly cooked scallops is making sure they’re very dry, then allowing them to cook, undisturbed, to caramelize. Chopping the seared scallops into tender morsels helps to infuse the pasta with rich seafood flavor, while fresh corn adds texture to complement them. The emulsification of pasta water, butter and cheese creates a silky sauce for a satisfying pasta meal that still feels light.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

  • Kosher salt and black pepper

  • 1 pound large or medium shell pasta

  • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, plus more for drizzling

  • 1 pound sea scallops, patted dry

  • 2 cups fresh corn kernels (from 2 ears of corn)

  • ¼ cup thinly sliced scallions

  • 2 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

  • 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter

  • ½ cup finely grated Parmigiano-Reggiano

  • ¼ cup chopped basil, plus more for garnish

Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)

28 grams carbs; 55 milligrams cholesterol; 395 calories; 11 grams monosaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 8 grams saturated fat; 22 grams fat; 2 grams fiber; 669 milligrams sodium; 24 grams protein; 3 grams sugar

Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.

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Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over high. Cook pasta until al dente. Reserve 1 cup of the pasta cooking water, then drain pasta.

  2. Step 2

    Meanwhile, in a large skillet, heat 2 tablespoons of the oil over medium-high. Season scallops with salt and pepper and add to skillet in a single layer. Cook, undisturbed, until golden underneath, about 2 minutes. Flip scallops and cook until golden on second side, 2 minutes longer. Transfer to a cutting board to cool.

  3. Step 3

    Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, corn and scallions to the skillet; season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic until fragrant, about 1 minute. Add lemon juice and stir to lift up any browned bits on bottom of pan.

  4. Step 4

    While the corn cooks, chop the cooled scallops into ½-inch pieces. Return pasta, ½ cup of the pasta water, corn mixture, scallops and butter to the large pot and heat over medium. Cook, stirring vigorously, until most of the liquid is absorbed and the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat, stir in cheese and basil, and season with salt and pepper. (Add more pasta water if a thinner sauce is desired.)

  5. Step 5

    Divide pasta among bowls and garnish with more basil. Drizzle with olive oil, if desired.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
1,219 user ratings
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Comments

Lilly

So perfectly cooked scallops returned to the pan until the sauce thickens? Over cooked scallops (especially how expensive they are for good ones) waste my time, effort and money. I like the recipe, will be making it this week but I'll be returning the scallops to the pan after the liquid is absorbed and the sauce thickens. Hopefully perfectly seared scallops and a luscious pasta dish.

Andrew

I cut the corn off the cob first, then throw the cobs into the water you are gonna cook the pasta in! Adds additional corn flavor to the pasta!

Toddie

I would love to see the ear of corn that will yield one cup of kernels

jgivenshtx

Lovely recipe! This was super

jgivenshtx

Lovely recipe. I made this with frozen scallops from wild fork. They’re a little smaller than standard sea scallops, so I just had to cut them in half, which was easy. Like others, I used orecchiette because I missed the shell memo, and I think orecchiette was an ideal shape for this dish. It help little morsels of corn and scallop and was easy to scoop up with a spoon. I also mixed parm and pecorino because I wanted a little more sharpness of flavor. Overall, a very nice change of pace. Loved it.

ally

This was delicious made with rigatoni so all of the small corn kernels were trapped inside. Next time a different pasta shape will be tried and hoping that leftovers tomorrow will also be tasty.

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