Scallop Fra Diavolo

This decadent scallop fra diavolo is made with an easy, homemade spicy tomato sauce and seared sea scallops. Perfect for date night!

I did not grow up eating scallops.  

For a long time, the only thing I knew about scallops was that sometimes they showed up in my meals at Red Lobster.  And that is all I knew.

A few years back, as my experience with seafood grew, and I started experimenting with different types of fish and shellfish, I grabbed some sea scallops on a whim.

And then, I fell in love.  

This scallop pasta recipe is a twist on the spicy shrimp fra diavolo, and features seared and spicy sea scallops served with pasta.

Looking for more sea scallop recipes? Try seared seared sea scallops with wine sauce, grilled scallops with bourbon sauce, pumpkin scallop alfredo, and pumpkin scallop gratin.

What Does Fra Diavolo Mean?

Fra diavolo is Italian for "brother devil" or "devil monk," and refers to a spicy pasta sauce or seafood.

Apparently those monks liked their spice. Smart fellas.

You can vary the combinations a little bit, as in this mixed seafood fra diavolo.

Do I Want Bay Scallops or Sea Scallops?

Bay scallops are tiny, and very difficult to sear. 

For this recipe, look for the larger sea scallops.

Make sure to read the ingredient label, and avoid sea scallops with chemical additives.  Chemically treated sea scallops won't sear well.

Learn more about buying scallops, and get searing tips in this How to Pan-Sear Fish guide.

Looking for more high-end shellfish recipes?  Try grilled lobster tails with bourbon, crab Louie salad, Dungeness crab egg Benedict, king crab salad with avocado dressing, and crab fries.

Can I Make This Gluten-Free?

You can!

Simply swap the spaghetti for gluten-free spaghetti.

Making Fra Diavolo Sauce

Start by cooking onions, red chili flakes, and garlic in olive oil in a large pan. I use this Lodge 12" carbon steel skillet.

Next, add canned or fresh tomatoes to the pan along with water and dried oregano.

Frozen tomatoes work perfectly here too, but you should thaw them before placing in the pan. The tomatoes in the photos are fire-roasted tomatoes that I made last summer and froze for later.

Simmer the tomato sauce until it thickens and most of the liquid has evaporated.

How to Sear the Scallops

While the sauce simmers, start cooking the pasta and get the scallops ready. Wait until the sauce is almost ready to sear the scallops.

To make seared scallops, you'll melt a little butter (and a little oil) in a heavy pan.

Then, take the scallops, which you'll have patted dry and tossed with salt and seasoning, and add them to the pan.

Make sure to leave a little room around each scallop when you set them in the pan. If they're too close to each other, the liquid from the scallops will prevent a good sear.

Cook the scallops for about two minutes and flip, and then another two minutes.

Plate the Scallop Fra Diavolo

Finally, put it all together.

Toss the pasta with the sauce until it's well-coated.

Plate the pasta and divide the scallops.

Finally, it's time to dig in and enjoy! Serve your scallops along with a shaved brussels sprouts salad and a glass of red wine.