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Seared Scallop With Mushroom Risotto

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A perfectly seared scallop atop earthy, creamy mushroom risotto… A perfect starter course for a special occasion, or a main dish with additional scallops! Seared Scallop With Mushroom Risotto is an elegant starter or show-stopping main dish with a salad or vegetable side!

A square white plate with gluten free mushroom risotto topped with 4 perfectly seared scallops, paired with grilled asparagus and a glass of dry rosé

👩🏻‍🍳 Tamara Talks – Valentine’s Day Inspiration

Red Quotation Marks

Who, being loved, is poor?

~~ A Woman of No Importance, Oscar Wilde

I’ve been working on our Valentine’s Day menu for a couple of weeks. Seared Scallop With Mushroom Risotto makes a lovely starter course, but you may consider it a main course as well; simply adjust the portions. 

One thing is certain – restaurants do more than “brisk” business on Valentine’s Day, and this crowd-hating girl would rather cook for her love than wait to be served at a busy restaurant! I don’t remember not preparing a special meal for the two of us on Valentine’s Day, and we’ve been married now 39 years…

As a starter course, the dish is topped with 1 perfectly seared large sea scallop. If there’s only one scallop sitting atop your mushroom risotto, you want to make a gorgeous seared scallop!

When I originally published this recipe, we “pulled out all the stops” for our Valentine’s Day celebration in 2016. We started our meal with a single seared scallop over a small scoop of mushroom risotto (leftovers are great the next day!), followed by Grilled Lamb Chops With Bleu Cheese Herb Butter and Mulled Red Wine and Plum Sorbet.

Light a couple of candles, open a bottle of wine, and enjoy good conversation with your beloved while you make this spectacular, romantic dinner for two! Valentine’s Day is for lovers… and retail of course.  😉

🔪 Instructions for Making the Mushroom Risotto

Risotto, with its origins in northern Italy, is typically served as primo (first course). Risotto is cooked slowly in broth and wine, allowing the grains to release their starch, creating a lovely creamy consistency.  

  • Prep the ingredients – Cover the porcini (if using) with boiling water. Chop the shallots, mince the garlic, and slice the crimini or button mushrooms. Put your broth in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat and maintain a low simmer.
Step 1 - Sauté the aromatics.
  • Sauté the aromatics – Using a good quality, fairly heavy pan (I like my enameled cast iron small dutch oven), heat the truffle oil or olive oil, add the shallot and minced garlic. Sauté until translucent.
Step 2 - Sliced mushrooms are added to the pan.
  • Add the mushrooms and arborio rice, and saute until the mushrooms begin to brown. De-glaze the pan with wine or sherry. Add the thyme leaves, and salt and pepper.
Step 3 - Add arborio rice and ladle hot broth.
  • Begin adding broth/stock – When most of the wine is absorbed, add the porcini liquid (if not using, see notes). Chop the drained porcini and add them to the pan. Continue adding hot broth as the liquid is absorbed, stirring often. This process will take about 30 minutes +/-.
Step 4 - Add grated parmesan to the mushroom risotto.
  • Finish the risotto – At about 25 minutes, taste a grain. It should be firm but tender, and the mixture should be creamy. When the rice is al dente (firm but tender to the bite), stir in the grated cheese.

🥘 How to Make a Perfectly Seared Scallop

The key to a good sear on the scallop lies in removing as much moisture as possible. If you’re fortunate enough to get “dry” scallops rather than “wet,” you can skip this step. A simple soak in water with sea salt and lemon juice, followed by a thorough pat down with dry towels does the trick. I discuss this process further in my Irish Scallop Bisque post.

Add DRY scallops to a smoking hot cast iron skillet with just a bit of oil.
  • Cook the scallops – Pat the scallops dry on all sides. Coat a sauté pan with truffle or olive oil. Bring the pan almost to the smoke point. Place the scallops in the very hot pan.
After 2-3 minutes, the seared scallops in a very hot cast iron pan get turned.
  • Finish the scallops – Cook until nicely caramelized, then turn. Season with sea salt and pepper. Time this step to coincide with the completion of the risotto.
  • Serve – On a small dinner plate, spoon one-fourth of the risotto. Top with a scallop (or scallops). Sprinkle with chopped parsley, and enjoy!
A closeup of seared scallops with mushroom risotto and asparagus on a white plate with black fork.

🗒️ Notes About Risotto

While I have used barley as a flavorful stand-in for my Pumpkin Barley Risotto, authentic Italian risotto is made with short or medium grain rice that is high starch (amylopectin) and low amylose. Arborio is the only rice I have found in the United States that is suitable for risotto. This short-grained rice yields risotto that is creamy, chewy, and firm to the bite. The finished dish should be creamy, never gloppy!

My lifelong approach to a healthy “diet” is to keep track of overall carbs and calories. I typically stick to whole grain and fiber-rich carbs, but if I indulge in a dish like this one, I cut them from another meal. THIS WORKS.

For my gluten sensitive readers, Seared Scallop with Mushroom Risotto is gluten free. Enjoy it without concern!

A gorgeous perfectly seared scallop atop mushroom risotto on a square white plate with grilled asparagus, black flatware, and a striped cloth napkin.

Can I Make a Good Risotto?

Risotto is not a comfortable dish for many home cooks. If you love to cook, and are reasonably good at it, you can in all likelihood make a delicious pot of risotto.  😉  Don’t let this dish intimidate you! It is actually more successfully cooked in your kitchen than in the kitchen of a fine restaurant.

Risotto needs to be prepared in small batches, and eaten right away. Restaurants simply can’t give it the attention you can at home. It does require frequent stirring, and special care must be taken to cook just long enough to achieve al denté (still firm-to-the-bite tender) grains.

Is Risotto Healthy?

The short answer? NO. We most definitely consider risotto to be a special occasion splurge dish… and love it about once a year. Between the oil to start the process, the carbs in the white arborio rice, and the cheese used to finish it, you’re looking at about 300 calories with just 1 scallop, and about 33 grams of carbs.

Are Scallops Healthy?

YES. Scallops pack tons of flavor and nutrition in 94 calories. 3 ounces contain about 20 grams of protein, 1 gram of fat, and 0 carbs. They’re an excellent source of B12, omega-3 fatty acids, phosphorus, iron, and others.

Cooking method, of course, can get you in trouble when counting calories. We are not adding a lot of fat in searing the scallops, and they’re not breaded or covered with sauce. For more on scallops see Are Scallops Safe to Eat? Nutrition, Benefits and More.

What is the best pan/pot for making risotto?

Evaporation is important to making good risotto, but you also need to cook the rice. You don’t want the liquid to evaporate too quickly. A heavy-bottomed, deep, straight-sided skillet – about 10 to 12 inches – is great for cooking risotto for 4 to 6 servings. Mine is similar to this deep-sided skillet.

🍷 Pairing Suggestions

As you can see in my photos, we love this dish with a rosé… a crisp, dry rosé. With year ’round summer in McAllen and all the fresh seafood, we find this versatile wine goes with most meals. A sauvignon blanc is always a good choice with seafood, as its citrus, herbal, grassy minerality pairs really well!

I hope that you will set your sights high, and give Seared Scallop with Mushroom Risotto a try. 😀  Mark and I will enjoy it as a first course, followed by grilled lamb chops with compound butter, and of course, a light and lovely dessert. More to come on that later… Soft jazz, candlelight, a bottle of wine, and a quiet evening with my man wins “hands down” over our crowded local restaurants.

Signature in red and green with chiles and limes. Healthyish Latin cuisine.

A square white plate with Seared Scallop with Mushroom Risotto, a black fork, and grilled asparagus.

Seared Scallop With Mushroom Risotto

Tamara Andersen
A perfectly seared scallop atop earthy, creamy mushroom-laden risotto… A perfect starter course for a special occasion, or a main dish with additional scallops!
4.65 from 14 votes

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Print Recipe Pin Recipe Save Recipe
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 40 minutes
Total Time 50 minutes
Course Main Dishes, Starter
Cuisine Italian
Servings 4 servings
Calories 295 kcal

Ingredients
  

  • .5 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 cup boiling water to cover dried mushrooms
  • drizzle of white truffle oil*
  • 1 shallot - minced
  • 1 teaspoon garlic - minced
  • 1 cup crimini mushrooms - sliced
  • 1 cup arborio rice*
  • ¾ cup dry white wine or 1/3 cup dry sherry
  • several sprigs fresh thyme - leaves stripped or
  • 1 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
  • ½ teaspoon sea salt
  • a few grinds pepper
  • 3 cups mushroom broth +/-
  • ½ cup parmagiano reggiano*
  • parsley to garnish
  • large sea scallops*
  • 1 tablespoon white truffle oil*
  • sea salt/ground pepper
  • * See Notes

Instructions

  • Cover the porcini (if using) with boiling water. Chop the shallots, mince the garlic, and slice the crimini or button mushrooms.
  • Put your broth* in a medium saucepan on medium-high heat and maintain a low simmer. Using a good quality, fairly heavy pan (I like my enameled cast iron small dutch oven), heat the truffle oil, add the shallot and minced garlic. Sauté until translucent. Add the mushrooms and rice, and saute until the mushrooms begin to brown.
  • De-glaze the pot with wine or sherry. Add the thyme leaves, and salt and pepper.
  • When most of the wine is absorbed, add the porcini liquid (if not using, see notes). Chop the drained porcini and add them to the pot. Continue adding hot broth as the liquid is absorbed, stirring often. This process will take about 30 minutes +/-.
  • Pat the scallops dry on all sides.* Coat a non-stick saute pan with truffle or olive oil. Bring the pan almost to the smoke point. Place the scallops in the very hot pan. Cook until nicely caramelized, then turn. Season with sea salt and pepper. Time this step to coincide with the completion of the risotto.
  • At about 25 minutes, taste a grain. It should be firm but tender, and the mixture should be creamy.
  • When the rice is al dente (firm but tender to the bite), stir in the grated cheese.

To Serve

  • On a small dinner plate, spoon one-fourth of the risotto. Top with a scallop (or scallops). Sprinkle with chopped parsley, and enjoy!

Notes

Dried porcini have a wonderful, intense mushroom flavor. When re-hydrated, the liquid is highly concentrated and flavorful. Add to the rice after the addition of the wine or sherry if using. If not, you’ll most likely need more than 3 cups of liquid. Typically, I use a 1:4 ratio of arborio rice to liquid.
White truffle oil deepens the earthy flavors of this dish. You can substitute your favorite extra virgin olive oil.
Of course parmagiano reggiano is amazing, but quite expensive. The dish will not suffer if you substitute freshly grated parmesan, romano, or even asiago. Just don’t use pre-grated cheese!
If making this as a starter course, one large scallop per person is a nice-sized serving. As a main course, I like to serve 3 per person which works out to about 4 ounces each. Large scallops will add about 40 calories each to the dish if using more than 1 per serving.
Macronutrients are an approximation from MyFitnessPal.com, and just meant to be a reference. I used 1 large scallop per person (starter portion).

Nutrition

Calories: 295kcal | Carbohydrates: 33g | Protein: 13g | Fat: 10g

NOTE: Macronutrients are an approximation only using unbranded ingredients and MyFitnessPal.com. Please do your own research with the products you’re using if you have a serious health issue or are following a specific diet.

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a comment and/or star rating! Email us with any questions: tamara@beyondmeresustenance.com

Love Risottos?

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Spring Risotto with Shrimp, Chèvre and English Peas

Creamy risotto with delicate, herbaceous dill, plump Gulf shrimp, and spring-fresh English peas, all tossed with creamy chèvre...Spring Risotto with Shrimp, Chèvre and English Peas tastes like spring, and makes a perfect main course for your beautiful Easter brunch or supper!

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Photo Credit: beyondmeresustenance.com
Seared Scallop with Mushroom Risotto on a beige plate with a red napkin.
My 2016 photo of a single seared scallop atop mushroom risotto… a perfect starter course for a fancy meal!

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27 Comments

    1. Thanks so much Julie! The recipe has lots of porcini and cremini mushrooms for both of our mushroom loving hearts! And I love #SaucySaturdays because I get to meet new (to me) fabulous bloggers 🙂

      Reply

  6. This is unbelievably good! I have never tried risotto yet coz arborio rice is really difficult to source where i live. BUt just looking at your bowl is enough. And white truffle oil! Wow.. you went all out! I feel you.. Valentine night out is sooo over rated. I love making sth cosy and having a good time at home 🙂

    Reply

    1. Thanks Swayam! I think Valentine’s Day was created for restaurants and retail stores… 😉 It’s so busy and expensive! I’d much rather spend the money on things like white truffle oil, and spend the time together in the kitchen and then on the patio. Happy Valentine’s Day to you!

      Reply

  8. Wow! this looks divine! I also don’t like dining out for valentine’s , i prefer a nice “extra” special meal made at home with lots of love 🙂 Happy valentine’s day !

    Reply

  14. You’re not kidding that restaurants are busy! I have enough trouble getting my husband out to eat on a regular day – no way is that Happening on Valentine’s Day!!

    This looks lovely! Scallops are my hubs favorite dish, so this is definitely a contender for our dinner … based on the chances of me finding scallops… sigh …

    Reply

    1. I sympathize! When we lived in New Mexico, I could find them but didn’t trust them so far from the ocean 🙁 Happy Valentine’s Day to you both!

      Reply