Grilled Scallops with Red Pepper Cilantro Pesto

Grilled scallops on a gray plate with a bowl of red pepper pesto. Plus, cilantro leaves.

5 from 2 votes

Grilled Scallops with Red Pepper Cilantro Pesto

Grilled scallops are fantastic for a backyard BBQ or easy weeknight dinner. The red pepper cilantro pesto matches perfectly with their naturally sweet flavor and succulent texture.

Prep Time25

Cook Time15

Resting Time10

Total Time40

Course: Appetizers, Entrees

Cuisine: American

Keyword: Grilled Scallops, Red Pepper Pesto

Servings: Servings (appetizer)

Calories: 169.8kcal

Author: Dara Michalski | Cookin' Canuck

Ingredients

The scallops:

1 bag Open Nature® North Atlantic Sea Scallops- Colossal defrosted
Olive oil spray
½ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

The pesto: *

2 medium red bell peppers
½ cup roughly chopped cilantro
3 tablespoons slivered almonds toasted in a dry saucepan
1 garlic clove minced
1 ½ teaspoon fresh lime juice
3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground pepper

Instructions

The scallops:

If using wooden skewers, soak them in warm water for at least 30 minutes before using.
Preheat the grill to high heat. Oil well.
Around the edge of each scallop, locate the small flap (the "foot") and remove it with your fingers or a small, sharp knife.
Using a paper towel, pat dry the scallops very well.
Using double skewers, thread the scallops on the skewers. Pat dry again. Lightly coat the scallops with the olive oil spray and season with salt and pepper.
Place the skewers on a diagonal on the grill for the best grill marks. Cook on the first side for about 4 minutes. Carefully flip the skewers and cook for an additional 1 to 2 minutes, or until the scallops are just cooked through. Take care not to overcook.
Carefully remove the scallops from the skewers. Serve with the pesto.

The pesto:

Place the whole bell peppers on the hot grill (high heat). Cook, turning every few minutes, until the peppers are charred all over, about 10 minutes.
Immediately transfer the peppers to a paper bag. Roll up the bag to seal in the peppers. This will create steam which loosens the skins.
Remove the peppers from the bag. Using your fingers, remove the skin and pull out the stem. Open up the peppers and remove the seeds.
In a food processor, combine the roasted peppers, cilantro, toasted almonds, garlic and lime juice. Pulse until combined and the peppers are chopped into fine pieces.
With the motor running, slowly drizzle in the olive oil. Process until the pesto is almost completely smooth (a little texture is a good thing).

Notes

*This recipe will make twice the amount of pesto needed for the scallops. Reserve the extras to use as a pasta sauce or salad dressing. Or make a second batch of scallops!

Weight Watchers Points: 2 (Blue - Freestyle SmartPoints), 3 (Green), 2 (Purple)

Please note that I am not a medical or nutritional professional. I provide nutritional information for my recipes as a courtesy to my readers. It is calculated using the Sparks nutrition calculator and Weight Watchers points are calculated using the Recipe Builder on their site. While I attempt to provide information that is as accurate as possible, you should calculate the nutritional information independently before relying on it.

Nutrition