This post is sponsored by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. I’m thrilled to be partnering with ASMI to share a series of delicious recipes highlighting sustainable, wild-caught seafood from Alaska.

This low-carb pumpkin alfredo with seared Alaska scallops and crispy sage is the perfect quick but fancy dinner for chilly fall evenings at home.

I’m here with your perfect fall dinner: pumpkin, creamy sauce, brown butter seared Alaska scallops, and crispy sage. This is one I could eat pretty much every day of the week because it’s so flavorful and healthy but takes less than half an hour to make.

Did you know that Alaska has sustainable fishing built right into its state constitution? That means seafood from Alaska is always wild caught and fished in a way that preserves the environment and marine ecosystem for generations to come. I’m so excited to be partnering with Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute to share a series of creative recipes with Alaska seafood and encourage you to #AskforAlaska while shopping and dining out.

October is National Seafood Month, so this is the perfect time to make sure you’re eating seafood several times a week. Why not start with this pumpkin alfredo with seared scallops?

This easy fall recipe features Alaska scallops, which are tender, buttery, and so simple to cook. Scallops are a great source of protein and Omega 3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for heart and brain health. The long-chain Omega 3s found in seafood are easier for the body to use than Omega 3s found in plants and other foods. Scallops are also a great source of Vitamin B12, zinc, and selenium.

Alaska scallops can be purchased fresh or frozen, and are always dry, which means they don’t have liquid or phosphates added like scallops from other places sometimes do. This helps keep their texture beautiful and ensures that they cook evenly.

For this pumpkin alfredo with seared scallops, you’ll need just a few simple ingredients: pumpkin puree, heavy cream or coconut milk, cheese or nutritional yeast, butter or avocado oil, hearts of palm linguine, and of course, Alaska scallops. You can also use any packaged pasta or vegetable noodle that you prefer—simply cook the pasta according to the package directions (or sauté until tender for veggie noodles) and toss with the pumpkin alfredo sauce. Using hearts of palm linguine keeps this dish nice and quick because the noodles don’t need to be cooked at all!

To make the pumpkin alfredo sauce, just mix cream or coconut milk and pumpkin puree and heat until steaming, then stir in cheese or nutritional yeast and season with salt and pepper. This easy sauce is sure to become one of your fall favorites!

Next, crisp up the fresh sage leaves in bubbling butter. This only takes a minute, but changes the leathery texture of raw sage leaves to something delicately crunchy, almost like an kale chip. The sweet and herbal notes of the fried sage pair perfectly with the buttery texture of seared scallops.

Next, you’ll sear the scallops in the same butter, which by now is nicely browned and infused with a delicate sage flavor. This only takes a couple of minutes, so don’t walk away!

Finally, coat the noodles with the pumpkin alfredo sauce and top with the seared scallops and crispy sage. Add a pinch of sea salt and you’re ready to enjoy one of fall’s simplest but most satisfying meals!

What’s your favorite way to enjoy scallops? I’d love to hear from you in the comments!

Find more delicious Alaska seafood recipes right here.

Pumpkin Alfredo with Seared Alaska Scallops

Yield: 2-3 servings

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 15 minutes

Total Time: 25 minutes

This low-carb pumpkin alfredo with seared Alaska scallops and crispysage is the perfect quick but fancy dinner for chilly fall evenings at home.

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Ingredients

• 1/2 cup canned pumpkin puree
• 1/4 cup heavy cream or coconut milk
• 1/3 cup finely grated pecorino Romano or Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (substitute 2-3 tablespoons nutritional yeast for dairy free)
• Sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter (substitute avocado oil for dairy free)
• 15 fresh sage leaves
• 3/4-pound Alaska scallops, patted dry
• 2 (14-ounce) cans hearts of palm linguine, rinsed and drained

Instructions

1. To make the pumpkin alfredo sauce, whisk the pumpkin puree and cream in a saucepan. Warm over medium heat until steam begins to rise from the edges. Add the cheese or nutritional yeast and stir until combined. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover and keep warm over low heat while you prepare the sage and scallops.
2. Line a small plate with paper towels. Melt the butter in a
   medium skillet over medium-high heat. Once the melted butter is hot, add the sage leaves and fry for about a minute per side, until darkened and crispy. Transfer the leaves to the plate lined with paper towels.
3. Add the scallops to the butter, which should be beginning to
   brown. Sear for about two minutes per side, or until just cooked through. Smaller scallops may cook more quickly.
4. Toss the hearts of palm linguine with the pumpkin alfredo
   and divide between plates. Top with the seared scallops and crispy sage leaves and sprinkle with a bit of sea salt. Serve hot.
   
   

This post is sponsored by Alaska Seafood Marketing Institute. Thank you for supporting the sponsors that help keep A Calculated Whisk cooking!