• Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Oh, That's Good!

menu icon
go to homepage
  • All Recipes
  • For Two
  • Collections
  • Meal Plans
  • Tips
  • Appetizers
  • Seafood
  • Soups
  • Cookies
  • Pies & Tarts
  • Cake & Muffins
  • Sides
  • Savory Breakfast
  • Sweet Breakfast
  • Pasta & Rice
  • Bread & Pastry
  • Ice Cream & Puddings
  • Beef
  • Poultry
  • Pork
  • Sandwich & Burger
  • Pizza
  • Sauce & Condiments
  • Asian
  • Mediterranean
  • Tex-Mex
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • All Recipes
    • For Two
    • Collections
    • Meal Plans
    • Tips
    • Appetizers
    • Seafood
    • Soups
    • Cookies
    • Pies & Tarts
    • Cake & Muffins
    • Sides
    • Savory Breakfast
    • Sweet Breakfast
    • Pasta & Rice
    • Bread & Pastry
    • Ice Cream & Puddings
    • Beef
    • Poultry
    • Pork
    • Sandwich & Burger
    • Pizza
    • Sauce & Condiments
    • Asian
    • Mediterranean
    • Tex-Mex
    • Email
    • Facebook
    • Pinterest
  • ×

    HOME » Recipes » Seafood

    Published: Sep 11, 2021 · Modified: Jan 22, 2023· This website generates income via ads ·

    Mediterranean Shrimp and Scallops Recipe

    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe Pin Recipe

    My Mediterranean Shrimp and Scallops Recipe (for two) is a lightened-up version of a popular Mediterranean shrimp skillet. This easy shrimp recipe is a perfect choice for a busy weeknight dinner. With a little prep, this dish can be on the table in 35 minutes! Great for those following a Mediterranean diet or those who love Mediterranean foods and Mediterranean recipes.

    This easy recipe is for two servings, but it can easily be adjusted up to serve 4 or 6, with just a click on the recipe card.

    The Mediterranean dish that inspired this recipe includes flour in the marinade. The flour gives the finished dish a thick, marinara-type sauce. I was looking for something with a thinner “broth-like” sauce. In my recipe, I omit the flour, add clam juice, and more wine to create a broth. The rice soaks up the broth better and the thinner broth is perfect for sopping with a piece of crusty French bread. That really is the best way to enjoy this dish.

    Jump to:
    • Ingredients
    • Ingredient Notes
    • Instructions
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • Serving and Storing
    • Top Tip:
    • Recipe
    • Food safety tips

    Ingredients

    Please note: the ingredient and process shots were taken during the cooking of the recipe for four servings, not two as the recipe is written for.

    The ingredients needed for this recipe are available at your local grocery store, except perhaps for the scallops. If you can't find scallops, use all shrimp instead.

    Ingredients for Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops

    (See the recipe card for exact quantities and measurements.)

    Ingredient Notes

    • Shrimp - use large shrimp (16-25 per pound) for this recipe.
    • Scallops - choose ocean scallops, not bay scallops for this recipe
    • White Wine - any dry white wine that you would drink will work for this recipe. Avoid sweet white wines. An alternative to the ¼ cup white wine would be 2 tablespoons of apple cider vinegar or champagne vinegar.
    • Butter - use olive oil if you prefer it to butter. It is healthier too!
    • Cayenne Pepper - Use crushed red pepper flakes to substitute cayenne pepper.
    • Grape or Cherry Tomatoes - you could use sliced Roma tomatoes if you don't have cherry tomatoes but the flavor is a bit less sweet.
    • Clam Juice - if you don't have clam juice, you can substitute chicken broth, but the taste will not be as seafood-forward.
    • Fresh Lemon Juice - not the bottled kind.
    • Scallions - you can use chives in place of green onions. You could also use finely chopped white or red onion.
    • Parsley - fresh is really the best for this recipe but fresh basil will work as well.
    • Smoked Paprika - I like the smoked paprika for this dish but any paprika you have will work. If using hot Hungarian paprika consider omitting the cayenne pepper.
    • Rice - Brown or White rice, (cooked)

    Instructions

    Peel shrimp, leave the tails on, de-vein, and rinse. Slice scallops in half horizontally. Pat shrimp and scallops dry with a paper towel.

    Mix the paprika, Cayenne pepper, sugar, and salt in a medium bowl.

    Fold the seafood into the spice mixture being careful not to damage the scallops. The seafood should be evenly coated with spices.

    Add butter to a sauté pan over medium heat until melted and bubbling. Add the sliced garlic, stirring until it becomes fragrant, about 30-45 seconds. Remove the garlic from the pan and set aside to add back later.

    Place the shrimp into the pan over medium heat in a single layer. When the shrimp is golden brown, turn it over and sear the other side. Shrimp cooks fast, so you are just searing the surface. The shrimp will continue cooking later.

    Move the seared shrimp to one side of the pan leaving room for the scallops.

    Place the scallops in the pan and cook until lightly golden brown. Flip to the opposite side for 30 seconds. As the scallops are seared, place them on the side with the shrimp.

    The shrimp and scallops should be seared on the outside only at this point. They will continue cooking in the broth.

    Add the tomatoes to the sauté pan. Mix the tomatoes in with the seafood.

    Mix the clam juice, wine, and lemon juice in a small bowl and pour into the sauté pan.

    Raise the temperature of the hot skillet to medium-high heat. Cook for one minute then remove the shrimp and scallops from the pan and set aside.

    Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter to the pan along with the cooked garlic.

    Add the chopped parsley to the sauté pan. Save a bit for garnish.

    Simmer the sauce until the tomatoes begin to blister and give up their liquid. Continue simmering until the liquid reduces and thickens a bit.

    Add the seafood back to the pan and cook until heated through.

    Sprinkle on parsley and serve immediately over rice. Add freshly ground black pepper to taste.

    Enjoy with a chunk of crusty French bread for sopping up the sauce.

    Sautéed shrimp and scallops in tomato broth o
Served over white rice with a piece of bread.

    Hint: Slicing garlic into thin pieces is time-consuming and risky if your knife skills need improvement. I love this inexpensive Garlic Slicer from Oxo. Plus, it works for slicing ginger too! (non-affiliate link. I just love it!)

    Variations

    • Spicy - if you like it spicy, add extra Cayenne pepper. The serious heat seekers can add a little Calabrian chili paste.
    • Amp up the Mediterranean flavors by adding artichoke hearts or kalamata olives and sprinkling on a little Feta cheese before serving.
    • Deluxe - for a truly decadent version of Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops, add chunks of lobster.

    Equipment

    A good sauté pan is the only thing you need and the best choice for preparing the dish. Confident cooks can use a stainless steel saucepan, but a good quality non-stick pan with a heavy bottom works for even novice cooks.

    Serving and Storing

    Serving suggestion: I am a bit obsessed with shallow serving bowls at the moment. Serving this dish in shallow bowls allows you to get seafood and rice in every bite. Plus, it just looks better and contains the broth better than a plate.

    This dish is best when served piping hot, right off the stove. I have warmed leftovers for lunch the following day, and while still good, it is not quite as good. The seafood gets a bit overcooked.

    This dish does not stand up well to freezing.

    Top Tip:

    Fresh shrimp and scallops work best in this recipe. Like many of you, fresh seafood can be challenging to find where I live, so I often use frozen. If you are buying previously frozen seafood from behind the case, ask when it was defrosted. They should be able to tell you. It is often better to buy a bag of frozen seafood and thaw it when you need it.

    I always buy sustainable seafood and fish and, if I buy frozen, I prefer brands that are individually flash-frozen, right on the boat. I always thaw frozen seafood in the refrigerator or submerged in cold water.

    Recipe

    Mediterranean Shrimp and Scallops Recipe

    Shrimp and scallops sauteed with garlic, spices, and cherry tomatoes for easy meals. Serve over your choice of white or brown rice with crusty bread for sopping up the sauce.
    4.89 from 127 votes
    Print Recipe Pin Recipe
    Prep Time 15 mins
    Cook Time 20 mins
    Total Time 35 mins
    Course
    Main Course
    Servings 2
    Budget
    Frugal
    serving $5.83

    Equipment

    • Large skillet or saute pan
    • Garlic slicer or sharp paring knife

    Ingredients
     
     

    • 8 medium shrimp tails on (recommended)
    • 4 large sea scallops sliced in half horizontally
    • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
    • ¼` teaspoon kosher salt (recommended) use only ¼ teaspoon if using table salt
    • ¼ teaspoon granulated sugar
    • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
    • 1.5 tbs butter
    • 3 cloves garlic thinly sliced
    • ½ cup cherry or grape tomatoes halved
    • ¼ cup bottled clam juice substitute low sodium chicken broth
    • ¼ cup dry white wine
    • 1 tbs lemon juice freshly squeezed
    • 1.5 tbs flat leaf Italian parsley coarsely chopped
    • 1 cups hot cooked brown rice substitute white rice

    Instructions
     

    • Rinse, peel and devein shrimp, leaving the tails on. Pat dry with paper towels. Slice the scallops in half horizontally and pat dry.
    • Combine paprika, kosher salt, sugar, and cayenne pepper in a medium bowl and mix well. Place the shrimp and scallops in the bowl and fold gently until all the seafood is coated.
    • Melt 1 tbs of the butter in a large sauté pan or non-stick skillet over medium heat being careful not to burn it. Add the sliced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute. Do not brown the garlic! Remove the cooked garlic and set aside to be added back later.
    • Add the shrimp and sear both sides over medium heat. Move the seared shrimp to one side of the pan to make room for the scallops.
    • Add the scallops in a single layer on the open side of the skillet, being careful not to crowd them. After turning them once, cook them for 30 seconds on the other side. As they get nicely seared, move them to the side with the shrimp. When all the seafood is seared, stir to mix.
    • Add the tomatoes, the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, the cooked garlic and the chopped parsley.
    • Mix the clam juice, wine, and lemon juice in a small bowl and add to the pan. Raise the temperature of the hot skillet to medium high heat. Simmer for one minute, then remove the shrimp and scallops to a plate and set aside to be added later.
    • Simmer the sauce until the tomatoes begin to shrivel and give up their liquid. Continue simmering until the liquid reduces and thickens a bit, about 3-5 minutes.
    • Return the shrimp and scallops to the pan. When the shrimp and scallops are opaque, remove the skillet from the heat and sprinkle on some fresh parsley and black pepper to taste.
    • Serve in shallow bowls, poured over white or brown rice.

    Notes

    Actual prep time will depend on whether you are using already peeled and deveined shrimp. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 269kcalCarbohydrates: 33gProtein: 8gFat: 10gSaturated Fat: 6gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 1gCholesterol: 36mgSodium: 605mgPotassium: 351mgFiber: 3gSugar: 3gVitamin A: 1340IUVitamin C: 18mgCalcium: 41mgIron: 2mg

    Approximate nutrition information is provided as a convenience and courtesy only. You are encouraged to do your own calculations if precise data is required.

    We take every effort to ensure that the estimated meal cost per serving is accurate. We use a meal cost analysis application that estimates the cost of a recipe based on groceries purchased at a Walmart store in my geographical area, northern California.

    Actual prep time will depend on whether you are using already peeled and deveined shrimp. 
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

    This Sautéed Shrimp and Scallop recipe would be the perfect main course to pair with my delicious Mediterranean Salad.

    Plated dish of Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops over Rice with coarse finishing salt
    Plated dish of Sautéed Shrimp and Scallops

    Food safety tips

    From the USDA: Safe steps in food handling, cooking, and storage are essential in preventing foodborne illness. You can't see, smell, or taste harmful bacteria that may cause illness. In every step of food preparation, follow the four guidelines to keep food safe:

    • Clean—Wash hands and surfaces often.
    • Separate—Separate raw meat from other foods.
    • Cook—Cook to the right temperature.
    • Chill—Refrigerate food promptly.

    For a chart of foods' recommended internal temperature and safety tips, visit USDA.gov.

    More Seafood

    • Coconut Shrimp Restaurant Style
    • Lemon Pesto Salmon
    • How To Grill Fresh Whole Branzino
    • Grilled Bluepoint Oysters

    Sharing is caring! Thanks for supporting us!

    48 shares
    • Facebook
    • Email

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

      Comment Cancel reply

      Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

      Recipe Rating




    1. Genevieve says

      December 31, 2022 at 3:48 pm

      5 stars
      Mary this looks delicious! I love all the helpful tips you give readers too!

      Reply
    2. megane says

      December 28, 2022 at 12:48 pm

      5 stars
      Absolutely delicious! I could eat this every single day. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    3. Priya says

      December 27, 2022 at 6:58 pm

      5 stars
      I made this for dinner last night and it turned out really great. Love the recipe!

      Reply
    4. Rachael says

      December 27, 2022 at 6:50 pm

      5 stars
      This Mediterranean Shrimp and Scallops Recipe is a perfect healthy elevated dinner for date night. Thank you!

      Reply
    5. Karen says

      December 27, 2022 at 5:27 pm

      5 stars
      Loved this! I love shrimp and also love scallops but never thought to make them together. This turned out perfectly cooked and packed with flavor. Very good! Will make again.

      Reply
    6. Debra says

      December 27, 2022 at 4:58 pm

      5 stars
      Delish! I served it over cauliflower rice and the sauce was super tasty, a big help to the bland cauli-rice.

      Reply
    7. Alyce Morgan says

      September 11, 2021 at 3:26 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy! You had me at shrimp. So glad you're back in the kitchen. Happy cooking, Mary!!

      Reply
      • Mary says

        September 12, 2021 at 7:56 pm

        Thank you so much Alyce!

        Reply

    Primary Sidebar

    I am Mary, the blogger behind "Oh That's Good!" I am a former nurse, former hobby farm blogger, former vintage shop owner, and current food blogger. I live with my husband and our little mutt Tucker in a lovely retirement community. I am cooking for two and taking inspiration from old cookbooks, magazines, and memories of watching my mother and grandmother cook. I like reducing my food waste and exorbitant grocery bills! I am busy rewriting my recipes for two servings with the option of adjusting the recipe up to four or six servings with just one click.

    more about

    • Chicken Under a Brick Recipe for Two
    • My Top 10 Recipes with Rice
    • Meal Plan & Grocery Budget January 2023
    • 15 Air Fryer Recipes for Two 
    • Weekly Dinner Meal Plans - 2023
    • 21 Valentine's Day Pasta Recipes for Two
    • Easy Shepherd's Pie Recipe With Instant Mashed Potatoes
    • Lentil Dahl Recipe (Lentil Soup)

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    • Privacy Policy
    • Nutritional Disclaimer
    • Contact
    • 9 Top Tips on Cooking for Two