Seared Scallops with Bacon Zucchini Noodles

Perfect date night meal - Seared Scallops with Bacon Zucchini Noodles. A little bit of fancy with a huge amount of flavor!

Course Main Course

Cuisine American

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 10

Total Time 20

Servings Servings

Calories 279

Author Kim

6 slices bacon (Whole30 compliant, as needed)
1 pound jumbo sea scallops (I bought frozen from Trader Joe's and they were delish!)
4 zucchinis made into noodles (about 1 zucchini per person)*
1 large lemon , juiced (about 3 tablespoons)
2 teaspoons lemon zest
2 cups chopped tomatoes
2 tablespoons fresh parsley , chopped (optional)
salt and pepper to taste

Place a large, heavy skillet (cast iron will be best for searing scallops) over medium heat, add bacon and cook for 3-5 minutes on each side or until cooked to your preference. Remove bacon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towel. Crumble after cool.
Leave bacon fat in the skillet and remove skillet from heat (for about 2-3 mins.) to cool slightly.
RIGHT before cooking, season scallops with salt & pepper. Do it any sooner, and the salt will draw out their moisture, making them wet again, and thus preventing that caramelization.
Gently, add scallops one at a time to heated skillet. Add about 1 tablespoon butter or ghee to pan, if needed. My pan had enough bacon fat and I did not have to do this. Be sure not to overcrowd the pan - you may have to work in batches.
Scallops cook quickly and if they're overcooked, they will become rubbery. Once they are deeply golden brown, with a caramelized exterior, and after a few minutes (2-3), flip them only once when they’re nicely browned. Once browned on both sides, remove them to a plate.
Add zucchini noodles to the same skillet and season with salt & pepper. Let zucchini noodles cook for about 1 minute, flipping and stirring frequently. As zucchini noodles cook, add in the lemon juice and zest. Also, toss in tomatoes and crumbled bacon; continue to cook for about 2-3 more minutes.
Divide zucchini noodles onto four plates, top with scallops and garnish with fresh chopped parsley. Enjoy!

*The amount of zucchini noodles does not have to be exact. I used two whole packages of Veggie Noodle Co. pre-noodled zucchini to feed 4.