Wondering What to Serve with Scallops? We Have 30 Tasty Ideas (2024)

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Photo: Tyler Mauk/Styling: Anne Mauk

1. Corn And Tomato Salad With Feta And Lime

Fresh summer corn brings out the natural sweetness of the shellfish, while the briny feta and lime juice keep things bright and fresh.

Taylor Peden and Jen Munk/Cook This Book

2. Green Beans With Garlicky Pistachio Vinaigrette

The secret to crisp-tender green beans is a step called blanching, which is basically just boiling for a very short amount of time. No soggy vegetables here, please and thanks.

Kristin Teig/Mediterranean Every Day

3. Creamy Oven Polenta

Serve this creamy hands-free polenta on the side, or plop those seared scallops right on top. (Just be sure to drizzle those savory pan juices over everything, too.)

Sarah Copeland/Chronicle Books

4. White Risotto With Corn, Carrots And Kale

The toppings here are totally adaptable, so you can customize this decadent dish with whatever’s in season (or in your fridge).

Jenny Huang/The Pepper Thai Cookbook

5. Spicy Chile Crisp

This spicy-salty-sweet combination of garlic, shallot, sugar and chiles is totally irresistible, so naturally, we think it would taste splendid atop a plate of scallops.

Erin Kunkel/The Vibrant Life

6. Pan-seared Scallops With Citrusy Corn Succotash

The scallops require just two minutes of cooking per side, and the zingy corn succotash tastes like summer in every bite.

Linda Pugliese/Just Married

7. Charred Broccoli With Sriracha Almond Butter Sauce

For a spicy complement to your rich seafood main, try this Thai-inspired number. It’s simple, but doesn’t taste like it.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

8. Shredded Thai Salad With Avocado

It’s like coleslaw but fancier and prettier, with a sweet-salty sesame soy dressing.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

9. Grilled Corn With Spicy Aioli

Save this one for summertime—it’s worth seeking out in-season corn on the cob.

Leslie Grow/Keto In an Instant

10. Keto Instant Pot Greek Cauliflower Rice

The scallops take, like, five minutes. The side takes ten. That’s a 15-minute dinner, friends.

Cook Beautiful

11. Delicata Squash Agrodolce

It’s not all salads and fresh veggies. The sweet, creamy texture of winter squash is another ideal pairing for your scallop dinner.

Nassima Rothacker/California: Living + Eating

12. Avocado, Radish And Walnuts With Carrot-miso Dressing

We’re suckers for the contrast in texture, but if we’re being honest, this one had us at carrot-miso dressing.

Erin McDowell

13. Citrus, Fennel And Avocado Salad

You could even plop those scallops on top to make a dinner salad. (We like the sound of that.)

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

14. 15-minute Gazpacho With Cucumber, Red Pepper And Basil

There’s no heat (or effort) needed for this baby. The secret? Your trusty blender.

15. Julia Turshen’s Radicchio And Roasted Squash Salad

We love the combination of bitter greens and sweet scallops. Plus, you can make this the day before, refrigerate it and then bring it to room temperature before serving.

Amy Neunsinger/Magnolia Table

16. Joanna Gaines’s Peach Caprese Salad

Nothing against tomatoes, but peaches and mozz might be an even better duo.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

17. Grilled Watermelon-feta Skewers

Fresh and easy is our new M.O. (And we’re convinced everything tastes better on a skewer.)

LEt's Stay In

18. Roasted Delicata Squash Salad

Delicata is sweet like butternut, only a little nuttier and more nuanced. And since you can eat the skin, it’s so much easier to prepare.

Photo: Jon Cospito/Styling: Heath Goldman

19. 20-minute Burrata Salad With Stone Fruit And Asparagus

Whoever decided you shouldn’t serve cheese with seafood has obviously never tasted burrata.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

20. Rainbow Vegetable Skewers

If it’s not grilling season, you can make these indoors. Just heat a cast-iron skillet or grill pan until it’s smoking hot.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

21. 15-minute Cucumber-avocado Blender Soup

What can we say? We love a no-cook chilled soup.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

22. One-pot, 15-minute Pasta Limone

Pasta and scallops? Sounds like a lot of effort…unless you make this lemony 15-minute dish.

Simon Pask/The Happy Balance

23. Zesty Chargrilled Broccolini

Save the steamed broccoli for your takeout Chinese order. This side dish has four ingredients, plus salt and pepper.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

24. Grilled Caprese Skewers With Halloumi And Sourdough

Fact: Caprese tastes even better with croutons. And scallops.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

25. Grilled Peach And Halloumi Salad With Lemon-pesto Dressing

If a little lemon-pesto dressing sneaks its way onto your scallops, consider yourself blessed.

Photo: Liz Andrew/Styling: Erin McDowell

26. Cold Sesame Cucumber Noodles

If you want to leave out the tofu and serve your scallops on top instead, we support your decision.

Photo: Nico Schinco/Styling: Sarah Copeland

27. Yellow Tomato Gazpacho

This cold soup has a secret: It’s made with peaches to balance the acidity of the tomatoes. (Fresh basil is also blended in for good measure.)

Aubrie Pick/Great Tastes

28. Tomato Salad With Grilled Halloumi And Herbs

This salad sounds complicated, but it’s actually only five ingredients (plus salt, pepper and olive oil).

Michael Graydon and Nikole Herriott/Nothing Fancy

29. Roasted Squash With Yogurt And Spiced Buttered Pistachios

You must be a restaurant chef or something. (Yogurt sauce seems so fancy, doesn’t it?)

Aran Goyoaga/Cannelle et Vanille

30. Roasted Squash Salad With White Beans, Bread Crumbs And Preserved Lemon

Make it the day before, serve it at room temperature and pat yourself on the back.

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Senior Food Editor

Katherine Gillenis PureWow’s senior food editor. She’s a writer, recipe developer and food stylist with a degree in culinary arts and professional experience in New York City...