Seared Scallops with Walnut Pesto and Purple Sweet Potato Puree

Indulge in a restaurant-quality dish at home with these seared scallops served over a silky purple sweet potato puree. The scallops are topped with a rich walnut pesto, accompanied by roasted green beans and carrots and finished with a peppery arugula salad dressed in Parmesan and lemon. A crunchy lemony panko topping adds the perfect finishing touch.

This recipe brings together vibrant colors and bold flavors, making it ideal for a special dinner or when you want to impress guests. The combination of tender scallops, creamy puree and fresh vegetables creates a balanced and satisfying meal.

Log in to save recipes and build weekly shopping lists.

Ingredients

6 ounce Green BeansView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 ounce ArugulaView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

4 tablespoon PestoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

6 ounce CarrotView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.5 ounce WalnutsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon Crème FraîcheView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit LemonView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

8 ounce ScallopsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 unit Parmesan Cheese BlockView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 cup Panko BreadcrumbsView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

0.25 ounce ParsleyView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 unit Purple Sweet PotatoView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

1 teaspoon (tsp) Cooking OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 tablespoon (tbsp) ButterView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) SaltView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

2 teaspoon (tsp) Olive OilView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

teaspoon (tsp) Black PepperView ingredient guideLike ingredientDislike ingredient

Instructions

1. Adjust rack to top position and preheat oven to 425°F. Wash and dry produce. Peel and dice sweet potatoes into ½-inch pieces. Place in a small pot with enough salted water to cover by 2 inches. Bring to a boil and cook until fork-tender, 15-20 minutes.
2. While sweet potatoes cook, trim green beans if necessary. Trim, peel and cut carrots into sticks (about 3 inches long and ⅓ inch thick). Finely chop walnuts. Zest and quarter lemon. Finely chop parsley. Toss green beans and carrots on a baking sheet with a drizzle of olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast on top rack until tender and browned, 10-15 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine pesto, walnuts and juice from one lemon wedge. Stir to combine; season with salt and pepper. Set aside. Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. Add panko, a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until golden and fragrant, 1-2 minutes. Turn off heat; transfer panko mixture to a separate small bowl. Wipe out pan. To bowl with panko, add parsley, lemon zest, salt and pepper. Stir to combine.
4. When sweet potatoes have finished cooking, reserve 1 cup sweet potato cooking liquid, then drain. Return sweet potatoes to pot. Add crème fraîche, ¼ cup reserved sweet potato cooking liquid, 1 tablespoon butter, salt and pepper.
5. Using an immersion blender, blend sweet potato mixture directly in pot until smooth, 1-2 minutes. If puree seems too thick, add additional splashes of reserved sweet potato cooking liquid as needed. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Alternatively, transfer to a food processor or mash with a potato masher. Keep covered off heat until ready to serve.
6. Pat scallops dry with paper towels. Season all over with salt and pepper. Heat a drizzle of oil in the pan used for panko over medium-high heat. Add scallops and cook until opaque and cooked through, 3-5 minutes per side. Turn off heat; transfer scallops to a plate. Grate half the Parmesan into a large bowl. Whisk in a drizzle of olive oil, juice from one lemon wedge, salt and pepper. Add arugula; toss to combine.
7. Using the back of a spoon, spread sweet potato puree on one half of each plate to form a half-moon. Scatter roasted veggies over puree. Nestle scallops between veggies. Dollop scallops with walnut pesto. Add salad to other side of plate; grate remaining Parmesan over top. Sprinkle salad and scallops with lemony panko. Serve with remaining lemon wedges on the side.

Recipe Tips

FAQ

Can I use regular sweet potatoes instead of purple?

Yes, you can substitute with orange sweet potatoes, but the color and flavor will be different.

What can I use instead of crème fraîche?

You can use sour cream or Greek yogurt as a substitute.

How do I know when scallops are cooked?

Scallops are done when they are opaque and firm to the touch, usually 3-5 minutes per side.