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    Home » Entrees » Seafood Recipes

    Seared Scallops with Chimichurri Dressing Recipe

    Published: May 30, 2010 · Modified: May 2, 2022 by Dara · This post may contain affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. · 55 Comments

    8Shares

    Seared Scallops with Chimichurri Dressing Recipe

    Within four hours of arriving in Victoria, Canada, I bellied up to a table in my parents’ favorite sushi restaurant, readying myself for a feast of the freshest fish to pass my lips in months. If I were ever to find myself on death row (hey, if someone ever tries to raid my Brie cheese stash, I will be forced to take matter into my own hands), sushi would be my chosen last meal. If one is lucky enough to be in the Mecca of fresh seafood, one must pay homage to Poseidon and his troops. Or at least that is my excuse for eating two sushi rolls, several pieces of sushi, one pound of mussels, and a plateful of these tender scallops in the past 48 hours. What’s left for tomorrow? Well, fresh halibut and fresh spot prawns, of course. Moderation has officially been booted out the door. By the end of this seafood love-in, there are bound to be more recipes to add to The Best of...Grilling & Summer Barbecue Recipes.

    My mum and I got our hands on some hefty sea scallops, which I cut in half crosswise to ensure more even cooking. They were then lightly seared in a little olive oil until barely cooked through. Do every thing in your power not to overcook these little treasures of the sea. They will go from tender and buttery to tough and rubbery in the blink of an eye. Once cooked, I topped each scallop with a drizzle of chimichurri dressing from my Grilled Flank Steak Salad with Chimichurri Dressing recipe. The acid in the vinegar, along with the brightness of the fresh parsley and spice of the red chilli flakes livened up the mellow scallops without overwhelming them. We ate these as an appetizer, but they can also be enjoyed as an entrée. Just be sure to increase the portion size for each person.

    Dressing:
    In the bowl of a food processor, combine ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley, 2 teaspoons chopped fresh oregano, 1 garlic clove, minced, 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar, 1 tablespoon water, ½ teaspoon kosher salt, ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, and ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes.


    Pulse until combined, but not smooth. With the motor running, slowly pour in 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil.


    Scallops:
    Cut 8 large sea scallops in half crosswise.


    Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Place half of the scallops in the pan, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until barely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. When you press on the scallops, they should still feel a little squishy. They will become rubbery very quickly, so take care not to overcook. Set the cooked scallops on a serving platter and repeat the same process with the remaining scallops, adding 1 additional teaspoon olive oil to the pan. Once all of the scallops are on the serving platter, drizzle them with the chimichurri dressing. Serve immediately.


    Other scallop recipes:

    Simply Recipes' Sea Scallops with Asparagus Sauce
    Steamy Kitchen's Black Garlic with Scallops
    No Recipes' Ramp & Scallop Linguine
    Wrightfood's Pan Seared Scallops with Red Onion Confit

    Seared Scallops with Chimichurri Dressing

    Dressing:
    ¼ cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
    2 teaspoon chopped fresh oregano
    1 garlic clove, minced
    1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon red wine vinegar
    1 tablespoon water
    ½ teaspoon kosher salt
    ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
    ¼ teaspoon red chili flakes
    2 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil

    Scallops:
    8 large sea scallops, cut in half crosswise
    3 teaspoon olive oil, divided
    Salt & pepper for seasoning

    Dressing:
    In the bowl of a food processor, combine parsley, oregano, garlic, red wine vinegar, water, salt, pepper, and red chili flakes. Pulse until combined, but not smooth. With the motor running, slowly pour in olive oil.

    Scallops
    Heat 2 teaspoons olive oil in a large nonstick skillet set over medium-high heat. Place half of the scallops in the pan, season lightly with salt and pepper, and cook until barely cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes per side. When you press on the scallops, they should still feel a little squishy. They will become rubbery very quickly, so take care not to overcook. Set the cooked scallops on a serving platter and repeat the same process with the remaining scallops, adding 1 additional teaspoon olive oil to the pan. Once all of the scallops are on the serving platter, drizzle them with the chimichurri dressing. Serve immediately.

    Serves 4 as an appetizer (4 scallops per person).

    Printable recipe


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      Reader Interactions

      Comments

      1. Kristina Vanni

        June 15, 2011 at 10:14 am

        Oooh, love chimichurri on steak...I will have to try it on scallops now!

        Reply
      2. Bootcamp

        November 04, 2010 at 2:37 am

        I am quite sure my boss would like those! 😉

        Reply
      3. Sadie

        October 19, 2010 at 6:26 am

        We have made this sauce on numerous occasions now - it is very good. We usually make it with cilantro instead of parsley. The husband will use the sauce for his steak and I will put in on some white fish. Delish!

        Reply
      4. Becky

        September 21, 2010 at 9:09 pm

        This is similar to my chimichurri sauce with minor changes. I use red wine vinegar instead of sherry, jalepenos instead of cayenne. So so good especially slightly reheated in the microwave with the steak.

        Reply
      5. Brittany

        August 12, 2010 at 6:30 am

        I loved this recipe, and it is perfect for summer. I did not have cilantro so I made the salsa without it and it still came out delicious.

        Reply
      6. Jennifer

        July 31, 2010 at 3:46 pm

        Well, Scallops are always my favorite and it is so true about cooking them properly. Yours look perfect and I love the chimichurri sauce!

        Reply
      7. Jean

        July 19, 2010 at 8:49 pm

        I don't like Scallops, but I made this for a friend and she loved them. The salsa is very good. I will be using it for other items.

        Reply
      8. Cookin' Canuck

        July 15, 2010 at 3:05 pm

        Diane, I'm so glad you enjoyed these.

        Jane, fun changes! I'll have to try those.

        Kayla, glad to hear your friend enjoyed the scallops. This chimichurri dressing also works really well over grilled flank, salmon, and chicken.

        Jillian, I think that rice pairs really well with scallops, particularly one with a lemon flavor (add some lemon zest). As for vegetables, the possibilities are endless at this time of year. We love veggies, grilled simply with olive oil, salt and pepper. Zucchini, asparagus, and red peppers are all good choices. Enjoy your vacation!

        Reply
      9. Jillian

        July 15, 2010 at 2:41 pm

        I am making some seared scallops for my family when we are on vacation at our house in Cape Cod. But what goes well with seared scallops? I am looking for a starch to go with the meal and also a vegetable. And possibly another protein for people who don't like scallops? Just tell me how you would complete this meal! Any kind and helpful suggestions welcome!

        Reply
      10. Kayla

        July 13, 2010 at 7:04 pm

        I don't like Scallops, but I made this for a friend and she loved them. The salsa is very good. I will be using it for other items.

        Reply
      11. Katie

        July 11, 2010 at 10:17 am

        The photos posted looks absolutely yummy. Thanks for sharing a new sauce recipe.

        Reply
      12. Jane

        July 09, 2010 at 1:05 pm

        Absolutely amazing! I would suggest adding mandarin oranges, a bit more jalapenos (to up the kick), chili powder and ginger powder.

        Reply
      13. Diane

        July 08, 2010 at 10:59 am

        I enjoyed the brightness of the chimichurri dressing with the buttery, mellow taste of the scallops. thanx for sharing.

        Reply
      14. Lynn

        July 08, 2010 at 5:19 am

        I think i can learn a lot on your blog post, since i love cooking i will follow your blog and I'm looking forward to read more. Thank you

        Reply
      15. Victoria

        July 07, 2010 at 12:02 am

        Thanks for this new post…I am going to make it for Dad’s day tomorrow, ( LOVE South American condiments) so going to make a few adjustments, to work for my hubby, will let you know how it goes…thanks again!

        Reply
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