• Recipe Box
    • All Recipes
    • Low Carb & Keto
    • Whole30
    • Paleo
    • 30 Minutes or Less
    • Ninja Foodi
    • Air Fryer
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Side Dishes
    • Drinks
    • Dips, Salad Dressings & Sauces
  • Shop
    • Get Exclusive Discounts
    • Amazon Favorites
    • 360 Cookware
  • My Keto Blog
    • Keto Guide for Dummies: A Introduction to Keto
    • Recipe Collections
    • Product Reviews & Guides
  • About
    • Work With Dr. Davinah’s Eats
    • Contact

↑

Dr. Davinah's Eats

Keto & Low Carb Recipes for Foodies

  • Recipe Box
    • All Recipes
    • Low Carb & Keto
    • Whole30
    • Paleo
    • 30 Minutes or Less
    • Ninja Foodi
    • Air Fryer
    • Copycat Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast & Brunch
    • Desserts
    • Side Dishes
    • Drinks
    • Dips, Salad Dressings & Sauces
  • Shop
    • Get Exclusive Discounts
    • Amazon Favorites
    • 360 Cookware
  • My Keto Blog
    • Keto Guide for Dummies: A Introduction to Keto
    • Recipe Collections
    • Product Reviews & Guides
  • About
    • Work With Dr. Davinah’s Eats
    • Contact
Home » Recipes » Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Rice Risotto

Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Rice Risotto

Last Updated August 24, 2020. Published August 24, 2020 By Davinah

110.2Kshares
  • Share
Jump to Recipe
Pinterest image for seared scallops & cauliflower rice risotto
pinterest image for seared scallops & cauliflower risotto
Seared Shrimp & Scallops with Cauliflower Rice Risotto Pinterest image
Shrimp & Cauliflower Risotto Pinterest image
Pinterest image for Seared Scallops & Cauliflower Risotto
Pinterest image for Cauliflower Rice Risotto and Seared Scallops
Pinterest Image for Cauliflower Rice Risotto and Seared Scallops
Pinterest image for Seared Scallops & Cauliflower Rice Risotto
pinterest image for shrimp, scallops and cauliflower rice risotto

This post may contain affiliate links to products I use and highly recommend. You can read my full disclosure .

This Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Rice Risotto recipe is my quick, keto-friendly take on one of my favorite restaurant meals! It’s the perfect easy keto comfort food dish that you might enjoy on a date night or special occasion.

The cauliflower rice risotto will turn any cauliflower or vegetable hater into a veggie lover! Plus, it takes just 30 minutes. I include tips for searing your scallops perfectly and a few recipe variations. 

A plate of food with broccoli, scallops, asparagus, and cauliflower rice risotto

 

My Homemade Date Night Dish

One of my favorite restaurant dishes is Sea Scallops from Ocean Prime. It includes buttery, jumbo, seared scallops on top of what seems to be a large bowl of creamy, parmesan risotto.

The risotto usually has a green-colored vegetable, like peas or asparagus, which gives a crisp, fresh bite through all of its richness & creaminess.

It’s the perfect warm, comfort food dish that you might enjoy on a date night or when you want a restaurant-style dish at home.

This recipe for Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Rice Risotto is my quick, keto-friendly take on that date night dinner dish!

Making Risotto Without Rice and Grains

In this recipe, I’m substituting Arborio rice for cauliflower rice. Not only is it quicker to make, but, since cauliflower is a vegetable, it’s an easy way to cut grains and carbs from risotto recipes.

Across the site, you’ll find so many uses for cauliflower rice as a replacement for grains. Some of my favorites are Cheese Cauliflower Grits, Keto Shrimp and Grits, Keto Mushroom Risotto and Cauliflower Fried Rice.

After making this dish so many times, I tend to use frozen cauliflower rice from the freezer section in the market, but you can also use fresh, if it is available.

frozen Cauliflower Rice in a bag with a cup of Broccoli and grated parmesan cheese

Fresh or Frozen Scallops

I’ve made this recipe with individually flash frozen scallops as well as the fresh ones from the market’s seafood counter. Both have the same great result.

Sometimes, you also save money by getting the frozen kind. With frozen, I simply thaw the scallops using the package directions then pat them dry with a paper towel.

Just be sure to pick up scallops that are “dry”. This means skip over any scallops that also include chemicals in their ingredients. As I mentioned in my scallops post, wet scallops (those with added chemicals) are nearly impossible to sear.

scallops on a plate

 

Top Tips for Making Seared Scallops

The key to seared scallops is using a sizzling hot pan (I prefer this cast iron skillet), salted butter, and a timer.

You can get a hot pan by preheating it for 2-3 minutes before adding butter. You can also tell that your pan is ready once your butter is sizzling, but not burning.

After your pan is hot, do not move them or flip them until the timer is done.

Shrimp & Scallops with Cauliflower Rice Risotto

Recipe Servings & Variations

  1. This Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Rice Risotto makes four meals: I used one pound of scallops and one pound of cauliflower rice so each serving has about a quarter pound of scallops (that was 5 jumbo scallops for us) and about a quarter pound of cauliflower risotto (which is about 3/4 cup).
  2. You can substitute the green vegetable: This recipe includes broccoli because that is what I had in my refrigerator. However, I’ve had keto risotto with mushrooms, asparagus, and peas. Feel free to substitute the vegetable for one that you have on hand. You can also skip it altogether, since parmesan risotto tastes great too!
  3. Make the Ultimate Surf & Turf: Use the cauliflower risotto in my popular steak and shrimp surf and turf recipe. It includes juicy filet mignon along with keto shrimp scampi.
  4. Swap the scallops for another seafood or a roast: I often pair cauliflower rice risotto with any protein that I have on hand. Some that go great include: pan-seared shrimp, Ninja Foodi pot roast, and pan-seared halibut. You might also find inspiration from some of these other keto fish and seafood recipes.
Shrimp & Scallops with Cauliflower Rice Risotto

Seared Scallops & Cauliflower Rice Risotto

A quick, keto-friendly and grain-free recipe for seared scallops and parmesan cauliflower rice risotto.
Prep: 10 mins
Cook: 20 mins
Ready in: 30 mins
Cuisine: American, Italian
Course: Main Course
Servings: 4
Calories: 551kcal
Author: Davinah
Pin Rate Print

Use DRDAVINAHS at checkout to save on some equipment & ingredients!

Equipment

  • 11.5 Inch Frying Pan
  • 3.5 Quart Covered Saute Pan

Ingredients

Seared Scallops

  • 1 lb jumbo scallops, You can get these fresh or flash frozen or substitute shrimp
  • 2 tbsp Butter
  • 1 tbsp Olive Oil
  • Salt and Pepper

Cauliflower Risotto

  • 1 lb package of riced cauliflower, ~4 cups of riced cauliflower
  • 3 tbsp Butter
  • 3 Garlic Cloves, minced
  • 1 cup broccoli florets, cut into small chunks (optional)
  • 1/4 cup thinly sliced green onions, keep the green tips to use as a garnish
  • 1 cup Organic Heavy Whipping Cream, it has fewer ingredients and carbs than non-organic brands
  • 3/4 cup Parmesan Cheese, grated
  • 1/4 tsp Natural Ancient Sea Salt
  • 1/4 tsp Black Pepper

Instructions

  • Bring a medium skillet to medium heat
  • Add salted butter, garlic, broccoli florets, and green onions to the skillet and cook until the broccoli pieces start to turn bright green (~3 minutes)
  • Add the riced cauliflower to the skillet and continue to cook until the riced cauliflower is almost tender (~3 minutes)
  • Add remaining ingredients and stir until the parmesan cheese is well incorporated. Lower the heat so that the rice does not stick and cook until the cauliflower rice reaches your desired level of tenderness. Turn off the heat.
  • Pat the scallops with a paper towel. Sprinkle salt and pepper on top (about 1/4 tsp of each if you’re not sure about sprinkling)
  • Bring a frying pan to medium heat
  • Add butter and olive oil and wait for it to start to bubble.
  • Add scallops to the pan and cook for 2 minutes per side. Remove from the heat and pan so that they do not continue to cook.
  • Add a large spoon of risotto to a plate. Top with scallops, green onions, and melted butter if you are being extra fancy.

Recipe Notes

This recipe has more grams of net carbs per serving than some of my other recipes, but it also has a lot of vegetables and is a complete meal (as to just a part of dinner)!

Nutrition Details

Calories: 551kcal | Carbohydrates: 12g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 47g | Saturated Fat: 26g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0g | Trans Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 158mg | Sodium: 1079mg | Potassium: 686mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 2g | Vitamin A: 795IU | Vitamin C: 76.8mg | Calcium: 276mg | Iron: 1.3mg

The nutrition facts come from entering the recipe ingredients into Spoonacular API, a database of food ingredients. They may vary for any recipe based on the exact product used. The keto sweeteners I use have 0g net carbs & are not included because sugar alcohols do not impact most people. This is provided as a courtesy, but you can do your own calculations if you wish!

Share this RecipeIf you enjoy this recipe, share a link to it via email or Facebook, pin it, or leave a rating. Please don't copy/paste the instructions to other websites. Thanks for helping the website grow!

Related Posts

  • One pot of Spanish Mexican Cauliflower Rice with a spoon
    Keto Spanish Cauliflower Rice Recipe
  • Keto Jambalaya with Cauliflower Rice in a bowl with a lemon wedge
    Keto Jambalaya Recipe with Cauliflower Rice
  • A bowl of food with Cheesy Cauliflower, an egg, jalapeño, and crispy bacon
    Easy Cheese Cauliflower Grits Recipe
  • One bowl of Cauliflower Rice Pilaf with sliced lemons
    Easy Cauliflower Rice Pilaf Recipe

Subscribe for Free Recipes, Meal Ideas & Tips!

Join more than 8,000 people who get my top recipes, meal ideas & tips to their inboxes each week.

* indicates required

Filed Under: All Keto Recipes, Cast Iron Skillet Recipes, Clean Eating Recipes, Copycat Recipes, Easy Keto Recipes: 30 Minutes or Less, Keto & Low Carb Holiday Recipes, Keto Lunch & Dinner Recipes, Recipes, Seafood Recipes, Side Dishes

close up photo of Davinah - the blogger behind Dr. Davinah\'s Eats welcome text that reads, \"I\'m Davinah\" I'm an educator & hardcore foodie who realized eating "all the things" couldn’t last forever. After getting my PhD in Education, I decided to make eating healthier my next big goal. Here, you'll find my collection of keto, low-carb and whole food comfort food recipes. Read More

Search this Website

Free Keto & Low Carb Recipes Delivered Weekly!

Subscribe for amazing recipes, giveaways, discounts and more.

Winter Favorites

A cup of sugar free peppermint mocha topped with whipped cream and ChocZero baking chips

Homemade Keto Peppermint Mocha

close-up of three keto pumpkin pie cheesecake bars stacked on top of each other

Healthy Keto Pumpkin Pie Cheesecake Bars [+VIDEO]

keto peanut butter cookies stacked on a white plate

Easy Low-Carb Keto Peanut Butter Cookies Recipe [+VIDEO]

Two bowls of Keto Tomato Soup

Easy Creamy Keto Tomato Soup Recipe [+VIDEO]

Most Popular Recipes

Ninja Foodi salmon in the crisping pan

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Herbed Salmon Recipe

Air Fryer Drumsticks on a plate

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Legs (Drumsticks) Recipe

close-up on crispy baked chicken wings on a sheet pan

Crispy Oven Baked Chicken Wings Recipe [+VIDEO]

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings on a plate

Garlic Parmesan Chicken Wings Recipe

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Wings on a plate

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe [+VIDEO]

a close-up of Keto Bang Bang shrimp in a bowl

Low-Carb Bang Bang Shrimp Recipe (Grain-free, No-Added Sugar)

close-up of Pressure Cooker Pot Roast in a bowl

Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

Shrimp Scampi on a plate

Easy Keto Garlic Shrimp Scampi Recipe [+VIDEO]

Keto Coleslaw Recipe in a bowl

Easy Low Carb & Keto Coleslaw Recipe

Shrimp & Scallops with Cauliflower Rice Risotto

Seared Scallops and Cauliflower Rice Risotto

Menu Planning Ideas

  • Ninja Foodi Recipes
  • 30 Minutes or Less
  • Side Dishes
a close-up of a keto jalapeno popper on a plate

Keto Jalapeno Poppers (Air Fryer or Oven)

a close-up of honey sriracha chicken wings on a plate topped with green onions and sesame seeds

Keto Honey Sriracha Wings [Video Tutorial]

close-up of Pressure Cooker Pot Roast in a bowl

Ninja Foodi Pressure Cooker Pot Roast Recipe

turkey breast on a plate with gravy and cranberry sauce

Pressure Cooker Turkey Breast Recipe

One plate of air-fried Brussels sprouts

Crispy Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts

three shrimp tacos on a taco stand

Easy Keto Shrimp Tacos Recipe [+VIDEO]

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Wings on a plate

Ninja Foodi Air Fryer Chicken Wings Recipe [+VIDEO]

Keto Taco Salad on a plate

Keto Taco Salad Supreme Recipe

Seared Scallops on a plate

Quick Seared Scallops Recipe (Keto, Whole30, Paleo)

Keto gravy in a glass gravy boat

Easy Keto Gravy Recipe – How to Make Keto Gravy

a close-up of hard boiled eggs on a plate topped with chives and everything bagel seasoning

Air Fryer Hard Boiled Eggs

One bowl of mashed cauliflower topped with melted butter

Roasted Garlic Cauliflower Mash

close-up of keto cranberry sauce

Keto Cranberry Sauce

One bowl of Cauliflower Rice Pilaf with sliced lemons

Easy Cauliflower Rice Pilaf Recipe

One pot of Spanish Mexican Cauliflower Rice with a spoon

Keto Spanish Cauliflower Rice Recipe

Featured on:

list of magazines and online blogs that feature Dr. Davinah\'s Eats recipes

@DrDavinahs Follow On Instagram

Free Keto & Low Carb Recipes Delivered Weekly!

Subscribe for amazing recipes, giveaways, discounts and more.

By using this website, you agree to our Terms of Use, Privacy Policy, and Disclosures

Browse by Category

Recipes by Course

  • Recipe Index
  • Breakfast
  • Main Course
  • Side Dishes
  • Desserts
  • Drinks
  • Dip, Salad Dressing & Sauces

Recipes by Diet

  • Keto & Low-Carb Recipes
  • Paleo Recipes
  • Whole30 Recipes

About Davinah Policies Work With Us

Search this Website

Copyright ©2021, Dr. Davinah's Eats. All Rights Reserved.
Design by Pixel Me Designs
  • Pin
  • Share

Get my top recipes to your inbox!

Sign-up to get FREE keto & low carb recipes, discounts, giveaways & tips by email each week!