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Seared Scallops & Cauliflower Risotto

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One of my favorite restaurant dishes is Sea Scallops from Ocean Prime. The dish includes buttery, jumbo, seared-to-perfection scallops on top of what seems to be a large bowl of creamy, parmesan risotto. The risotto often has a green-colored vegetable, such as peas or asparagus, which gives a crisp, fresh bite through all of the risotto’s richness & creaminess. This recipe is my quick, keto-friendly take on that dish! 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.

A quick, keto-friendly and grain-free recipe for seared scallops and parmesan cauliflower risotto.

This recipe makes 4 meals.

Each serving is a meal with scallops and risotto and has 606 calories and 7g net carbs. I calculated the macros by plugging the ingredients into MyFitnessPal.

You can substitute the green-vegetable.

This recipe includes broccoli because that is what I had in my refrigerator. However, I’ve had risotto with asparagus, peas, and mushrooms. You should feel free to substitute the broccoli if you don’t have it or simply leave it out if you are not a fan. Parmesan Risotto is also amazing.

Scallops with Cauliflower Risotto

Ingredients

Seared Scallops

  • 1lb jumbo scallops (You can get these fresh or flash frozen)

  • 2 tbsp salted butter

  • 1 tbsp olive oil 

  • Salt and Pepper

Cauliflower Risotto

  • 1lb package of riced cauliflower (~4 cups of riced cauliflower)

  • 3 tbsp salted 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 salt 

  • 1/4 tsp black pepper

Directions

  1. Bring a medium skillet to medium heat

  2. 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)

  3. Add the riced cauliflower to the skillet and continue to cook until the riced cauliflower is almost tender (~3 minutes)

  4. 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.

  5. 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)

  6. Bring a frying pan to medium heat

  7. Add butter and olive oil and wait for it to start to bubble.

  8. 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.

  9. Add a large spoon of risotto to a plate. Top with scallops, green onions, and melted butter if you are being extra fancy.

Don’t forget dessert!

Check out these Keto Dessert Recipes