Over winter solstice, when everything is cold, damp, and dark, it’s nice to have some comfort food. This Scallop Fettuccine dish captures the savory, creamy, cheesy flavors that people love on cold days. It is ideal served alongside some warm garlic bread.

The sauce for this recipe is sort of like an alfredo sauce, but thicker! The base is a classic “white sauce”, but I have added fresh garlic, tangy lemon juice, salty pancetta, and the bittersweet flavor of tarragon to round it out. It pairs perfectly with scallops (or any other type of shellfish you may want to use in your fettuccine).

When picking your scallops for this recipe, it’s important to make sure you’re purchasing “dry packaged” scallops. Wet packaged scallops are soaked in an additive that can increase the price of your purchase while degrading the quality. I’ve written more about scallops on my article: Simple Seared Scallops.

To make Scallop and Parmesan Fettuccine Alfredo, you can either use storebought or homemade pasta. I always prefer to make my pasta from scratch, but sometimes schedules and time constraints just don’t allow for it. If you do plan to make your pasta by hand, check out my Homemade Pasta recipe!

Recipe for Scallop & Parmesan Fettuccine: 

Protein:

10 Jumbo Scallops (Aim for U10, which means 10 scallops per pound)
Sea Salt
Fresh Cracked Peppercorn
2 Tablespoons of Butter
1 Tablespoon of Olive Oil

Sauce: 

1/2 Cup of Unsalted Butter
1/3 Cup of Flour
2 Cups of Heavy Whipping Cream
2 Teaspoons of Sour Cheese
4 Cloves of Minced Garlic
1 Cup of Freshly Grated Parmesan Cheese
Diced Pancetta (About 1/2 Cup)
1 Handful of Fresh Tarragon
Sea Salt (To Taste)
Fresh Cracked Peppercorn
Chicken Broth (for thinning)
Juice of 1/2 a Lemon

Toppings: 

1/2 Cup of Breadcrumbs
2-3 Tablespoons of Butter
Pancetta
Fresh Tarragon
Fresh Parmesan Cheese
Lemon Zest

Pasta: 

Homemade or Storebought Fettucine
Salt Water

Instructions for Scallop Fettucine: 

1: Melt 1/2 cup of butter in a frying pan over medium heat, stirring often. Sprinkle in your flour, a little at a time, until you form a roux. Slowly pour in your cream, whisking constantly.

2: Spoon in sour cream and stir. Add sea salt and fresh cracked peppercorn, lemon juice, and parmesan cheese, then reduce heat to low.

3: In a frying pan over medium heat, saute finely diced pancetta. When the pancetta is almost browned, toss in garlic. Saute for about 2 minutes. Strain grease, and stir your pancetta and garlic in with your white sauce. Allow your sauce to simmer on low.

4: Using the same frying pan, drop in breadcrumbs and 3 tablespoons of butter, and a few sprigs of fresh tarragon. With a rubber spatula, push around the pan until the crumbs are toasted (this takes about 5 minutes). Remove from the heat and set aside.

5: Boil your fettuccine in a pot of salted water. While your pasta is cooking, complete the step below. Once your pasta is al dente, strain and set aside.

6: In a new frying pan, melt 2 tablespoons of butter with 1 tablespoon of olive oil. Pat your scallops dry with paper towel. Sprinkle liberally with sea salt and freshly cracked peppercorn. Increase the heat on your frying pan to medium-high, and drop scallops in. Leave your scallops for about a minute and a half, to two minutes, to allow a sear. Flip, and sear off the other side.

7: Thin our your white sauce by whisking in chicken broth, if required. Toss your strained pasta into your white sauce, swirling with tongs. Twirl your pasta from your pot to a plate. Place scallops on top of your pasta.

8: Finish by sprinkling with toasted breadcrumbs, lemon zest, fresh tarragon, freshly cracked pepper, and fresh parmesan.

Enjoy!