Seared Scallop White Miso
There's something almost meditative about searing a scallop properly. You need this perfect combination of patience and aggression, like you're in a standoff with the pan. Most people get nervous and flip them too early, but if you just let them sit there and develop that crust, they reward you with this gorgeous caramelization that tastes like the ocean decided to get fancy. White miso is the sophisticated older sibling in the miso family, less assertive than its red counterpart, more interested in subtle complexity than shouting. When you combine these sweet, buttery scallops with a gentle white miso broth, you get this elegant balance that feels refined without being pretentious. It's the kind of bowl that makes you sit up a little straighter, the kind that tastes expensive even when it's made with supermarket ingredients and takes less than half an hour from start to finish.
Scallops kiss hot steel—white miso whispers the sea—silk meets golden char.
Let Me Tell You...
My first attempt at searing scallops was an absolute disaster.
I was twenty-two and trying to impress this girl who claimed she loved seafood, so naturally I decided to cook something I'd never made before because that's the kind of brilliant decision-making that defines your early twenties.
I bought these beautiful sea scallops from the fish market, spent more money than I should have, and promptly ruined them by overcrowding the pan and moving them around like I was conducting an orchestra.
They turned out gray and rubbery, steaming in their own moisture instead of developing that golden crust I'd seen in cooking shows.
The girl was polite about it, but we never went out again, and I don't blame her.
It took me another three years before I tried scallops again, this time at a Japanese restaurant where the chef made them look effortless.
He had this ancient cast iron pan that was smoking hot, and when those scallops hit the surface, they barely moved.
Just sat there developing this incredible crust while he prepared the rest of the dish with this calm efficiency that made cooking look like meditation.
I asked him about it afterward, and he said something that stuck with me about how you have to trust the heat, trust the timing, and most importantly, trust yourself to not interfere with the process.
That's when I realized that good cooking is often about knowing when to do nothing.
The white miso component came from my obsession with finding broths that tasted complex without being heavy.
I'd been making these rich, dark miso ramens that were delicious but exhausting to eat, the kind that leave you feeling like you need a nap afterward. White miso offered this completely different experience, this subtle sweetness and delicate umami that enhanced flavors instead of dominating them.
When I whisked it into dashi with a little sake and mirin, the broth developed this silky texture and refined taste that made the scallops shine instead of competing with them.
It was like discovering that sometimes the best supporting actor is the one who knows how to stay in the background.
Now when I make this dish, I think about that first disaster and how far I've come from the nervous kid who couldn't leave food alone long enough for it to cook properly.
I've learned that patience and high heat are the secrets to perfect scallops, that white miso creates depth without heaviness, and that sometimes the most elegant dishes are the ones that let each ingredient speak for itself without unnecessary complications.
This bowl represents everything I love about Japanese coastal cooking, where simplicity becomes sophistication and restraint creates more impact than excess ever could.
Ingredients
- 8 ounces dried ramen noodles (2 bricks, seasoning packets discarded)
- 10 large sea scallops, side muscle removed, patted completely dry
- 3 tablespoons white (shiro) miso paste
- 4 cups dashi stock (or low-sodium seafood/chicken stock)
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 tablespoon soy sauce
- 2 teaspoons fresh ginger, finely grated
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons neutral oil (canola or grapeseed)
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 3 scallions, thinly sliced (whites and greens separated)
- 1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon white sesame seeds, toasted
- Kosher salt and white pepper, to taste
- 1 sheet nori, cut into thin strips
Preparation
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the noodles. In a separate medium pot, warm the dashi stock over medium-low heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk the white miso paste with about 1/2 cup of the warm dashi until smooth and completely dissolved. Pour this mixture back into the pot with the remaining dashi.
- Add sake, mirin, soy sauce, grated ginger, and minced garlic to the broth. Stir well and let simmer gently for 8-10 minutes to allow flavors to meld. Season with white pepper and a pinch of salt if needed. Keep warm on low heat.
- Meanwhile, cook the ramen noodles in the boiling water according to package directions (usually 3-4 minutes). Drain, rinse briefly under cool water to stop cooking, and set aside.
- Pat the scallops completely dry with paper towels and season both sides lightly with kosher salt and white pepper.
- Heat a large cast iron or heavy-bottomed skillet over medium-high heat until very hot, about 2-3 minutes. Add the neutral oil and let it shimmer.
- Carefully place the scallops in the pan, leaving at least 2 inches of space between each one. Do not move them. Sear for 2-2.5 minutes until a deep golden crust forms on the bottom.
- Flip each scallop carefully, add the butter to the pan, and cook for another 1.5-2 minutes until the second side is golden and the scallops are just opaque in the center. Remove from heat and let rest.
- Divide the cooked noodles among serving bowls. Ladle the hot white miso broth over the noodles, ensuring each bowl gets some aromatics from the broth.
- Top each bowl with seared scallops (5 per bowl for 2 servings, adjust as needed). Drizzle with toasted sesame oil, sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, scallion greens, and nori strips.
- Serve immediately while the broth is hot and the scallops are still warm, with any optional toppings on the side.