Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Bacon-wrapped scallops are tender, buttery, and delish!!

Juicy scallops wrapped in crispy bacon create a flavor explosion that’s perfect for impressing your guests or simply treating yourself to a delicious snack.

They can be an appetizer or a main dish and can be cooked on the grill, broiled, or cooked in the air fryer!

Crowd Pleasing Appetizer or Meal

Scallops wrapped in bacon can be served as appetizers as an entrée.
Cooked in a light garlic butter sauce, the bacon adds a great smoky salty flavor and the scallops come out perfectly tender.
This bacon wrapped scallops recipe is easy to make, can be prepared ahead of time yet they look impressive.
Serve with tangy cocktail sauce for dipping!

Bacon Wrapped Scallops before brushing with butter

Ingredients

Fresh scallops and smoky bacon are what make this recipe so great!

Scallops – There are two sizes of scallops; small (bay scallops) which are better suited for tossing in a sauce over pasta, or large (sea scallops) which are used in this recipe or for seared scallops.

Bacon – Use regular (not thick cut) bacon and cook it part way, this allows the bacon to crisp without overcooking the scallops.

Seasoning – Garlic, lemon pepper, parsley, salt & pepper are mixed with butter to season for these scallops.

pouring butter mixture over Bacon Wrapped Scallops

How to Make Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Fry or microwave the bacon until soft but not too crispy.
Wrap the bacon around the scallop, secure it with a toothpick (per the recipe below).
Melt butter and mix with garlic, parsley, and lemon pepper. Brush over scallops.

To grill: Grill on medium heat for 6 to 8 minutes.
To broil: Set under the broiler for 8 to 10 minutes, turning halfway.
To air fry: Cook for 11 to 13 minutes.

top view of Bacon Wrapped Scallops on a white platter

Tips for the Best Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Choose scallops that are uniform in size so they cook evenly. Scallops should be opaque and have a pleasant ocean-fresh smell.
Soaking wood skewers or pics in water for 30 minutes ensures the skewers don’t burn.
Choose bacon slices that will fit around the sides of each piece. If the scallops are small, wrap two scallops in one slice of bacon.

More Seafood Appetizers

Did you try these Bacon Wrapped Scallops? Be sure to leave a rating and a comment below!

5 from 36 votes↑ Click stars to rate now!
Or to leave a comment, click here!

Bacon wrapped scallops are a delicious appetizer or main dish and they’re easy to make!

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Soak Time 30 minutes

Total Time 55 minutes

Place short wooden skewers in water to soak for 30 minutes.
Place bacon in a frying pan and cook about 3-4 minute per side or until just slightly cooked and some of the fat has rendered out. Bacon should not be crisp.
Pat the scallops dry with paper towel and season with salt & pepper to taste.
Wrap bacon around the scallops and thread 2 to 3 scallops onto each skewer leaving a little bit of space between each scallop.
In a small bowl, mix the melted butter with garlic, parsley, and lemon pepper. Brush over scallops.
Place an oven rack 6-inches from the broiler and Preheat the broiler to high heat.
Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil.
Place the scallops on the prepared pan and broil for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping over after 3 minutes. Cook just until bacon is crisp and scallops are cooked through, do not overcook.

If scallops are really large you might need 1 slice of bacon per scallop. If they are smaller, you may only need ½ slice of bacon per scallop. Optionally, if the scallops are small, you can wrap two scallops in one slice of bacon.
Soaking skewers in water for 30 minutes ensures they do not burn.
To Grill: Preheat grill to medium heat. Add scallop skewers and grill 6-8 minutes or just until bacon is crispy. Do not overcook.
To Air Fry: Place scallops into an air fryer at 350°F for 11-13 minutes. Cook just until bacon is crisp and scallop is cooked. Do not overcook.

Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.

Course Appetizer, Dinner, Entree, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American

© SpendWithPennies.com. Content and photographs are copyright protected. Sharing of this recipe is both encouraged and appreciated. Copying and/or pasting full recipes to any social media is strictly prohibited. Please view my photo use policy here.