Whip up these perfect seared scallops for dinner! They’re surprisingly easy and oh so delicious with two yummy homemade pan sauces to choose from!
Two of my absolute favorite dishes to order at Japanese restaurants are zesty crab salads and sapporo scallops.
Though it differs from restaurant to restaurant, they’re always absolutely beautiful and full of flavor.
Bright orange sriracha sauce over shredded imitation crab “noodles” with vibrant green scallions and giant scallops seared to perfection… If I see them on the menu I almost have to order them! Since moving to the middle of nowhere; however, they are a total rarity.
Unless of course I make them at home!
Perfect Seared Scallops and Spicy Kani Salad
Perfect Seared Scallops and Spicy Kani Salad
Ingredients
- 3-4 large fresh sea scallops
- 4 oz imitation crab or your favorite fresh crab meat
- 1 TBSP green onions chopped
- 2 TBSP panko bread crumbs
- 1-2 TBSP oil
- salt and pepper to taste
SPICY MAYO:
- Simply mix mayo, vegan mayo, or plain yogurt with a few drops sriracha chili sauce. Taste as you go to get your perfect level of heat -- I like mine a little fiery!
Instructions
- First make your sriracha sauce and set aside.
- Next shred your crab or imitation crab to make the base of your salad.
- Top with your spicy "dressing" and chopped green onions.
- Then it's time for the scallops! <3 They'll cook FAST, making this a quick and easy appetizer, lunch, dinner or side dish!
- Pat scallops dry, season with a little salt and pepper and set aside.
- Heat a stainless steel pan/skillet with a few tablespoons of oil and wait for it to get hot before adding your scallops.
- If you're cooking more than just a few at a time, grab a larger pan and more oil, so you can space them out and give them room to sizzle!
- Once your pan is ready, add the scallops and sear for about 2-3 minutes on each side until golden and opaque in the middle. Overcooking will be your worst enemy here so keep an eye on them -- the second side will most likely cook a teeny bit faster than the first so check it after a minute or so.
- If you want to simply cook plain scallops with a buttery wine sauce then check out this recipe. Paul likes it that way but I don't (the butter sauce is too rich for me) -- I prefer them with sriracha sauce!
- Top your crab salad with the freshly seared scallops, sprinkle with some panko breadcrumbs [I love the crunch they give to the dish!] and dig in!
Notes
Nutrition
If you get a chance to try these perfect seared scallops, let me know! Leave some love in the comment form below or tag your photos with @peasandcrayons on Instagram so I can happy dance over your creation!
so… how were they?!
Whether you’re making this as an appetizer or a main course, it’s sure to bring a little fun to the table and your tastebuds!
Texture is everything in this house so the combination of warm, tender scallops with the bite of zesty raw green onions, crispy panko, and creamy crab just overall rocks my socks. I’ve always adored ordering seared scallops and crab salads from Japanese restaurants so the combination of these two treats was long overdue in this kitchen! I loooove eating this as a light ‘n fancy lunch or a fun dinner alongside some handmade veggie sushi rolls.
Don’t let the length of this post fool you: this delish dish can be whipped up in a matter of minutes!
Ohmygosh and while we’re at it, check out my Sriracha Glazed Scallops —
I came up with them after posting this recipe and fell madly in love!
Hey Melissa!!! I probably should have clarified that I named them after the dish from my favorite Sushi restaruant back home — there actually isn’t any sapporo in them. Of course now I realize how ridiculously misleading that could be! Sorry for my goof!
There’s a link to the brown sauce from another blogger in this post but I loathed it. Instead I made my own sriracha sauce that I think you’ll love [it’s a big hit around here! yay!] Here’s the link: http://peasandcrayons.com/2012/02/deglazing-with-sriracha.html
I’m going to try to email ya too just in case you don’t get this comment! So excited for you to try this dish! xoxo
I’m planning out my meals for next week — where does the Sapporo part come in? I see a brown sauce in the second scallop photo, but the other photos don’t have that. Help!
I like the idea of using Sriracha sauce — YUM!
made them.. THEY. WERE. AMAZINNNNG! so simple.. soooooo good! thanks for sharing!
Thanks Lacy!!!! <3 so so much!
Yay!!!!! I’m making them again tonight — scallops were on sale at the store yesterday! So excited that you made them AND liked them! Best news I’ve heard all day.
Though the plumber telling me my toilet is no longer possessed was fairly good news too =) I tried to flush eyeshadow and it almost flooded yesterday — true story! haha
Thanks Betty!
yummy yummy LOVE scallops these look AMAZE
making these tonight! thanks for sharing!
Wow this sounds incredible! I’ve never had either and I have to try this out immediately! I’m obsessed with crab meat and I love a good scallop and the panko sprinled on top is such a great idea! Love this!
These are amazing!!!!
Oh this looks sooo good! Love the photos..mouthwatering!!!!
those look delicious
The scallops look perfect! What a delicious dish.
a squeezy bottle may or may not be on my shopping list — right there with ya Julie! 😉
I have never cooked scallops before but I love them!
They cook so FAST its *awesome!*
These look amazingly delicious! I’ve never seared scallops…but I’m willing to give it a try now.
I actually thought this was a restauant meal for a sec…looks so good!
Yum this looks good!
YUM!! this looks so good and I love spicy mayo. I should just make an entire squeeze bottle of it and put it on everything. I honestly would, if I could. Beautiful pics of the scallops 🙂
Looks so delicious! I love the pics!
I’m sitting here admiring all your pics.. yummm! You are one talented little momma. Ummm I am trying to get a hold of you.. But I broke my iphone this week & just got a new one {otter box is staying on this time!!} but now I don’t have your number. I couldn’t message you on facebook for some reason… ahh this is so complicated! email me your number 🙂
Mmm, my heart just skipped a beat. Scallops are my favorite…Ever! I’m so trying this recipe. I love your site, and your pictures are beautiful.
sriracha…mmmmmmmmmmm!
Wow – this looks stunning. I love seared scallops, but the crab meat salad looks like the perfect accompaniment. Wonderful!
Those seriously look incredible, but I’ve never cooked scallops before and they make me nervous! Not nervous to eat … I LOVE scallops. But nervous to cook. And are they expensive to buy at the grocery store?
I am so adding this to our Valentine’s Dinner.
I love sriracha! Lovely post; I think I’ve found my v-day appetizer!
phew! I always worry that I leave something out in my excitement to type it up! lol
Its so hard to see that much money go down the drain- totally agree! I also learned the hard way that frozen is a ginormous waste of money when it comes to scallops. They must inject them with something to puff them up b/c they either overcook or turn to mush. Hot mess!
Oh yes you did! First time I made them, my pan wasn’t hot enough and I over cooked them (understatement). It is depressing to over cook something that can be so expensive.
eek yes! I hope I made that clear in my post! I’ve learned that lesson the hard way =)
This looks amazing! I know what we are having for dinner tomorrow! And the key to seared scallops that isn’t over cooked is a hot pan 🙂 Yours really look fantastic
Thanks Robyn! =) Mine is 2 hours away too — ack! Come on WF get with it and moooove closer!!!! <3
Looks fabulous. Great job of recreating this yummy Japanese dish.
This sounds absolutely delicious!!
Here in Kansas the best places to get seafood is either Dillons or Hyvee. Or Whole Foods, but that is 2 hours away and requires a cooler lol.
I have never seared a scallop or even bought any to cook myself.
right? so proud of my boy! he didn’t burn my food for once =)
oh no! you just cross something else off the grocery list and viola! affordable! I buy them once a month or every other month to prevent bank-breakage 😉
One time, I think. I started to love them just a few years ago. And yes, I want one of those plates now too…:) Those look beautiful!
There’s no better seafood than a perfectly cooked scallop. Love this! Now, if only they weren’t like twenty bajillion dollars a pound…
props to P. those scallops look PERFECTLY cooked
Wow these scallops look fantastic! Love the flavors. Such a creative recipe!
I think it was 12-15 dollars for 8 super large scallops — but they were wild/caught in the USA and huge and really really really good so it was totally worth it to me! so satisfying! Ours were from Whole Foods but local places might charge less? I think its worth it for a treat =)
this looks amazing, although I do not care for spicy things, I’ll have to try it for myself since my hubbs is not a seafood fan 🙂 YUM! thanks for sharing!
Wow,,,these look mouthwatering scallops,looks perfectly done with creamy sriracha sauce,Yum !!
Thanks Rachelle!!!!
Thanks Anna! It’s from crate and barrel =) and was on sale last time I checked!
eee thanks! let me know what you think! <3
Oh, yum! Well done, Jen 🙂 Love the plate, btw! 🙂
Thanks Mary! <3
Thanks Krista! I get in a “sauce rut’ and make the same ones over and over too — its fun to switch it up! Hope you love it =)
This looks like the bomb! I make seared scallops often, but always with about two sauces. This would be a totally different flavor combination, and I’m bookmarking it to try next time.
These look so amazing!! I can’t wait to try them.