Everything is better with bacon, right? These bacon wrapped scallops are so easy to make and come out tender and juicy every time making them an easy appetizer or even an easy main dish. From holidays, a special occasion, or a regular weeknight, these scallops wrapped in bacon are perfect for any meal. They are always a crowd-pleaser as the smoky and salty flavor of the scallops pairs so wonderfully with the sweet and delicate flavor of the scallops.
Not only are these scallops so decadent and flavorful, but they also come together shockingly quickly. They only need around 15 minutes in the oven, and the most challenging part about this recipe is rolling the scallops in bacon! You’ll be wondering why you don’t make this more often at home. If you want another easy dish all wrapped up in bacon, then try my bacon wrapped shrimp, bacon wrapped chicken, or bacon wrapped filet mignons.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Scallops — make sure you are purchasing sea scallops and not bay scallops at the grocery store. Bay scallops are much smaller scallops than sea scallops, as they’re around the size of a dime. If you are using fresh scallops, make sure you buy them right before you plan to make this scallop recipe, since they are very perishable. When buying scallops, look for dry-packed scallops sometimes simply called dry scallops as these are the best scallops to use. Some scallops, especially frozen ones, may be dipped in a brine solution to extend their freshness which releases a lot of moisture during cooking, preventing a good browning.
Salt and pepper — keep it simple with some salt and pepper, as you don’t want to overwhelm the sweet and delicate flavor of the scallops.
Bacon — use regular-cut bacon slices and not thick-cut bacon to ensure they cook through. Also, make sure the bacon is cut in half crosswise, as long strips of bacon will wrap around the scallops more than once, preventing them from cooking through.
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Scallops
1. Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper.
2. Wrap a slice of bacon around the side of each scallop.
3. Secure the bacon onto the scallop with a toothpick.
4. Place the wrapped scallops about 2 inches apart on a prepared baking sheet. Bake for 15 minutes or until the scallops are opaque and the bacon is cooked.
Pro Tips for Making This Recipe
- If you want the crispy bacon strips to be crispier, for best results par-cook the bacon in a skillet for 3 minutes, cool to the touch, wrap scallops, and bake.
- Placing scallops apart from each other allows the heat to circulate around the bacon to cook evenly, so choose a baking sheet large enough to prevent the scallops from crowding.
- For a longer strip of bacon, consider cutting it into thirds instead of halves to ensure it wraps around the scallops without too much overlap, as this can affect even cooking.
- If you are worried about the toothpicks burning in the oven, you can soak them in water for 10 minutes beforehand.
- Always pat your scallops completely dry with a paper towel. It’ll help the salt and pepper stick better to the scallops and allow for better browning.
- Sometimes scallops have a small muscle that is tough after cooking. It’s a little tag on the side of the scallop that feels a little tough. To remove it, simply pull it off.
- Remove the wrapped scallops from the sheet pan once done cooking. The residual heat from the baking sheet will continue to cook the scallops if you allow them to sit on the baking sheet for too long.
Frequently Asked Questions
The cook time of scallops varies based on the size of your scallops. This recipe takes around 15 minutes to cook through the large scallops I use, but if yours are smaller than mine, adjust the cooking time accordingly.
It’s best to enjoy these bacon wrapped scallops immediately. However, leftover scallops keep well in the fridge for up to 2 days.
To prevent your scallops from becoming rubbery when reheating leftovers, it’s best to avoid microwaving them. Instead, heat them up on a hot skillet with some olive oil for about a minute on each side.
You can definitely use frozen scallops without any problem. However, it is important that they are thoroughly thawed and dried. You can thaw them quickly by keeping them under cold running water or in the fridge overnight.
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If you’ve tried this Bacon Wrapped Scallops recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Equipment
- Large baking sheet
- Toothpicks
Ingredients
- 16 large sea scallops (about 1 pound/450g)
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 8 slices bacon cut in half crosswise (224g)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Grease a large baking sheet and set aside.
- Pat the scallops dry with a paper towel. Sprinkle all over with salt and pepper. Wrap a piece of bacon around the side of each scallop and secure it with a toothpick.
- Place the wrapped scallops about 2 inches apart on the prepared baking sheet.
- Bake for 15 minutes or until the scallops are opaque and bacon is cooked.
Notes
- If you want the bacon crispier, par-cook the bacon in a skillet for 3 minutes, cool to the touch, wrap scallops, and bake.
- Placing scallops apart from each other allows the heat to circulate around the bacon to cook evenly, so choose a baking sheet large enough to prevent the scallops from crowding.
- For longer bacon, consider cutting it into thirds instead of halves to ensure it wraps around the scallops without too much overlap, as this can affect even cooking.
- If you are worried about the toothpicks burning in the oven, you can soak them in water for 10 minutes beforehand.
- Always pat your scallops completely dry with a paper towel. It’ll help the salt and pepper stick better to the scallops and allow for better browning.
- Sometimes scallops have a small muscle that is tough after cooking. It’s a little tag on the side of the scallop that feels a little tough. To remove it, simply pull it off.
- Remove the wrapped scallops from the baking sheet once done cooking. The residual heat from the baking sheet will continue to cook the scallops if you allow them to sit on the baking sheet for too long.
This scrumptious scallop recipe will become one of my favorite recipes to enjoy with my husband who also loves scallops! Great pairing of these delicious scallops with creamy polenta!
I always use the pre-cooked bacon for dishes like this. I zap it a few seconds in the microwave just to make it pliable. For the bacon drippings, I use some I store in the fridge from cooking regular baking. These look delicious@