It’s almost hard to talk about these Scallop Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Creamy Guacamole, that’s how much I love them!
Hey friends, and welcome to today’s episode of Tacos Are The Best Food Ever!
I don’t mean to be super obvious here, but we have some really delicious things going on in the food department right now. Starting with light and creamy scallops seared in butter, plus a solidly delicious warm tortilla stuffed to the brim with fresh pineapple cucumber salsa, and maybe a sauce such as creamy guacamole. I’m just a little obsessed.
Now that the winter holidays are over, one of my main goals is to actually eat healthy dinners at home. Yes, I know, I will always love stews, and pies, and cookies. But it’s January and everyone is on whole 30, so let’s just try and pretend to forget about those rich recipes at least until Easter.
Plus, you know those times when cooking is just HARD? Especially after the holidays – cooking has been hard. Not in a sense that it’s difficult to make, but rather in a sense that I would prefer eating an avocado toast, or order sushi, or just generally be a couch-and-Netflix bum than go through the work of planning recipes, grocery shopping and cooking the food.
But, guys, I found the solution! It’s these Scallop Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Creamy Guacamole! My new favorite meal. Dinner every night. February 2018 food obsession. They are fast, easy, and give me something to look forward to at lunchtime all week.
Sweet, tender scallops cook very fast, about 1 minute per side in a searingly hot heavy duty pan. To get them golden brown, be sure to dry them well with a paper towel before you season them. Leave them aside for 10-15 minutes and pat dry one more time. The second important key is that the oil goes on the cold scallops, not in the hot pan. That bit of brown caramelization on the edges of the scallops might not look like a big deal, but it is. It’s a huge deal, and makes a tremendous difference in the final flavor.
The rest of the instructions are super easy. Chop up some zesty pineapple salsa, let the food processor do the work with creamy guacamole and char your tortillas in like 10 seconds. Stuff them to the brim with all the goodies and enjoy!
These Scallop Tacos with Pineapple Salsa and Creamy Guacamole are insane. Ludicrously easy to pull together. Zesty, crunchy, creamy. A well balanced meal if you ask me.
- 1 lb sea scallops (about 16 scallops)
- 12 tortillas
- 2 tbsp butter
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- Kosher salt
- Fresh ground pepper
- Salsa:
- 1 cup cherry tomatoes, cubed
- 1 cup fresh pineapple, cubed
- 1 cup fresh cucumber, cubed
- 1/2 cup sweet or red onion, chopped
- 1/2 jalapeno, finely chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1/2 cup cilantro, chopped
- Creamy Guacamole:
- 1 ripe avocado
- 1/4 cup cilantro, chopped
- 1 lime, juiced
- 1 tbsp mayonaise
- Pat the scallops dry and season well on both sides with kosher salt. Place them on a paper towel-lined plate and refrigerate while you prep the salsa and the sauce.
- Combine all the salsa ingredients in the mixing bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste and mix. Set aside in the refrigerator until ready to use.
- Combine all the ingredients in the food processor and blend together until silky smooth, scraping down the sides of the bowl a few times if necessary. Add more lime juice or water to get the desired consistency. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until ready to use.
- Heat a nonstick skillet over high heat. Gently pat the scallops dry with paper towels one more time and season them on both sides with fresh ground pepper. Then rub scallops with a little olive oil. Add to the pan, after a minute on one side, flip them over and add butter. Shake the pan gently to distribute the butter and sear for another 30 seconds to a minute. Transfer the scallops to a paper towel-lined plate and set aside to cool down slightly. Then slice the seared scallops into quarters.
- Warm the tortillas wrapped in foil inside the preheated oven, or place them directly on your stove’s burner for a couple seconds on each side to warm them through and get a little char going.
- Top them with plenty of scallops, salsa and creamy guacamole immediately. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!
This looks amazing! I agree that tacos are the best food ever, and scallops? Yes please!
High five!
I can never say no to a taco. These look fantastic! I haven’t had a scallop since I left the east coast, but you’re making me crave them now. Have a great weekend!
Thank you for your lovely input Nicole!
I can never turn down a well crafted taco. Seared scallops in a taco sounds pretty perfect to me. And that pineapple salsa sounds like a lovely compliment to it. Yum!
Thanks Natalie! Appreciated!
Did you say scallop tacos with PINEAPPLE SALSA? I think we just became best friends.
lol Thanks Riz!
Ugh, I agree that it is so hard to get into the routine of cooking meals after the holidays. Thanks for the quick weeknight dinner idea! Those look like sunshine on a plate!
Thank you so much for your kind words Stephanie!