This Scallop Shrimp Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes is a flavorful and quick seafood dish perfect for both casual dinners and special occasions. The shrimp and scallops are seared to golden perfection, while the burst cherry tomatoes add sweetness and umami. Paired with linguine and a rich, buttery white wine sauce, this pasta is a delightful combination of flavors that’s easy to prepare and sure to impress.

Full Recipe:

Ingredients

• Pasta:

  • 6-8 oz linguine (or preferred pasta)

• Seafood:

  • 8 oz shrimp, peeled and deveined

  • 8-10 oz scallops

• Tomatoes & Aromatics:

  • 6 oz cherry tomatoes

  • 3 garlic cloves, minced

  • 1½ tbsp unsalted butter

  • Fresh parsley, finely chopped (1-2 tbsp)

• Other Ingredients:

  • ½ cup white wine

  • Olive oil for cooking

  • Salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Prepare the Pasta:
   Boil salted water and cook linguine according to package instructions until just under al dente. Reserve some pasta cooking water and drain the rest.

2. Broil the Tomatoes:
   Spread cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet, broil for 3-4 minutes until they burst. Set aside.

3. Sear the Seafood:
   Pat scallops and shrimp dry, season with salt and pepper. Heat oil in a pan over medium-high heat. Sear scallops for 2-3 minutes on each side until golden, then transfer to a plate. In the same pan, sear shrimp for 1-1.5 minutes on each side, then remove and set aside.

4. Make the Sauce:
   In the same pan, add garlic and sauté for 20 seconds. Pour in white wine and deglaze the pan, cooking for 20 more seconds. Add the burst tomatoes, butter, seafood, and any juices from the plate. Toss everything together, adding pasta and reserved cooking water as needed to adjust consistency.

5. Serve:
   Transfer to serving plates, sprinkle with parsley, and serve hot.

Nutrients (Per Serving)

• Calories: 431 kcal

• Protein: 32g

• Carbohydrates: 48g

• Fat: 7g

• Saturated Fat: 4g

• Cholesterol: 223mg

• Sodium: 945mg

• Potassium: 493mg

• Fiber: 2g

• Sugar: 3g

• Vitamin A: 450 IU

• Vitamin C: 16mg

• Calcium: 136mg

• Iron: 3.1mg

The Perfect Seafood Combination

Shrimp and scallops are a natural pairing, as they both have a delicate, sweet flavor that complements one another beautifully. Scallops, with their tender texture and slightly sweet taste, bring a luxurious feel to the dish, while shrimp offers a satisfying bite and a more pronounced seafood flavor. Together, they create a perfect balance, and when seared to golden perfection, they develop a crisp, caramelized exterior that adds depth to the dish.

Searing the shrimp and scallops separately ensures they cook evenly and retain their natural moisture, which is key to achieving that perfect texture. The seafood is then added to the pasta, where it soaks up the delicious sauce, making every bite full of rich, savory goodness.

Burst Cherry Tomatoes: A Sweet and Umami Boost

The burst cherry tomatoes are a standout feature in this dish, providing both sweetness and umami to balance the richness of the seafood and the buttery sauce. Broiling the tomatoes allows them to soften and release their juices, creating a natural, sweet sauce that blends perfectly with the white wine sauce. The burst tomatoes provide a pop of color and a refreshing contrast to the savory shrimp and scallops, adding both flavor and visual appeal to the dish.

The natural sweetness of the tomatoes contrasts beautifully with the savory garlic and seafood, creating a harmonious flavor profile. The slight acidity of the tomatoes also helps cut through the richness of the butter and the seafood, ensuring that the dish remains light and refreshing, even with the richness of the sauce.

Creating the Sauce: A Rich White Wine Base

The sauce for this dish is simple but incredibly flavorful. White wine, garlic, and butter come together to create a luscious sauce that coats the pasta and seafood perfectly. The white wine adds brightness and acidity, deglazing the pan after searing the shrimp and scallops, and the garlic provides aromatic depth that infuses the sauce with savory flavor.

The butter adds a rich, silky texture to the sauce, creating a perfect base that brings everything together. As the sauce simmers and combines with the juices from the seafood and burst tomatoes, it becomes a flavorful, slightly tangy mixture that coats the linguine beautifully. If the sauce feels too thick, adding reserved pasta water helps achieve the perfect consistency, ensuring that the pasta absorbs all the delicious flavors.

Cooking the Pasta: The Foundation of the Dish

The linguine is the ideal pasta for this seafood dish, as its long, thin strands allow the sauce to coat the noodles perfectly. Cooking the pasta just under al dente ensures it retains a slight firmness when combined with the sauce, which is key to achieving the perfect texture. Reserving some pasta cooking water before draining is an essential step, as it can be used later to adjust the consistency of the sauce, allowing the pasta to absorb the sauce and flavors more effectively.

The Quick and Easy Preparation

One of the best aspects of Scallop Shrimp Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes is how quick and easy it is to prepare. The dish comes together in about 30 minutes, making it an ideal option for a weeknight dinner or a last-minute special meal. Here’s how it works:

1. Prepare the Pasta: Start by boiling salted water and cooking the linguine according to package instructions. Be sure to reserve some pasta water before draining.

2. Broil the Tomatoes: While the pasta is cooking, spread the cherry tomatoes on a baking sheet and broil them for 3–4 minutes until they burst. This step infuses the tomatoes with a rich, caramelized sweetness.

3. Sear the Seafood: Pat the scallops and shrimp dry, season with salt and pepper, and sear them separately in a hot pan with olive oil. The scallops should be seared for 2-3 minutes per side, and the shrimp will only need about 1-1.5 minutes per side to cook through.

4. Make the Sauce: In the same pan, sauté garlic, deglaze with white wine, and add the burst tomatoes, butter, and seafood. Toss in the pasta, adding reserved cooking water as needed to achieve the desired sauce consistency.

5. Serve: Finish the dish with a sprinkle of fresh parsley and serve hot, making sure each plate gets a generous amount of seafood, tomatoes, and sauce.

Why This Dish is Perfect for Special Occasions

Scallop Shrimp Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes is a perfect dish for special occasions, date nights, or any time you want to impress your guests without spending hours in the kitchen. The combination of seared seafood, buttery white wine sauce, and burst cherry tomatoes creates a sophisticated yet easy-to-make meal that will make you feel like a professional chef. The dish has a rich, restaurant-quality flavor while still being quick and easy enough to prepare at home.

The bright, fresh flavors of the dish are ideal for a light but satisfying meal that can be served as a standalone dish or paired with a side of garlic bread or a fresh green salad. The burst cherry tomatoes not only add flavor but also provide a vibrant splash of color, making the dish as visually appealing as it is delicious.

Nutritional Information

This dish strikes a nice balance between flavor and nutrition. With around 431 calories per serving, Scallop Shrimp Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes is relatively light but still hearty enough to be a satisfying meal. The shrimp and scallops provide high-quality protein, while the linguine offers a good source of carbohydrates for energy. The butter adds richness to the sauce, but it’s balanced out by the fresh tomatoes, parsley, and garlic, ensuring the dish doesn’t feel overly heavy.

Additionally, the dish is high in potassium and contains a decent amount of vitamin C, primarily from the cherry tomatoes. The garlic and parsley also provide antioxidants, offering some health benefits along with the delicious flavors.

Conclusion

Scallop Shrimp Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes is a flavorful, quick, and elegant dish that brings together the best of seafood and pasta. The combination of perfectly seared shrimp and scallops, juicy burst tomatoes, and a rich white wine sauce makes for a delightful meal that’s both sophisticated and easy to prepare. Whether you’re enjoying it as a weeknight dinner or serving it for a special occasion, this dish is sure to impress. With its balance of flavors, textures, and bright colors, Scallop Shrimp Pasta with Burst Cherry Tomatoes is a meal that’s as enjoyable to make as it is to eat.