Mediterranean Sautéed Scallops

Easy, quickly sauteed scallops, nestled in a flavor-packed mixture of tomatoes and bell peppers! You’ll love the bold Mediterranean flavors in this scallops recipe–fresh tomatoes, shallots, capers, oregano and more.

The beauty of this recipe is the ease of cooking such a healthy and delicious meal!

When preparing the scallops, rinse in cool water and remove any side-muscles that may still be attached. This is a small piece tough tissue on the side of the scallop. I have found that they are often already removed from the scallops when I purchase them. Also, they won’t hurt you if they slip by, so don’t spend too much time searching.

How to make Mediterranean Sautéed Scallops

Ingredients:

For the vegetables

• 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 shallot, sliced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, cored, cut into thin strips
• 1/2 green bell pepper, cored, cut into thin strips
• 4 to 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 10 ounces grape tomatoes, halved
• 2 tablespoons drained capers
• Black pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon oregano
• 1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika

For the scallops

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound sea scallops, thawed completely if frozen, patted dry
• Fresh lemon
• Parsley chopped

Directions:

1. Sauté the shallot and peppers. In a large skillet, heat 2 to 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add shallot and bell peppers. Raise the heat to medium-high, and cook for about 3 minutes, tossing occasionally.
2. Add garlic, tomatoes, capers, and spices. Add minced garlic, tomatoes, and capers. Season with a pinch each of kosher salt and black pepper. Add oregano, cumin and paprika. Toss to combine. Cook until softened for another 5 to 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Drop heat to the lowest setting to keep the vegetables warm while you work on scallops.
3. Sauté the scallops. In a second heavy skillet, heat another 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil over medium-high heat until shimmering but not smoking. Add scallops and cook for 2 minutes on one side, turn over and cook until browned, another 1 to 2 minutes.
4. Add the scallops to the vegetables. Transfer the scallops immediately into the pan with the vegetables, nestling them into the tomatoes and peppers.
5. Garnish and serve. Remove from heat, squeeze just a little bit of lemon juice over everything, garnish with parsley, and serve immediately.