This Sautéed Seafood Medley is sure to impress! Anyone! It has few ingredients and takes just about 20 minutes to make. It's that quick and easy. I've been making this recipe for years. Every time I serve it to family and friends they are always reaching for seconds. Leftovers? What leftovers?
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Reasons to love the seafood medley
- It's simple: very few simple ingredients are all you need for this recipe. No fancy sauces, just the seafood, and a few simple seasonings.
- It's quick: each seafood ingredient just needs several minutes on the stovetop; the dish comes together in just 20 minutes.
- Versatile: use it as an appetizer, or a side dish, or top it over rice. You can serve it as a main dish for dinner and it's great as leftover for lunch. Remove some seafood ingredients and/or add different ones (although preparation times may vary).
Ingredients
- Shrimp: like in our Beef and Popcorn Shrimp Tacos, we use raw, peeled and deveined shrimp, tail off.
- Imitation Crab: Any imitation crab will do. Crab sticks (like I use in this Lemongrass Seafood Medley Stuffed Pumpkin) or crab chunks. Slice these into relatively small pieces.
- Scallops: Scallop sizes are similar to shrimp. Purchase scallops that are not too large. Those are more pricey and would need to be cut into smaller pieces anyway.
- Garlic: 3 to 4 medium garlic cloves. Pressed or minced.
- Oil: Mix with the garlic and enjoy the aroma!
- Italian Seasoning: A little bit of this seasoning will go a long way. I purchased ready-made Italian seasoning at my grocery store and use it in many dishes, including this Healthier Oven-Baked Poutine.
See ingredient quantities in the recipe card below
Substitutions and Variations
- Oil: Instead of oil, you can use unsalted butter.
- Italian Seasoning: Alternatively, you can add dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme in equal parts - about one teaspoon of each. Use it later for other recipes too. You'll need only one teaspoon of seasoning for this recipe.
- Add some veggies: before cooking the shrimp and the other seafood ingredients, saute some veggies of your choice. Some good options would be bell peppers, zucchini, and leek - stir in some salt to taste
- Make it spicy: add some Cajun seasoning, to taste, or stir in some hot sauce!
Preparation
STEP 1:
Heat a large skillet or a non-stick pot over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of butter and minced garlic. Sauté the garlic for about 20-30 seconds.
STEP 2:
Add the shrimp and saute for 3 to 5 minutes, flipping them over halfway through. The shrimp will turn opaque white and pink. Transfer them to a large mixing bowl.
STEP 3:
Add a little more butter or cooking oil and saute scallops for about 3 - 5 minutes, depending on the size of the scallops. Transfer the scallops to the mixing bowl with the shrimp.
STEP 4:
Add the diced crab to the skillet and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the crab to the mixing bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Serve warm.
Top Tips
- Make sure not to stir shrimp when searing, simply cook on one side and then flip them over to cook the other side
- Do not overcook shrimp; they will become rubbery. Sear them until just opaque white and pink and then remove them from the hot skillet.
- Make sure the scallops are patted dry before sauteeing
- Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking shrimp and then scallops
Frequently Asked Questions
In this recipe, I used 16/20 count per pound. Shrimp sizes are usually indicated by numbers, specifying how many shrimp (approximately) there are in a pound. For example, 16/20 means there are approximately 16 to 20 shrimps per pound in the package. So, the lower the number, the bigger the shrimp. If there is the letter "U" in front of the number of shrimp, for example, U10, it specifies that there are Under 10 shrimps per pound. You don't have to purchase very large shrimp, but shrimps do shrink a bit when they are cooked, so don't buy ones that are very small. Those are great for salads, though.
To thaw frozen shrimp, simply remove the shrimp from its packaging and place them in a clean bowl filled with cold water. Let shrimp thaw inside the water for 15 – 20 minutes, mixing with your hands halfway through. If you are thawing the day before using, simply place the shrimp in the refrigerator. Pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel before searing.
Sometimes you can find shrimp that have already been peeled but the tail is left on. This is easy, just peel the tail off. I purchased shrimp with the head off and deveined, but the shell is still on the shrimp. Use a colander and, under cool water, peel the shell gently. In deveined shrimp, the shell has already been cut along the outer edge of the shrimp's back, so it's easier to peel.
Serving suggestions
Serve the sauteed seafood medley warm. Not hot, not cold.
If I'm having a dinner party, I like to serve this dish in between appetizers/salads and the main course. Your guests won't expect it coming! It's great served after a simple appetizer, such as this Asparagus in Smoked Salmon and Cucumber appetizer, and a fresh salad, such as this Asparagus and Mango Salad Recipe. After your guests have enjoyed the seafood medley, they would love these Slow Cooker Sweet Duck Legs as a main dish. I usually throw it in the slow cooker in the morning, and then not worry about still having to make a main dish; it will slowly cook on its own. I just concentrate on chopping the salads and making appetizers.
Storing and Reheating
Store the seafood medley in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
The best way to reheat the dish is by stir-frying it with one tablespoon of oil in a non-stick skillet, over medium-high heat. It will take just about 2-3 minutes to reheat.
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Recipe
Sauteed Seafood Medley Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons cooking oil divided
- 3 large garlic cloves minced
- 1 lb medium shrimp raw, peeled and deveined, patted dry
- 1 lb small to medium scallops patted dry
- 1 lb imitation crab meat chopped
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning add more to taste - see first note in the notes section below
Instructions
- Heat a large skillet over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon of cooking oil and the pressed or minced garlic. Saute garlic for about 20-30 seconds.
- Add the peeled, deveined shrimp. Sautee the shrimp for 3 to 5 minutes, flipping them over half way through. The shrimp will turn opaque white and pink. Transfer to a large mixing bowl.
- Add a little more cooking oil and sautee scallops until slighly browned for about 3 - 5 minutes, depending on the size of the scallops. You may need to increase the heat and allow some liquid to cook out before the scallops begin to brown. Transfer the scallops to the mixing bowl with the shrimp.
- Add the diced crab to the skillet and saute for about 2 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer the crab to the mixing bowl and stir in 1 teaspoon of Italian seasoning. Serve warm.
Notes
- If you don't have Italian Seasoning, you can add dried basil, oregano, rosemary, and thyme in equal parts, say one teaspoon of each, and use it later for other recipes too.
- Store leftovers in an air-tight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days
- Do not stir shrimp when searing, simply cook on one side and then flip them over to cook the other side
- Do not overcook shrimp; they will become rubbery. Sear them until just opaque white and pink and then remove them from the hot skillet.
- Make sure the scallops are patted dry
- Do not overcrowd the pan when cooking shrimp and then scallops
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