Lemony Scallop Arugula Salad
Living in New England is a joy for it’s abundance of fresh seafood. This lemony scallop arugula salad recipe is one of my favorites for summer, or any time I’m craving the tastes of summer.
Why Seafood is the Perfect Runner’s Food
As runners, we need good sources of lean, nutritious protein. Seafood is an excellent source of lean protein, especially scallops!
Scallops are comprised of about 80% protein, and are an excellent source of vitamins and minerals like iron and B12. Not to mention they’re rich in omega 3 fatty acids.
And pretty low in calories too – a 3 oz serving is only 95 calories compared to 230 calories in 3 oz of steak and 206 calories in 3 oz of pork.
Plus, there is something indulgent and luxurious about scallops…I imagine summer galas and weddings. This is irrelevant to scallops being a good runners food…but we train hard, and deserve luxurious treats, no?
There are many ways to prepare scallops too. It’s so versatile. From cheesy casseroles to light refreshing summer dishes, the possibilities are endless.
So basically scallops satisfy many aspects of a perfect food, from nutritional content to taste to variety.
Let’s start with this delicious Lemony Scallop Arugula Salad recipe and see where it takes us.
More About Scallops for Cooking
There are usually 2 different types of scallops to choose from at the market – sea scallops and bay scallops.
Sea scallops are larger and more tender. They are from the deep seas of the East Coast. I love sea scallops. These are my #1 choice.
Bay scallops are smaller and require less cooking time. Like, way less cooking time. But they aren’t as tender as sea scallops in my opinion.
Always try to source local, fresh scallops for cooking when possible.
I’m lucky, I live in New England and have readily available seafood options…but if you aren’t near the east coast, you can select fresh frozen scallops for this salad as well.
Lemony Scallop Arugula Salad Recipe
Because the scallops take 4-5 total minutes to cook, you want them to be the last thing you cook.
Look at these gorgeous scallops (that were on sale!) and are fresh fresh fresh!
Prepare the greens, dressing and any sides or drinks before starting the scallops.
Step 1: Prepare the Salad Dressing and Arugula
Squeeze 1/2 of a lemon into a bowl then add 1.5 tablespoons of olive oil.
Whisk together until thoroughly mixed. Add some cracked pepper if desired.
Place 2 cups of arugula in a separate bowl. Pour lemon olive oil mixture on top and toss to coat.
Place arugula into plate or bowl and sprinkle with 1-2 teaspoons of unsalted roasted sunflower seeds.
Step 2: Prepare the Scallops
Scallops have little muscles on their sides (that hold them to the shell) and they need to be removed before cooking. See here:
Simple pull the little muscle off and throw away. Easy!
Then rinse the scallops, pat dry, and season with some salt and pepper.
Step 3: Pour the Drinks & Set the Table!
If you’ll be enjoying some dry white wine or, in my case, some dry hopped local cider, pour the drinks and set the table now so everything is ready when the scallops are finished.
Step 4: Cook the Scallops
Scallops differ in size. Try to select the fatty sea scallops if you can.
These cooking times assume the scallops are sea scallops and not smaller bay scallops. If you choose the smaller scallops, reduce cooking time by 1 minute each side.
Heat a non-stick pan to medium heat. Make sure it’s not too hot or your scallops will burn.
Once hot, spray pan with olive oil Pam or regular olive oil to coat. Let the oil heat up.
Make sure the oil is hot but not burning…if it’s burning, wipe it off the pan with a paper towel and remove pan from heat for a minute or two while simultaneously reducing the heat of the burner a bit, and spray oil again.
Place each scallop individually on the pan with tongs. Cook for 2 minutes only on this side.
Once 2 minutes is up, flip each scallop individually to the other side. Cook for another 2 minutes.
Push on the top of a couple scallops to check if they’re done.
You want them to be springy, and not hard. But not too mushy. If needed, quickly cut into one. If any part of the scallop appears clear or gelatin-like, then cook another 30 seconds.
Remove and place directly on salad for serving.
So yummy, enjoy my favorite summer salad – the delicious Lemony Arugula Scallop Salad!
The perfect runners salad packed with lean protein, citrus, and leafy greens. But don't worry, it doesn't taste like healthy food...it tastes like New England summer luxury on a plate.
- 1/2 lb fresh sea scallops
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 2 cups arugula
- 1/2 lemon
- 1.5 tbsp olive oil
- fresh cracked pepper
- 2 tsp unsalted roasted sunflower seeds
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Juice half lemon into a small bowl. Add 1.5 tbsp of olive oil and pepper. Whisk until thoroughly mixed.
Place 2 cups of arugula in separate bowl. Drizzle lemon olive oil dressing over it and toss to coat.
Sprinkle with sunflower seeds and set aside.
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Pull the little side muscle off of the scallops. Throw it away and rinse the scallops and pat dry.
Heat non-stick frying pan to medium heat and spray pan with olive oil Pam or regular olive oil.
Next, season the scallops with salt and pepper.
Once the pan is heated, but not too hot, place each scallop individually on the pan. Cook for 2 minutes.
Use tongs to flip each scallop over to the other side. Cook on this side for another 2 minutes.
Press into a few scallops with your finger or the tongs to test whether they're done or not. You want some give and some elasticity. If they're too mushy, cook another 30 seconds. If they're done, remove immediately to cool. Then place on top of salad and enjoy!
Scallops cook very quick so make sure all other prep work is done before beginning to cook the scallops.
