These Scallops and Spinach are delicious, easy and quick. With just 10 minutes of prep and 10 minutes cooking, you can have this impressive and romantic dish on the table in about 20 minutes. Large sea scallops are seared in a cast iron skillet and combined with garlic, bacon, and spinach.
This recipe for two makes a great low calorie and low carb lunch, dinner, or date night meal.
This recipe is moderately low-carb, but not necessarily by Keto extreme low-carb guidelines.
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How to make cast iron seared scallops
Dice the green onions.
Wash the scallops and remove the small, tough side muscle. The side muscle is a little rectangular tag of tissue on the side of the scallop.
It feels tougher than the rest of the scallop and its muscle fibers run opposite the fibers in the scallop itself.
Just pinch it between your thumb and first finger with a paper towel, and tear it away.
Don’t worry too much if you can’t find all the side muscles. They often get dislodged and washed away during the harvesting process and won’t harm your dish if a few slip through.
Pat the scallops very dry with paper towels.
Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Click for a cast iron skillet.
Add the oil to the pan and swirl to coat.
Sprinkle both sides of the scallops evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt, sugar, and black pepper.
Add scallops to the pan and cook for 2 minutes. Turn scallops over and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
For the bacon and spinach
Cut the bacon into 1-inch pieces and fry in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Click for a large non-stick skillet.
Remove the bacon crumbles from the pan and drain on a paper towel.
Leave the bacon drippings in the pan and add green onions, cook for 2 minutes.
Add minced garlic and chicken broth to the pan and bring to a boil.
Sprinkle in the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and add the spinach to the pan. Cook for 30 – 45 seconds or until greens begin to wilt, stirring constantly.
Divide the scallops and spinach evenly onto 2 plates.
Sprinkle each evenly with bacon and serve.
You may also enjoy
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- Scallops and Bacon Pasta
- Lemon Scallop Pasta
- Grilled Sea Scallops
Scallops and Spinach
Ingredients
- 1 teaspoon canola oil
- ½ pound large sea scallops (about 6 – 8)
- ¼ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- ⅛ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1 slice bacon
- 2 green onions
- 2 teaspoons minced garlic
- 2 tablespoons fat-free, low-sodium chicken broth
- 6 oz baby spinach leaves
Instructions
- Dice the green onions.
- Wash the scallops and remove the small, tough side muscle. The side-muscle is a little rectangular tag of tissue on the side of the scallop. It feels tougher than the rest of the scallop and its muscle fibers run opposite the fibers in the scallop itself. Just pinch it between your thumb and first-finger with a paper towel, and tear it away. Don’t worry too much if you can’t find it on all the muscles. It often gets dislodged and washed away during the harvesting process and won’t harm your dish if a few slip through.
- Pat the scallops very dry with paper towels.
- Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Click for a cast iron skillet.
- Add the oil to pan and swirl to coat.
- Sprinkle both sides of the scallops evenly with 1/8 teaspoon salt, sugar, and black pepper.
- Add scallops to pan and cook 2 minutes. Turn scallops over and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the pan and keep warm.
- Cut the bacon into 1 inch pieces and fry in a large non-stick skillet over medium heat until crisp. Click for a large non-stick skillet.
- Remove the bacon crumbles from pan and drain on paper towel.
- Leave the bacon drippings in the pan and add green onions, cook 2 minutes.
- Add minced garlic and broth to pan and bring to a boil.
- Sprinkle in the remaining 1/8 teaspoon salt and add the spinach to pan. Cook 30 – 45 seconds or until greens begin to wilt, stirring constantly.
- Divide the scallops and spinach evenly onto 2 plates.
- Sprinkle each evenly with bacon and serve.
Video
Notes
- Don’t worry too much if you can’t find all the side muscles. They often get dislodged and washed away during the harvesting process and won’t harm your dish if a few slip through.
Nutrition
Hi and welcome. I’m Zona and I have a passion for recipes. I share recipes, tips, tricks, and resources to help you cook for two. Eat, drink, and enjoy!
Shari
Sunday 1st of October 2023
What do you serve with your seared scallops with bacon and spinach recipe?
Shari
Monday 2nd of October 2023
@Zona,
Oh I love the sheet pan cauliflower suggestion! I will give it all a try. Thank you!
Zona
Monday 2nd of October 2023
Hi Shari, we usually serve it with my homemade dinner rolls, my corn bread, or some garlic bread. If you want low carb options, you could serve it with my egg drop soup, my butternut squash soup, or my sheet pan cauliflower. Another great option is to serve it along with steaks.
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Tuesday 4th of February 2020
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