Quick and simple meals are the way to go during a busy week. These Dijon Scallops with Mushroom and Onion Spaghetti is a quick, simple, and delicious dish you can whip up in under 30 minutes and limited dishes to be washed!

(Original post date Feb 26, 20119 / Links and post updated Nov. 21, 2020)
There is nothing more satisfying than a full-on surf and turf dinner! But who has time to whip that up during a week?
That is why I love to just play on the words surf and turf. Instead of steak simply infused pasta with beef flavors. Yes, that sounds fancy and complicated but all you need to do is finish cooking your noodles in the beef base, stock, or broth than to up the flavor add in some smoky bacon, and butter sautéed mushrooms
Now for the surf part! You can use fish, shrimp, scallops, mussels, clams, or anything that comes from the sea. The best part about any seafood is it cooks up quickly and is nutritious making it perfect for busy weeknights.




How to Make Dijon Scallops with Mushrooms and Onion Spaghetti
- First, start by getting my water to boil for the pasta. The pasta should be undercooked and so you can finish it in the sauce. Then reserve 1 ½ cups of the pasta water to finish cooking the pasta with the beef base for later.
- While I wait for the water to boil, fry up the chopped bacon.
- Once the bacon is done start chopping and sautéing the mushrooms, garlic, and onions in some butter and olive oil with a pinch of salt in the same pan deep pan I fried up the bacon. You will know when they are done when onions are almost translucent and the mushrooms are half their size.
- Around this time the water is typically boiling add in your pasta and cook it for 1/2 the recommended time (you will finish cooking it in the sauce)
When it comes to cooking Scallops it is important that your pan is HOT. They cook fast and in order to get a good sear mark and not overcooking them (rubbery texture) a hot pan is the trick!
- Also while you are waiting on your onions and mushrooms to cook season your scallops. Whisk together Dijon mustard, pepper, salt, red wine vinegar, and olive oil. Dip or brush each side of the scallops in the dijon mixture.
- Remove the mushrooms, garlic, and onions from the skillet. Then take your scallops and brown both sides in the same skillet with a little olive oil. This should only take 1 ½ minute per side. Make sure you do not overcook them, or they will be rubbery.
- Remove the dijon scallops. Pasta should be partially cooked and strained by this point. Place pasta, pasta water, beef base, and bacon, the sautéed mushrooms, garlic, and onions in the same skillet you have been cooking in. Cook pasta until all the “beef base sauce” is absorbed into the pasta.
To serve place pasta on the plate. Lay scallops on top. Then for a little extra pizzazz and freshness chop up some fresh parsley and green onion and sprinkle on the top and enjoy.
Next time you want to serve up a fancy surf and turf without the hassle whip up this Dijon Scallops with Mushroom and Onion Spaghetti weeknight dinner that will wow in under 30 minutes.




FAQ and Tips
- Can this dish be made ahead and frozen?
Because this dish is a seafood dish it is not recommended to make ahead, reheating it the pasta will be overcooked and the scallops will be rubbery.
- Can I prep everything in advance and cut my cooking time to under 30 minutes?
You can prep the veggies in advance and this will free up some time but the dish itself take 20 minutes to make depending on your brand of pasta.
- Can I use something other than scallops?
Scallops can be a bit pricy shrimp is a great alterative to use in this pasta dish.
More Simple Seafood Recipes
Recipe for Dijon Scallops with Mushrooms and Onion Spaghetti


Dijon Scallops with Mushrooms and Onion Spaghetti
Ingredients
- 8 oz spaghetti noodles
- 12 scallops
- 1 small red onion chopped
- 4 oz mushrooms sliced
- 6 strips thick sliced apple wood smoked bacon cut in chunks
- ½ tbsp beef base like better than bouillon
- 1 ½ cups pasta water reserved after you cook the pasta
- ½ tbsp olive oil
- ½ tbsp unsalted butter
- salt
Seasoning for scallops
- ½ tbsp Dijon mustard
- ¼ tsp fresh cracked pepper
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ tbsp red wine vinegar
- 1 tbsp olive oil
Garnish
- fresh parsley finely chopped
- green onions chopped
- shredded Parmesan cheese
Instructions
- Cook pasta just 1 minute shy of what is recommended on the package. Reserve 1 1/2 cup pasta water when pasta is done.
- Fry bacon in a deep large skillet over medium-low heat. Takes about 5 minutes stirring occasionally. Once bacon is crispy remove it from the pan and set aside for later. Drain off any excess bacon fat leaving only a small amount of bacon fat in the pan.
- Add butter and olive to the bacon fat and saute the mushrooms, garlic, and onions until mushrooms are half their original size and onions are slightly translucent. Takes about 3-5 minutes. Remove mushrooms, garlic, and onions from the pan and set aside for later.
- Whisk together Dijon mustard, pepper, salt, red wine vinegar, and olive oil.
- Dip each side of scallop in the dijon mixture. Then place in the skillet you have been using. You can use another tbsp of olive oil if you are afraid they will stick. Cook over medium-high heat 1 1/2 minutes per side. Remove scallops and set aside until pasta is done.
- Place bacon, mushrooms, garlic, onions, pasta, beef base, and reserved pasta water into the deep skillet toss everything to combine. Cover and allow the pasta to absorb the liquid for 2-3 minutes.
- Once the liquid is completely absorbed remove pasta from heat. Serve with scallops on top, garnish with fresh finely chopped parsley, green onions, and parmesan cheese and enjoy!
Notes




Nutrition
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This reads and looks like a delicious treat. Something to have after a hard day at work! Quick to make but delicious to taste. The scallop, bacon and mushroom combination is one I have not tried yet, but I can literally taste it already!
I hope you enjoy! Thank you so much for your kind words!
Ironically I am reading this on the day that I have decided to make spaghetti for dinner. While the kind I will be making will be more simplified, I may decide to throw some mushrooms into it for an extra boost. Thanks for helping me spark that idea!
Hahaha that is awesome!!! And Ironically I am making a simple spaghetti for dinner tonight too… really I can take a pic of my meal plan and the frozen spaghetti sauce if you don’t believe me!
Haha. I believe you. I still rock canned or jarred sauce.
For super bowl I made a huge thing of spaghetti sauce with peppers, onions and mushrooms then I stirred in some meatballs and had meatball subs. But I had sooooooooo much sauce left I froze it in 2 batches and it was as easy as make the noodles and dump tonight. It was GREAT!!!
It looks so good!
And I love that there are quite common ingredients.
Thank you! Moved to the country this past fall. The nearest grocery store is 20 minutes away. So you may start to see the trend of common simple ingredients on the MCB in the future.
Wow this is seriously one of the BEST seafood paste recipes I’ve come across. Beautiful food photography too. Scallops and mushrooms YUMMM!!
Oh you just made me cry a little!! Thank you so much your words mean a lot! I hope you enjoy!
Wow, this looks so delicious! I’m going to put on my list to make next week!
Thank you!! Let me know if you have any questions and please let me know what you think!
This is one gorgeous pasta dish! I love the flavors in this, can’t wait to try it!
I can’t what to hear what you think!!
Love the thought of adding dijon to this dish. Sounds delicious!
Thank you!! I feel dijon is such a classic flavor that is under used these days!!
This looks delicious! I pinned it to try out.
Thank you so much!
This looks so good and funny thing is I have never had scallops before so I think it’s time 8 give them a try.
They are so good. They are like the candy of the sea because they have this natural sweetness. My only advice is to make sure they are cooked right, overcooked they get rubbery kinda like if you overcook lobster.
Looks delicious! Thanks for sharing 🙂
Thank you!
Oh my goodness these scallops look delicious! Scallops are the one thing I crave that I am always afraid to cook myself! Looking at this recipe, I may just have to face my fear and try!! Thanks for sharing 🙂
You should!!! I totally get your fear, they are one of those things that if you overcook them they get rubbery if you undercook them they are raw. My best advice is to make sure your pan is hot that you will hear the sizzle from there is is just a few minutes on each side and you should be good. They are really easy to cook once you do it!
I have never tried dijon mustard in a sauce for scallops. I am so excited to try this recipe! Thanks for sharing.
It just gives it that nice tang and bites you crave when eating seafood! I really hope you enjoy and please let me know what you think!!
I’d love to try this on the family. I think we’d all like it
These look crazy appetizing. I have been on the hunt for just the right thing to treat myself with price wise, but keeping the cooking light. Your scallops have totally inspired me. Beautiful photos too!
I have to try this recipe! A post has never made me hungrier in my life lol x
Looks crazy good! I can’t wait to try it out for myself!
Kasey Ma
http://www.TheStyleWright.com
Thank you I can’t wait to hear what you think
Damn! It’s looks like a delicious treat. I found lots of interesting information here. Great work. i like this blog.
Damn! It’s looks so delicious and yummy recipe. I will definitely try this home. Thanks for sharing nice article.