Scallop Risotto

If you're looking for an easy yet elegant dinner recipe to make at home, this Scallop Risotto recipe is a winner.

When we dine out, I will often order scallops. I just find them so luxurious and delicious; they make every meal a special treat!

But scallops are super easy to make at home, too! We love making a simple Cast Iron Scallops, creamy Scallop Pasta, and during the summer, these Grilled Bacon-Wrapped Scallops are amazing. You can even make scallops in the air fryer!

If you're looking for the ultimate date night dish or dinner party recipe, this Scallop Risotto recipe is a winner. It's the ultimate combination of elegance and comfort, bringing restaurant-quality dining straight to your home.

🌟 Why this recipe works

This dish pairs the creamy, velvety texture of risotto with the tender, caramelized perfection of seared scallops, creating a meal that feels indulgent yet achievable.

We also love making this at home because you can enjoy this tasty, luxurious seafood at a fraction of the cost of ordering something like this at a restaurant.

If that's not enough, here are even more reasons to try this dish:

• Cooking scallops is easy!: No really. Scallops are perhaps one of the easiest types of seafood to cook, and the quickest. They only need about 90 seconds on each side in a hot skillet to get the perfect sear and consistency.
• Simple to customize: You can add other seafood like lobster or crab if you want an even richer dish.
• Great for dinner parties: Impress your friends by serving this restaurant-quality dish you made at home.
• Ideal recipe for risotto novices: If you've never made risotto before, this simple recipe walks you through everything step-by-step, so you can cook with confidence.

🛒 Ingredient notes

• Scallops: Use about 1 pound of fresh scallops. Remember to pat them dry before cooking in order to get a nice, crispy sear on them.
• Rice: I use arborio rice for this recipe. It's firmer, creamier, and starchier than other types, so it's perfect for risotto.
• Grated parmesan cheese: Parmesan not only helps give the finished risotto a creamy consistency, it also provides a tangy punch of flavor.
• Garlic and shallots: Fresh, minced garlic and shallots give this dish deeper, richer flavors.
• Seafood stock: Cooking the rice in seafood stock helps enhance the flavor of the scallops. You can use either home seafood stock or store-bought. Chicken or vegetable stock will also work if you prefer.
• Dry white wine: Try a Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc. These high-acid wines give the risotto an extra measure of flavor and help level out the dish's richness.
• Olive oil: To sauté the shallots and garlic.
• Salt and pepper: Generously season both the scallops prior to searing them, and the risotto as its cooking.
• Parsley: As garnish.

✅ Step-by-step instructions

Here are some step-by-step photos to help you make these yummy scallop risotto! You'll find the full list of ingredients as well as measurements in the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

• Pat dry the scallops and season with salt and pepper.
• Heat the stock over medium heat in a saucepan until boiling.

• In a separate skillet over medium-high heat, add oil.
• Sauté shallots for 2 minutes until slightly soft.
• Add garlic and sauté for about a minute.
• Add the rice and a quarter teaspoon of salt. Stir and cook for 2-4 minutes until the rice starts to turn translucent.

• Slowly add 1 cup of warm stock to the pan.
• Then add a splash of wine.
• Stir slowly until the rice has absorbed the liquid.
• Repeat until the rice is al dente. This should take between 25 to 35 minutes.

• While the rice is cooking, melt some butter into a pan or skillet over medium-high heat.
• Then add the scallops. Cook for 1-2 minutes on each side until they've gotten a good sear.
• Remove them and set aside.

• When the rice is al dente, remove the pan from the heat and add in one-half cup parmesan cheese, the remaining one-quarter teaspoon of kosher salt, and the black pepper.
• Cover the pan and allow it to rest for 4-5 minutes.
• Add the scallops to the rice, or serve the rice in bowls and top with scallops.

👩🏻‍🍳 Recipe FAQs

🍽 Serving ideas

Perfect for a variety of occasions, this scallop risotto recipe shines as a centerpiece for romantic date nights, intimate dinner parties, or even holiday celebrations.

It can be served as a first course to a surf & turf meal alongside grilled pesto steak.

It's also great as an entree, served with vegetable-forward side dishes like corn with basil lime butter, air fryer brussels sprouts with bacon, or rosemary and garlic roast potatoes.

🍷 🥂 Wine pairings

The same dry white wine you used during the cooking process can be the perfect compliment when eating this dish. Here are my top suggestions for wine pairings:

• Sauvignon Blanc: This typically high-acid wine will help even out the richness of the risotto and decrease any brininess of the scallops. I recommend a Sauv Blanc from France's Loire Valley. These often have a cleaner, dryer taste than ones from New Zealand, whose tropical fruit aromas and flavors could overpower the dish.
• Pinot Grigio: Most pinot grigio's have bright acidity, as well as a lighter body. Both will pair well with the creaminess of the risotto.
• Chardonnay: Whether you prefer a buttery Chardonnay or a crisper one, either will work with this dish. Buttery Chards will complement the richness of the risotto, while dryer ones with more prominent acidity will provide a pleasant balance.

🍳 Kitchen tools and equipment

Ready to make this recipe? Here are the kitchen tools and equipment you'll need:

• High-quality set of pans or skillets - you'll need a few good-quality pans to make all the components of this dish.
• Tongs - Kitchen tongs make it easy to flip over the scallops with cooking.
• Wooden spoon - Use a wooden spoon to stir the ingredients.

More seafood recipes

Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to leave a 5-Star 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 rating in the recipe card, and if you really loved it, please leave a comment further down on the page. Thank you!