Spicy Scallop Alfredo Pasta

This Creamy Alfredo topped with Spicy Seafood is my go to easy comfort food.

There’s just something about the clean alfredo flavors drenched in spicy oil from the seafood.

I used frozen sea scallops for this dish

but it goes extremely well with shrimp, squid, imitation crab, etc too. Just use the same seasoning on whatever seafood you desire!

You can also make the sauce in the same pan as your seafood,

just remove the seafood and make the sauce then add the seafood back at the end. I do this depending on my mood, whether I want my alfredo as a stand alone dish or if I want the spicy flavors incorporated in the sauce. Try it out both ways and see what you like!

For extra garlic flavor in the alfredo sauce

sometimes I like to add some finely grated raw garlic to the alfredo a minute or two before it’s done. This gives the alfredo an almost garlic sauce type flavor which I love.

INGREDIENTS

• 1/4 box fettuccine pasta
• 6-8 large scallops
• 1 1/2 tbsp butter
• 3 garlic cloves grated
• 1 tbsp flour
• 1/8-1/4 cup parmesan grated
• pinch italian seasoning
• pinch black pepper
• 3 tsp oil
• water for boiling
• salt for boiling
• basil for garnish

Seasoning

• 1 tsp chili powder
• 1/2 tsp paprika
• 1/2 tsp garlic powder
• 1/4 tsp onion powder
• 1/4 tsp italian seasoning blend
• 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/4 tsp brown sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt

INSTRUCTIONS 

First, bring a pot of water to a boil, add heavy salt, and boil fettuccine according to package instructions. Drain and reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water.

Clean and wash scallops. Take off the muscle on the side, and pat dry with a paper towel.

Mix all your seasoning together and sprinkle on scallops, coating them heavily and on all sides

Heat a small cast iron pan on high until just smokey, then add in a tbsp of oil and your scallops flat side down.

Cook for a minute or two until nice and charred and flip. Cook for another minute untill there is some char then throw in half your butter and half of the grated gralic. Pour the garlic butter mixture over scallops with a small spoon and take off the heat before it burns or the scallops overcook. Remove the scallops and the oil from the pan onto a bowl to let them rest.

For the Alfredo, heat your pan, add in a bit of oil and the rest of the butter and garlic, fry on medium heat for around 30 seconds and add in the flour before the garlic turns golden. fry the flour in the butter for a minute then add in your cream. Whisk/mix immediately, very well, making sure to press on any lumps to make sure the sauce is smooth.

Add in your pasta water (make sure it’s not too salty first before adding in too much) and mix well to dilute the cream.

Once the sauce comes back to a boil, add in your cooked pasta, and some oil from your scallops if you like. Mix well, and let it simmer until the sauce thickens a bit. Then add in grated parmesan, taste and add in some italian seasoning, black pepper, and more parmesan or salt if needed. Take it off the heat.

Plate, and top with your charred scallops, the spicy oil, and some chopped basil. Enjoy!