Growing up in Southern California, I developed an expensive taste for seafood. Scallops have grown to be my favorite shellfish, but boy are they pricey. It's rare to find them on a menu for less than $30. What gives with the high prices? I thought that scallops were just exorbitantly expensive, but I'm here to dispel that myth. I bought 10 scallops (about a half pound) at my local Harris Teeter for just $9.48. Definitely not as cheap as chicken, but I paid less than $1 per scallop. Educate yourself with this recipe so you can feel bougie on a budget.

Seared Scallops with Risotto and Roasted Vegetables

  • Prep Time:5 mins
  • Cook Time:1 hr 5 mins
  • Total Time:1 hr 10 mins
  • Servings:2
  • Medium

    Ingredients

  • 1/2 pound scallops
  • 6 cups raw vegetables
  • 1 cup uncooked rice
  • 1/2 cup milk choice
  • 4 tsp pesto
  • 3 tbsp olive oil
  • 1/2 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp pepper
vegetable, meat, seafood, rice, sauce, scallop
Meredith Davin
  • Step 1

    Preheat oven to 400º. Place vegetables into a large mixing bowl. Add 2 tsp olive oil, 1/2 tsp salt, 1/2 tsp pepper, and mix together.

    vegetable, salad, pepper, onion, broccoli
    Meredith Davin
  • Step 2

    Spread out vegetables onto a baking tray. Cook for 40 minutes, checking every 15 minutes to stir the vegetables.

    broccoli, vegetable, cauliflower, carrot, pepper, onion, salad, cabbage
    Meredith Davin
  • Step 3

    Remove vegetables from oven once browned, but not yet burnt. Let cool while cooking risotto and scallops.

    vegetable, broccoli, meat, cauliflower
    Meredith Davin
  • Step 4

    Prepare 1 cup of rice of choice according to box instructions over the stove in a pot. Once rice is cooked (about 20 minutes), add in 1/2 cup milk of choice. Stir in 2 tsp pesto and 1 tbsp olive oil and remove from heat.

    rice, risotto, cereal, vegetable
    Meredith Davin
  • Step 5

    Heat a large pan on the stove top and place 1 tbsp olive oil in pan. Once oil is hot, place scallops in pan. Cook scallops for 2 minutes on each side.

    scallop, seafood, vegetable, shellfish, meat, sweet
    Meredith Davin
  • Step 6

    Plate vegetables and scallops on top of the risotto. Finish off with cracked pepper.

    risotto, rice, vegetable, meat, sauce, parsley
    Meredith Davin

Now that you know a thing or two about scallops, go forth and feed yourself. Enjoy being the Anthony Bourdain of your friend group.