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Simple and delicious Browned Butter Scallops and Burst Tomato Basil Pasta. This quick-cooking pasta is like summer in a bowl. Crisp pan-seared scallops tossed with a golden, browned butter cherry tomato pan sauce, with white wine, caramelized corn, and plenty of basil. Serve topped with creamy burrata cheese, fresh, basil, and lemon. This is the perfect summer dinner, all made using summery seafood and garden produce. Simple yet so delectable, and ready in under an hour. Most importantly…every twirl of pasta is mouth-wateringly delicious.
Here’s the deal, you can make tomato basil pasta just about any time of the year. But I always find it best this time of year, when the gardens are bursting with fresh basil and the tomatoes are just beginning to turn ripe enough to eat. Our local farmstand, Uncle John’s, has just started filling their delivery trucks full of sweet cherry tomatoes, homegrown in Colorado. They’re the best, sweetest little cherry tomatoes.
We love them.
And if you’ve been following along all summer, you know we are growing plenty of fresh herbs this year. Our basil and thyme are currently taking over the garden and I could not be happier about it. Basil is by far one of my very favorite herbs, probably my favorite. But I hate to choose solid favorites when it comes to food because my favorites really do change with the seasons.
Funny enough, this is a pasta I made many summers ago. But I love making it every year once the cherry tomatoes arrive towards the end of July. It’s the quickest pasta dinner to create. It would be amazing as a special Friday or Saturday night meal with your favorite glass of wine, yet it’s simple enough for any weeknight too.
It’s light and summery, but yet also a bit indulgent and very satisfying. An all-around completely delicious meal.
Like a lot of my summer recipes, this pasta is simple. I used angel hair pasta because it’s what I had in my pantry. Well, wait, I have almost every kind of pasta in my pantry. Because you know I love a good pasta dinner and I love keeping the pantry well-stocked. But truth is, I love angel hair the most. My mom ingrained this into me at a very young age and I think it will always be my favorite. You can, of course, use any long cut pasta you love, but angel hair is my go-to.
The added bonus when it comes to using angle hair? It takes almost no time at all to cook up.
Once you have the pasta boiling, get to work on the scallops. I pan-seared them simply with salt, pepper, and olive oil. The key to a good pan-seared scallop is making sure you’ve patted the scallops very dry before searing. This will ensure your scallops brown evenly on the outside, but stay soft and buttery toward the center.
Once the scallops are seared, get them out of the skillet and finish up this pasta.
To that same skillet, add those cherry tomatoes, some garlic, herbs, corn, and butter. Let the butter get a little brown and toasty, and then add a splash of wine. Yes, wine on a weekday, and it’s the best thing ever. Obviously.
Toss in the pasta, parmesan, basil, and seared scallops. And that’s it.
Well almost…the plating is very important and should go as follows:
Pasta, room temperature burrata, a sprinkle of lemon, and then lots of fresh basil.
Seems really fancy, right? But it’s actually so simple and is made entirely in one pan (ok, two including the pasta cooking pan). And all in under an hour.
This one is as close to perfect as a summer pasta can get.
Pour yourself a glass of wine, fix up a big plate of seafood pasta, and relax out on the patio or deck…the perfect summer night dinner! Sounds pretty darn good. Lovin’ the easy summer living.
And nothing’s better than buttery, herby, seafood pasta, sweet tomatoes and corn, cheese, and wine…all together in one dish. Happiest Thursday!
PS. I’ve decided that everything in the summer months is better with burrata and fresh basil…everything!
Looking for other summer seafood recipes? Here are a few ideas:
Cajun Pepper Shrimp with Creamed Corn Orzo
Garden Herb Shrimp Scampi Linguine
Lemon Parmesan Salmon with Corn, Tomato, and Avocado Salad
Lastly, if you make this Browned Butter Scallops and Burst Tomato Basil Pasta, be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Amazing. So simple and so delicious! Made this last night and it was just the bright flavors needed on a dreary November day. Make this if you want your partner to propose to you…ha! 🙂 Thank you for another awesome recipe, Tieghan!
Hey Gretchen,
Happy Friday!!🌻 I am so glad to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for trying it and sharing your review:) xT
Excellent followed your instructions including the burrata cheese. The flavour and presentation was like fine dining. I served it the way it looks in your picture instead of blending it altogether. This is a keeper and so easy to make. Thank you!
Hey Chris,
Amazing! I love to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it! Have a great Monday! xTieghan
Couldn’t get scallops so we used shrimp. Lovely dinner.
Hey Jennifer,
Happy Sunday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a bunch for giving it a go! xx
This recipe is awesome! Despite it being the middle of January in cold and rainy England, I was craving a light and fresh pasta dish. I made this for myself and my husband and it couldn’t have been easier to pull together on a weeknight. I think he said at least 5 times as we were eating that I “nailed dinner” tonight! Gorgeous flavours and simple ingredients (many of which I already had on hand) – I’ll be adding this one to our regular rotation. Thank you!!
Hi Maggie,
Thanks so much for giving this recipe a try, I love to hear that it was enjoyed! xTieghan
Made this tonight with gluten free pasta and it was amazing! Thanks!
Hi Nancy,
Fantastic!! I am so glad that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks a lot for giving it a try. Have the best week! xTieghan
Ok so we followed the recipe. I would recommend that the pasta is plated in bundles and the the last step is poured over as the pasta seems to absorb all the sauce. Adding everything looks nothing like the recipe. The tomatoes helped make an excellent sauce but when combining all the starchy things it was absorbed:/
Hey Kim,
Thanks so much for your feedback and giving the recipe a try! xTieghan
A wonderful combination of flavors from this relatively simple recipe, both rich and bright. HalfBaked Harvest has yet to disappoint, rather, these are some of the most consistently delicious meals my wife and I have made during the past year.
Hey there,
Thanks a bunch for making this recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! xTieghan
This is quite possibly the most delicious pasta I have ever made…fantastic!
Hey Tim,
Thanks so much for making the recipe, I am so glad it was enjoyed! Thanks! xTieghan