Hello, Seafoodies!
No matter the season, we think there’s something almost everyone can agree on. Honestly—no one really has time to be anchored to the kitchen preparing complicated meals during the week!
If you’ve also been a victim of social-media-worthy recipes that end up taking hours (and honestly not tasting that great)—we’ve got just the solution to keep you cruising through busy fall days. Let’s hear it for our latest low-carb 30-minute sensation— Asian-Style Scallops with Vegetable Noodles!
In less time than it takes to watch your favorite sitcom, you’ll be serving up scallops, seared to perfection and dressed in a light, flavorful glaze. The beauty of this dish? You can pre-prep most of it, making it a delicious last-minute meal you’ll pull out of your recipe arsenal time and time again.
Even though it’s simple enough for a weeknight family dinner— it’s also impressive (and Instagram-worthy!) enough for a Saturday night soirée with your crew!
We’ve kept it low-carb by swapping out traditional noodles for a vibrant medley of voodles (that’s vegetable noodles, FYI). This recipe takes zoodles to the next level by introducing some crisp carrot and cucumber curls to the mix. Voodles are a breeze to create at home with a spiralizer or peeler, or you can find them pre-cut in the produce aisle to save some precious time. And these voodles are dressed to the nines: With a splash of red cabbage, a sprinkle of cilantro and an irresistible soy-hoisin sauce.
But let’s not forget the scallops! These little bites are the definition of “good things come in small packages”—with about 17 grams of lean protein per 3-ounce serving, along with an impressive haul of omega-3s and a healthy serving of essential nutrients.
Want to achieve that restaurant-worthy sear on your scallops? Here’s the official Dish on Fish secret: Pat them dry so they sizzle (rather than steam) and cook them in small batches to give each one plenty of space in your pan. We use sesame oil in this recipe not just for its incredible flavor, but also because it has a high smoke point—allowing you to really bring the heat!
So, after navigating back-to-school chaos, putting in long days at the office or simply longing for a quick and delicious dish to add to your repertoire—our Asian-Style Scallops with Vegetable Noodles is your ticket to smooth meal sailing.
Dig in!
For veggie noodles or “voodles”
- 2 large zucchini, washed and ends trimmed (or buy spiralized zucchini)
- 1 large carrot, washed and ends trimmed (or buy spiralized carrot)
- 1 cucumber, washed and ends trimmed (or buy spiralized cucumber)
- ½ cup red cabbage, thinly sliced
- ¼ cup cilantro, chopped
- For Asian-style sauce
- ¼ cup reduced sodium soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 2 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 to 2 teaspoons cornstarch
- Red pepper flakes, kosher salt and black pepper, to taste
- 2 green onions, thinly sliced (optional)
- Crushed peanuts or sesame seeds for garnish (optional)
For scallops
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1½ pounds large sea scallops (about 16 to 20)
- Pat scallops dry with a paper towel (this is important for the sear); salt and pepper both sides of each scallop, to taste.
- Spiralize zucchini, carrot and cucumber into “noodles” using spiral cutter or vegetable peeler. (Or, purchase already-spiralized veggies and skip this step.) Place spiralized veggies in a large bowl with thinly sliced red cabbage and cilantro; set aside.
- In a small bowl, whisk together soy sauce and next six ingredients (through cornstarch). Add red pepper flakes, salt and pepper, to taste; whisk well. Set aside.
- Heat oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add scallops in small groups, making sure to not overcrowd the pan, and cook 3 to 4 minutes, or until golden brown. Flip over and cook 3 to 4 more minutes, until second side is golden brown. Add 3 tablespoons sauce; turn down heat to a simmer and cook for about 2 more minutes, or until scallops are cooked through and opaque in color.
- Add scallops to vegetable noodles bowl and top with sauce; toss to combine until noodles and scallops are coated in sauce. Top with green onions and peanuts or sesame seeds, if desired.
Notes
Recommended Utensils; Spiralizer or vegetable peeler, large bowl, small mixing bowl, whisk, skillet, tongs.
- Prep Time: 20
- Cook Time: 10
- Category: Scallops
