Tender Pan-Seared Curried Scallops Recipe

About this recipe

Tender, golden seared scallops with a bold curry crust served over fresh mango avocado salsa. A healthy, impressive dinner ready in minutes that looks and tastes like a restaurant meal.

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Scallops have always been seen as a special protein source in my eyes. I’ve always been fascinated by scallop dishes prepared in Hell’s Kitchen, and when I saw the contestants cook their scallops for their challenges or for the dinner services, I’ve always wanted to make my own!

I’ve only had scallops a handful of times at family dinners here in Canada, and before this recipe I had only made them once before because my girlfriend’s parents had some extra frozen scallops that I was invited to use. Cooking scallops has been a dream of mine, but I really wanted to save scallops for a special dish because unfortunately they’re very expensive!

I’ve been starting the new year off right and my creativity has reached new heights in under two weeks of 2022! I’m quite proud of myself! If you’re enjoying cooking with me, I’ve got two free guides to keep the fun going: Make Cooking Fun, my mindset reset for the kitchen, and the Live to Cook field guide — a month of cook-along challenges. Grab them both free on my free resources page, and come cook along with me on YouTube!

If you’ve been wanting to learn how to make the best scallops at home then you’re going to love this pan-fried scallops with curry powder recipe! The scallops will be so tender and flavorful with homemade curry powder, and they will go well with a variety of side dishes! Make sure to watch the video so you can truly grasp the concepts and follow along with me as I prepare the scallops. If you’re not already, be sure to subscribe to me on YouTube so you always know when the corresponding video to all of my recipes go live! Let’s get cooking!

Are scallops healthy?▼

Yes, scallops are super nutritious for you! As with many fish and shellfish, they’re jam-packed with health benefits. They’re low in calories, are very low in fat and high in protein, high in Omega-3 fatty acids, and contain 18% of the recommended daily value of Vitamin B12. Scallops are also rich in calcium and iron, and contain minerals including magnesium, phosphorous, potassium, zinc, copper and selenium. With that being said, regular consumption of scallops can aid in weight loss because they are low in calories and fat but high in protein, helping with satiety. The minerals, particularly zinc, along with the Vitamin B12 and Omega-3 fatty acids, can assist in brain and nervous system health. For more information about the health benefits of scallops, refer to this article by Healthline.

Why Make Seared Curried Scallops?

You’re bound to love these scallops for so many reasons! Here’s why you need to make them for a wonderful meal!

Versatile: You can serve these scallops with a variety of side dishes and sauces!
Easy: You can make these scallops in about 10 minutes! All we need to do is season our scallops and they cook extremely quickly!
Minimal ingredients: The majority of the ingredients used are in the curry powder. To cook our scallops, we just need the scallops themselves and some olive oil!

Can I Use a Store-Bought Curry Powder?▼

You could if you want, but I personally prefer to use my homemade Curry Powder Spice Mix. I’ve always despised the taste of store-bought curry powders - I always have found them very pungent and I’ve not liked the taste they’ve added to my dishes. This homemade curry powder can easily be adjusted in terms of the flavours that are prominent in the blend. I love how customizable homemade spices are, and I’ve really resorted to mostly making my own blends! Furthermore, it’s more economical to make your own spice blends!

For more details about my Homemade Curry Powder, including how to store and other recipes that go great with it, then read the recipe here.

However, if you really do have a favourite pre-made curry powder or you just don’t feel like making your own, then I understand! Go ahead and use your favourite store-bought curry powder for these pan-fried curried scallops!

Do I need to wash my scallops before cooking?▼

You don’t need to wash the scallops before cooking, but I recommend you pat your scallops down dry. This will remove excess moisture to help get a nice sear on the scallops.

what are the best tools for for making scallops?▼

I’ve seen some recipe where scallops are made in cast iron pans. However, every time I’ve seen scallops cooked in cast iron pans in Hell’s Kitchen, Ramsay would have his iconic tantrums at the contestants. I’m not quite sure why cooking scallops in a cast iron pan isn’t recommended (if I find the answer I’ll be sure to update this!), but I’m going to stick to a non-stick pan here!

As for flipping the scallops, all you need is a spoon!! You have so much more control with the use of a spoon! The scallops are delicate and small, so a spoon is the perfect tool!

Why did my scallops get stuck to the pan?▼

Your scallops probably got stuck to the pan because your oil wasn’t hot enough! Check with a test scallop to see if the pan is sizzling. If the oil is not sizzling, then remove the scallop and wait until your oil is hotter. We will be cooking on a fairly high heat to get a great sear!

Tips for Perfectly Pan-seared Scallops

Patting your scallops dry with paper towel will not only help with getting a perfect sear but will help the curry powder stick onto the scallops
Season both sides of the scallops with the curry powder and salt
If your scallops were in the fridge before cooking, let them sit at room temperature for 20-30 minutes and will help to speed up the cook time and to ensure even cooking throughout the scallops
Make sure you don’t overcrowd the pan and make sure the pan is sizzling the moment you add the first scallop. If it’s not hot enough when you add the first scallop, take the scallop out and then add them back when the oil is hot enough.
Get the other side of the scallops a nice crust like you see on the top side.
To test if the scallops are cooked, touch the scallop and see if the texture is like Jello. If it cuts easily with a knife, then it’s ready. Scallops are opaque on the inside when they are cooked.
If you are really unsure, you’re better to cook the scallops a little longer than to undercook them! Technically you can eat them slightly undercooked, but this depends on the quality of your scallops. If you don’t know the source, cooking longer is best.
Take the scallops out in one smooth move instead of taking them out one by one. You’re risking over-cooking your scallops if you take them off the pan one by one.

Ingredients for Pan-seared Scallops

As mentioned earlier, most of the ingredients for these Curried Pan-Seared Scallops are actually for the curry powder! We just need some salt for extra seasoning and oil to cook our scallops.

Remember, the FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE CARD for all ingredient quantities and step by step instructions. You can save the recipe for later, and it’s so easy to scale the ingredient quantities based on how many portions of scallops you want to make!

For the Scallops

Scallops: I’m using sea scallops for this recipe. Sea scallops are the larger, thicker scallops, whereas bay scallops are smaller and thinner. I recommend using the sea scallops for more body if serving them as part of a main dish. If you are using bay scallops in this recipe, keep in mind that they will cook even quicker than these, so adjust the cook time accordingly.
Olive oil: I’m using olive oil to cook the scallops today. It’s a neutral oil that’s good for searing the scallops and will help to get an excellent golden brown color and a perfect char. If you were to use butter, it will burn at the temperature we’ll be cooking the scallops at. You can use any neutral oil of your choice such as vegetable oil, canola oil or grapeseed oil.

For the Curry Powder

How to Make Pan-fried Curried Scallops

For the Curry Powder

To make homemade Curry Powder Spice Mix, simply mix all the ingredients together in a small bowl or plate. Transfer to an airtight glass jar or mason jar.

To Make the Scallops

Pat the scallops dry with paper towel to absorb any excess moisture.
Season each side with a pinch of curry powder and salt.
Heat a pan on medium to medium heat and add a thin film of olive oil across the pan.
Once the oil is hot, add the scallops in a clockwise or anticlockwise order. Each side should be seared for 60-90 seconds or until golden brown. Flip and cook the other side as well
Once cooked, take all of the scallops out of the pan at the same time by transferring them to a baking sheet/plate lined with paper towels.
Plate and serve warm with mango guacamole and freshly chopped tomatoes.

Serving Suggestions

Here are side dishes that would pair amazingly well with your Seared Curried Scallops!

Chunky Mango Guacamole (this is the dish shown in the pictures and video)
Simple Basmati Rice
Light and Healthy Vegetable Rice Pulao
Garlic Creamed Spinach
Ultimate Creamy Mashed Potatoes

Can Scallops be made ahead of time?▼

In this case I really wouldn’t recommend it at all! Please just plan accordingly! If you try to reheat your scallops, they’ll become rubbery, hard, and lose their taste. Not good! Just keep any extra scallops that you don’t need raw and freeze them for later!

Let me know what you think of this recipe in the comments! If you’ve tried this recipe, be sure to post it on social media and tag it with #cookingwithanadi and mention me @cooking.with.anadi. Thank you!

Recipe by Anadi Misra