Creamy Pasta with Scallops and Asparagus

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Creamy Pasta with Scallops and Asparagus is the perfect treat for your next date night. Enjoy sweet buttery scallops and tender roast asparagus on a bed of creamy cheesy pasta.

This post was originally published on February 28, 2018. Because I love this recipe so much, it was republished with new photos and more content on May 1, 2019.

Today I’m sharing a great winter-to-spring transition dish. While it’s somehow already May, our weather has been pretty chilly. With asparagus, peas, and lemon, this dinner has a fresh spring vibe to it, but with cheesy creamy pasta, it’s also very hearty and comforting, more like a winter dish. (By the way, my Cod with New England Clam Chowder Sauce is a similar kind of dish that’s good in any season.)

How Many Scallops to Serve Per Person?

This recipe has 6 ounces (about 7 large sea scallops) per person. It’s a generous serving.

I love scallops. They have such a sweet, buttery, rich taste, and it’s one kind of shellfish I’m not allergic to (at least not yet). But, they are expensive. It’s especially disappointing ordering them at a restaurant, where you usually get all of three scallops.

But even buying them from the grocery store, they’re definitely not a cheap option. That’s one reason I made this recipe to feed only two, although you could easily adjust it to your needs. You can also lower it to 3-4 sea scallops per person to cut the cost.

If you can’t get fresh scallops where you live or just want to keep your grocery bill down, salmon would also be a good option. I made this same pasta before with pan-seared salmon and another time with a plain baked salmon. It pairs well with any type of seafood.

Can You Buy or Cook Scallops Ahead of Time?

If you’re using scallops, you need to buy them the same day you’re going to cook them or no more than one day in advance. Scallops also don’t taste as good leftover. Supposedly. I reheated mine in the same cast iron pan I used to cook them after taking photos, and they were still delicious. But generally you want to eat them right after cooking.

Ingredients for Creamy Pasta with Scallops and Asparagus

Here are the main ingredients. There are sea scallops, asparagus, whole wheat linguine, lemon, minced garlic, frozen peas, shredded parmesan, mascarpone cheese, and white wine. I prefer whole wheat pasta because it doesn’t make me go into a food coma like regular pasta, and I’ve converted Jonathan too.  You can obviously use white pasta, gluten-free pasta, or any kind of long-cut pasta you like.

How to Make Creamy Pasta with Scallops and Asparagus

First, bring your pot of water to a boil to cook your pasta. Once you have the pot on the stove, start roasting the asparagus. Tender spring asparagus doesn’t need anything more than salt and pepper and olive oil.

Look at how pretty the roast asparagus are. It’s nature’s ombré!

After the pasta’s done cooking, reserve some pasta cooking water, drain the pasta, and use the same pot to make the sauce. Less dishes FTW! To make the sauce, first saute some minced garlic in olive oil. Then add the white wine and allow some of the alcohol to cook off. Next add the mascarpone cheese, parmesan cheese, and butter and cook until they all melt together. Thin out with a few splashes of reserved pasta water and add the frozen peas. Season to taste.

Here’s the pasta coated with that luscious creamy sauce.

After the pasta and sauce is done, the last step is searing the scallops. These just need a couple minutes per side. Be careful not to overcook them.

Just writing this post is making me want to go out and buy scallops right now to cook tonight!

Finish with a squeeze of lemon. If you want to be cutesy, use a vegetable peeler to shave off a piece of lemon peel. Then use kitchen shears to cut a heart shape out of the lemon peel for garnish. Gives it a little something extra for date night!

If you make this recipe, please give the recipe a rating and/or leave a comment. I’d love to hear from you!

3.4 from 5 votes

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Creamy Pasta with Scallops and Asparagus

Creamy Pasta with Scallops and Asparagus is the perfect treat for your next date night. Enjoy sweet buttery scallops and tender roast asparagus on a bed of creamy cheesy pasta.

Course Dinner, Main Dish

Cuisine American

Total Time 40 minutes

Servings 2

Calories 1115 kcal

Author Tara Leung

Ingredients

• 5 ounces whole wheat linguini
• 1 bunch asparagus (about 1 pound), ends trimmed
• salt and pepper
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/3 cup dry white wine
• 4 ounces mascarpone cheese
• 1/2 cup shaved or shredded parmesan cheese
• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup frozen peas
• 12 ounces sea scallops
• lemon wedges for serving

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook linguini according to package directions. Reserve ½ cup of pasta water before draining.
3. Meanwhile, season asparagus with salt and pepper. Toss with 1 tablespoon olive oil. Place on a baking pan. Roast for 10 – 15 minutes. (The time will depend on how thin or thick your asparagus are. Thicker asparagus will need 15 minutes.)
4. When pasta is finished cooking, leave the pasta in the colander you used to drain it. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil to the pot used to cook the pasta. Heat over medium heat. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute, stirring often. Add wine. Cook for 3 more minutes. Turn heat to medium-low. Add mascarpone, parmesan, and butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until butter and mascarpone are all melted. Add a few splashes of reserved pasta water to thin out the sauce and mix well. Add peas and cook 2 more minutes. Remove from heat. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Return the pasta to the pot and mix all together with the sauce. (If the pasta has cooled down a lot, you can reheat on low before serving.)
5. Cook the scallops last, when everything else is ready. They will be best immediately after cooking. Season scallops with salt and pepper. Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Place scallops on the pan in a single layer. Cook for 3 minutes, until bottom is browned. Flip over and cook another 2-3 minutes.
6. To serve: Divide pasta and roast asparagus between 2 plates or bowls. Top each plate with half of the scallops. Serve with lemon.

Bon Appétit!