A new springtime dish that is fresh, light, and oh so delicious: scallops with cucumber salad & mascarpone cheese. Golden, seared scallops are spooned over creamy mascarpone, creating a really buttery, rich flavor combination. And then the crisp cucumber salad is the perfect contrast – full of avocado, radishes, scallions, snap peas, and lots of lemon.
scallops with cucumber salad & mascarpone – the details
Whenever I cook scallops, I pretty much follow the same formula – sear them simply and add something seasonal. For winter, something like a lemon butter sauce and wilted greens, and in the summer, my favorite combo is corn, bacon, and chimichurri.
For these springtime scallops, I was inspired by all of the fresh and vibrant produce that’s coming into season right now! I took a whole variety of crisp, refreshing (mainly green) vegetables and tossed them together with lemon and olive oil for the simplest topping to spoon over the scallops.
As for the mascarpone cheese, it gets spread onto the plate as the base…which you can spoon up with every bite. It creates a creamy contrast against the crunchy cucumbers, radishes, snap peas, and scallions. Plus, the flavor of the mascarpone with the scallops is DELICIOUS.
This simple recipe comes together really quickly and makes for a great appetizer or light springtime meal any night of the week!
If you’re looking for more scallop recipes, here are a few to try:
Scallops with Sautéed Corn & Chimichurri
Lemon Butter Scallops with Greens & Walnuts
Scallops with Cherries & Wilted Greens
Scallops with Cucumber Salad & Mascarpone
seared scallops with a crisp, lemony cucumber salad and creamy mascarpone cheese
servings: 4
Ingredients
- 1 ½ lbs sea scallops, side muscle removed
- 1 small cucumber, thinly sliced on a mandolin
- 1 avocado, pitted + diced
- 2 radishes, thinly sliced on a mandolin
- 2 scallions, thinly sliced
- ¼ lb sugar snap peas, thinly sliced on an angle
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 3 tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- kosher salt
- freshly cracked black pepper
- neutral cooking oil
- 8 oz mascarpone cheese
- 1 tbsp fresh dill leaves
- flaky sea salt
Instructions
- Pat the scallops dry with paper towels and let them sit at room temperature for 15 minutes or so.
- Meanwhile, combine the sliced cucumber, avocado, radishes, scallions, sugar snap peas, lemon zest, lemon juice, and extra virgin olive oil in a mixing bowl. Toss to combine. Season with salt and black pepper to taste.
- Heat a 12” stainless steel skillet over medium heat. Add enough cooking oil to just coat the bottom of the pan. When the oil is very hot (you should hear a sizzle), place the scallops into the skillet. Work in batches (or use two skillets) if needed so that you don’t overcrowd the pan.
- Sear the scallops for about 2 minutes until a golden crust forms. Flip them over and finish cooking for 1-2 minutes longer.
- Swoosh the mascarpone cheese onto a large plate. Place the scallops onto the mascarpone. Spoon the cucumber salad over top. Garnish with the fresh dill, more freshly cracked black pepper, and a good pinch of flaky sea salt.
shop the dish: scallops with cucumber salad & mascarpone
Made this tonight for my husband and daughter and it was absolute perfection. Wouldn’t change a thing!
I’m making this for my husband for dinner. Any ideas of what to also serve with it because I know he will love it but also be hungry 5 minutes later :). Perhaps some type of bread? Thank you!