Lobster Scallop Garlic Butter Linguine (Printable)

Decadent pasta with tender lobster, sweet scallops, and linguine in luxurious garlic butter sauce with fresh herbs and lemon.

# What You'll Need:

→ Seafood

01 - 2 lobster tails (approximately 8 oz each), meat removed and cut into bite-sized pieces
02 - 12 large sea scallops, patted completely dry

→ Pasta

03 - 12 oz linguine

→ Garlic Butter Sauce

04 - 5 tbsp unsalted butter
05 - 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
06 - 5 cloves garlic, finely minced
07 - 1 small shallot, finely chopped
08 - 1/4 tsp red pepper flakes
09 - Zest and juice of 1 lemon
10 - 1/4 cup dry white wine
11 - 1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley
12 - Salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

→ Garnish

13 - Fresh lemon wedges
14 - Additional chopped fresh parsley

# How to Make It:

01 - Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Cook the linguine according to package directions until al dente. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the starchy pasta water. Drain the pasta thoroughly and set aside.
02 - While the pasta cooks, heat 2 tbsp butter and the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Lightly season the scallops with salt and pepper. Sear in the hot skillet for 1-2 minutes per side until golden brown and just cooked through. Transfer to a plate and set aside.
03 - Add the lobster pieces to the same skillet. Cook for 2-3 minutes, turning occasionally, until the meat becomes opaque and just cooked through. Remove from the skillet and set aside with the scallops.
04 - Reduce the heat to medium. Add the remaining 3 tbsp butter, garlic, shallot, and red pepper flakes. Sauté for 1-2 minutes, stirring constantly, until fragrant and the garlic is pale gold but not browned.
05 - Pour in the white wine and let it simmer for 2-3 minutes until reduced by half, scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the skillet.
06 - Stir in the lemon juice and zest. Return the scallops and lobster to the skillet along with any accumulated juices. Gently toss to coat everything in the sauce.
07 - Add the drained linguine to the skillet. Pour in some of the reserved pasta water as needed to create a glossy, emulsified sauce that clings to the pasta. Toss in the chopped parsley and season with additional salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately, garnished with extra parsley and lemon wedges.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The garlic butter sauce clings to every strand of linguine while letting the sweet seafood shine through
  • Ready in under an hour but tastes like something from a fancy Italian spot
  • The scallops and lobster stay tender because everything cooks in stages, not all at once
02 -
  • Patting scallops completely dry is the secret to getting that restaurant-quality golden sear instead of steamed rubbery seafood
  • Do not crowd the pan when searing, or the temperature will drop and you will lose that nice crust formation
  • The pasta water is essential, as the starch helps emulsify the butter into that silky coating sauce instead of separating
03 -
  • Ask your fishmonger to remove the lobster meat from the tails if you are uncomfortable doing it yourself
  • The red pepper flakes add just enough warmth to balance the richness without overpowering the delicate seafood flavors

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