Bacon Wrapped Scallops are elegant enough for a dinner party or a romantic dinner for two and easy enough to prepare on a busy weeknight. In less than 30 minutes you can cook bacon wrapped scallops in the oven to tender, juicy perfection.

I’d be a little embarrassed to tell you how many times we’ve had scallops wrapped in bacon for dinner over the past couple of weeks. I wanted them to be just perfect before posting the recipe and it was harder than I thought! I wanted the scallops to be tender like they are when you sear them and have the bacon cooked just right. And I wanted them to bake in the oven, preferably without catching anything on fire.
I’ll explain.
The first two times I made these bacon wrapped scallops, I tried to broil them as this recipe calls for. After the spattering grease and smoke that billowed from my oven on the first try, I decided to move the pan a little further from the broiling element for the second try. Same problem.
Next I tried baking them at a higher temperature and finishing them under the broiler. Same spatter and smoke problem and the scallops were tough. And speaking of tough, I saw one recipe that called for baking them for 35(!!!) minutes at 425°F, which I can only imagine would turn a scallop into something like a rubber disc.
But, at last, success! Baking scallops wrapped in bacon for 12 minutes at 425°F was just perfect. (If your scallops are very large or your bacon very thick, it could take up to 15 minutes. And if you like your bacon even more crisp, partially cook it before wrapping the scallops as you would with Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.) The scallops were buttery and tender, the bacon sizzling and juicy.
I love to serve these with Greek Salad or Spinach Salad or a seafood dynamic duo with Crab Salad, and on days when we’re looking for a decadent meal, they’re fantastic served over Pasta Aglio e Olio or alongside Cheesy Potatoes. They also make a crowd pleasing appetizer – why let Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and Bacon Wrapped Dates have all the fun!? 😉
How to Make Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Step 1: Preheat oven to 425°F. Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and remove any side muscles.


Step 2: Wrap each scallop with 1/2 slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. (If your bacon is thick or you like it crispier, you can partially bake on baking sheet for 3-5 minutes before wrapping scallops.)


Step 3: Drizzle olive oil over scallops and season with pepper and kosher salt.


Step 4: Arrange scallops in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper.

Step 5: Bake in a 425°F oven for 12 to 15 minutes, depending on scallop size and bacon thickness. Serve hot!

Bacon Wrapped Scallops Recipe Video
Bacon Wrapped Scallops
Ingredients
- 16 sea scallops see recipe notes
- 8 slices bacon cut in half crosswise
- 16 toothpicks
- olive oil for drizzling
- freshly ground black pepper to taste
- kosher salt to taste
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 425°F.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Set aside.
- Pat scallops dry with a paper towel and remove any side muscles. Wrap one scallop in a half slice of bacon and secure with toothpick (see recipe note #2). Repeat with remaining scallops.
- Drizzle olive oil over each scallop and season with pepper and kosher salt.
- Arrange scallops in a single layer on prepared baking sheet, giving each scallop some room to allow the bacon to crisp.
- Bake 12 to 15 minutes until scallop is tender and opaque and bacon is cooked through. Serve hot.
Notes
- Look for ‘dry’ sea scallops, which means they haven’t been soaked in sodium tripolyphosphate to make them heavier. (yuck!)
- If you like your bacon more crisply cooked, you can partially cook it for 3-5 minutes before wrapping the scallops as with these Bacon Wrapped Shrimp.
- 4 scallops makes a hearty main course. If you have light eaters, consider 3 scallops per person.
This recipe was great ! We brushed our home made bbq sauce on as well, half way through cooking. Very tasty. We like them a bit crispy and they were juicy too. 👍
That’s wonderful, Melisa. Thank you for coming back to let me know!
This is a great recipe. I had YUGE scallops and thick bacon, so I baked in a preheated over for 15 mins then leaving my pan on a level just above middle of the oven, I broiled on HI 3-4 mins on each side. Just brown enough and came out amazing! I didnt want to mess with precooking this and cooling, wrapping, etc…..and this worked perfectly New Years Day appetizer for DH and I with some prosecco and elderflower lemonade.
So glad these were a hit, Colleen!
These were quite tasty, but I found the scallop cooking time was off. I used Costco scallops that I’d defrosted and allowed to come to room temperature. I cut bacon slices in half lengthwise and then across each half slice. I then pre-cooked my bacon at 425 F for 4 minutes, and allowed the slices to cool. I wrapped each scallop in bacon, secured the bacon with a toothpick. put them in the oven and set the timer for 6 minutes. I intended to flip each scallop at that point. However, when I pulled them out, an instant read thermometer showed they were already at 130 F!! I immediately transferred them to a cold plate. They were great, but a disaster was narrowly averted. Next time I’ll cook my bacon longer and will check the scallops at 4 minutes. Cook’s Illustrated suggests pulling them out at 115 F with carry over cooking taking them the rest of the way.
Hi there, LFK. Thank you for sharing your experience and thoughts.
Marissa, I do a lot of special cooking for my wife & she recently (while on vacation) had bacon wrapped sea scallops . We both really enjoy sea scallops. Your recipe is excellent & my wife said these were much better than what she had ordered while on vacation & at the time she said they were excellent & complimented the chef. While you state to pre-cook the bacon if you like crispy (which we do), this is just common sense. I did not use any olive oil nor butter. I did however use some old bay seasoning. incidentally, I used the 10-20 count size of sea scallops & had 12 scallops for the 1 lb. Additionally, when you pre-cook the bacon it shrinks so I use 1 piece of medium thickness bacon per scallop. As my wife says, “deliciosoooooo”. I have never before at age 70 commented on a recipe that I have used which are many & most very good! Thank you so very much for your trials & recipe!!!
I’m so glad that you and your wife are enjoying this recipe, Paul! So kind of you to come back and let me know!
This is the recipe I’ve been seeking for YEARS. I didn’t want any fancy-schmancy flavorings and toppings, but wanted the two main flavors to speak for themselves. They key, I think, is par-cooking the bacon, which I did for four minutes at 425 degrees. (The recipe doesn’t specify the temp to cook the bacon, but I used the same as the scallops, and it worked.)
One note, I couldn’t find “dry” scallops, so I used the frozen ones, which had been treated. They worked fine. I think the trick is to thaw them in the microwave, drain them well, and then dry them off with paper towel. If you thaw them in cold water they will become waterlogged and you’ll have unappetizing mush-pusch.
So glad you enjoyed this recipe, Chris! Thank you for your detailed recipe notes.
This recipe sounds amazing!! Is it possible/safe to par-cook the bacon and wrap the scallops a few hours before cooking them? Keep them in the fridge and then pop them in the oven before we eat. I like to have everything ready to go when my guests arrive for dinner!
Hi, Jan! Yes, I think that should work just fine. I’m the same way – love doing as much as possible ahead of time!
I made this recipe last night. pre cooked the bacon in the oven for 4 minutes, then cooked the bacon wrapped scallops for 12 minutes and added a bit of butter on top after they came out of the oven! It was perfect, thank you so much. I was totally about to try the broiler method and so happy I kept looking and found your oven baked version.
Fantastic, Lacey! I’m so glad you enjoyed these!! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
This was one of the best meals I’ve ever made! Thanks for the recipe and the written explanation. Well done!
So happy to hear this, Julie!! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
This was great tasting easy prep dish! With the corona virus shutting everything down it made a great birthday celebration dinner!
I’m so happy you enjoyed these for a birthday celebration, Rick. Really sweet of you to come back and let me know. 🙂
These are addicting, Marissa, so good! We wished for more 🙂 and EASY to do, just as you directed, getting the bacon started a bit early. Thanks for sharing. Will definitely be doing these again!
I love to hear this, Jackie! Thank you for coming back to let me know. 😊
This recipe was glorious!! My husband was so happy and I’ll definitely make them again and again as a treat! I added a bit of brown sugar to half of them but they were perfect without the pinch. Thank you for posting!!
That’s wonderful, Kirby! So happy that you and your husband enjoyed these!
Made this for the last night of 2019 and it was a hit. Had huge, huge scallops and they came out perfect. Next time will pre-cook the bacon a bit and use black lava sea salt after the olive oil. Was the 2nd recipe I looked at, you-know-who was first and am glad I chose your version. Thanks for sharing.
Yay! I’m so glad these were a hit, Carol! Happy New Year!
Thank you this is an awesome and easy recipe and so delicious! I did broil at the last 2 minutes just to crisp up my bacon but besides that yum
So glad to hear that you enjoyed these, Jodi! 🙂
I have made this recipe twice now and it’s been outstanding both times. Thanks for sharing this so easy a not culinaryingly gifted guy can make. I ended up putting a little honey on top and it turned out nicely I thought.
So happy you’re enjoying this recipe, Todd – and making it your own with that drizzle of honey! 🙂
We just made these for my daughter’s Birth Day, and they were delicious! We saw many other recipes out there, but appreciated the fact that you said you tried several different times (and therefore ironed out the bugs for us!) to come up with this final recipe.
We did pre-cook the (thick-ish) bacon… cut them in half and put them in the preheated oven (425) for about 10 min. Let them all cool a little (so we don’t burn our fingers) and then followed your instructions. We did think that butter could be better, but didn’t want to risk it just in case it scalded…and the olive oil cooked and tasted fine (although we’ll probably _try_ butter next time).
Anyway, they turned out perfect, and were a great hit for this special evening. Thank you so much!
Thank you, Ryan. What a fun birthday dinner! I think butter would be delicious. (I recommend clarifying it to keep it from burning/smoking.) I’m so glad that your daughter and all of you enjoyed these!
I’ve always bought frozen bacon wrapped scallops for our Xmas and New Years Eve get togethers, I’ve always been afraid to ruin such a mouthwatering and luscious seafood but with this recipe I think it’s my time to try (and to JJ the recipe did say to pre-bake bacon in the oven not microwave rubberize it. LOL)
I’m so excited for you to try these, Kathy! I hope that you and your family love them!! Please let me know how it goes! 🙂
Used U15 scallops and placed the scallops on a rack while baking. I used low salt bacon that I got at Costco. Half a strip is enough to wrap around the bacon once. Didn’t use any salt or pepper. It was perfect just like that.
So glad you enjoyed these, Bex!
The first time I made these a few weeks ago I used thick cut, un-pre-cooked bacon and went the full 15mins… delicious!!, but the bacon wasn’t perfect. I don’t like extra steps, so last night I made these with regular bacon… OH, MY, GOODNESS they were exactly as you described them. I might not ever have scallops any other way… least not for a long time! 😁 Thank you for sharing your recipe with us.
That’s fantastic, John! Thank you for coming back to let me know!!
Marissa,
Thanks for the easy but very good recipe! I did precook my thick cut bacon for 5 minutes in the oven. The scallops came out juicy, the bacon was cooked just right. Quick easy and delicious!
Rob
So glad you enjoyed these, Rob!
Really really good!! They came out perfectly!❤❤
That’s fantastic, Deb! Thank you for coming back to let me know!
Wow, so disappointed. I’ve wanted to make bacon wrapped scallops for a while and when I found this recipe, was so happy. I loved that you said you had made it several times until you got it ‘just right.’ However, for me it was a disaster. I precooked the bacon 3 minutes in the microwave since I do use thick sliced bacon and you did recommend pre-cooking. But even still the bacon was no where near done after 14 minutes at 425. That meant that I had to overcook the scallops significantly to get the bacon cooked. And even when done, the taste was just blech.
Sorry. I really thought I’d love it but I’d like to warn others that ovens vary, bacon varies, everything varies so what was perfect for you may not be for everybody. Thanks anyway.
Oh no, JJ! I’m sorry you were disappointed with these. I’ve always precooked bacon in the oven, so can’t speak to the microwave method. It sounds like you would be happier with the results using a thin cut bacon. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.
Like you I struggled with bacon-wrapped scallops……thank you not only for the recipe but sharing your struggles until to GOT IT!!! 🙂
My pleasure, Benton! 🙂
Just finished … Absolutely delicious and very easy to prepare. Scallops are my “go to” seafood! Thanks for the great recipe!!!
That’s fantastic, Marlene! Thank you for coming back to let me know!!
I am planning to make these for dinner tomorrow night, am looking forward to eating them! everyone on here sounds like they loved them so I am excited, I do love scallops
I love to hear that, Deborah! Let me know how it goes! 🙂
Sooo yummy! Thanks for the great recipe!
So glad you enjoyed, Kathryn!!
Marissa, Thank you for creating this delectable treat and your persistence in doing so!!! It was very well received in my home!!! YUMMMMMM!!
My pleasure, Tolly! So glad that you and your family enjoyed it!
This was a great recipe!. Scallops are one of my favorite dishes and this did not disappoint. I followed the recipe as stated. As suggested I pre-cooked the bacon a bit as I do like it crispy. It took the 12 minutes as stated to cook the bacon and scallop in the oven. SO delish. I was a little afraid that the bacon would make it too salty if I also seasoned with salt and pepper.as stated in the recipe). It didn’t!, was perfectly seasoned.
I didn’t have parchment paper on hand (which, i generally LOVE to use) but this did great on aluminum foil as well.. no sticking and still easy peasy cleanup. This will absolutely be a go-to recipe for us. Can’t wait to make it again.
THANKS SO MUCH!
That’s wonderful, Cherie! I’m so glad the scallops were a hit. Thank you for coming back to let me know!!
Is there any favorite dipping sauces people have used? I’m making these tonight and cannot wait. Have leftover scallops from my husband’s pan seared Saturday night entree… he just bought too many. As they are fresh I have to use them up. Going to serve a nice flat bread pizza alongside them so thinking something spicy and not sweet for a dip.
Thanks…
Hi, Kristen! I think this Spicy Remoulade Sauce would be perfect! Enjoy!
Fantastic recipe! The bacon that I used was in-between thin and thick cut (regular?), and I also like crispier bacon, so I fried the bacon a few minutes (pinning it down with a cookie/pie cooling rack so that it wouldn’t curl) before wrapping them around the scallops.
The scallops came out plump and juicy and the bacon was slightly crisp. Oh so good! The adults loved it and my 3-yo toddler couldn’t get enough!
Thank you for this recipe! I always loved bacon wrapped scallops, but was too scared to ever make them at home. This is the first time I tried making them and they turned out perfectly!
That’s wonderful, Virginia!! Thanks so much for coming back to let me know!
I used my cast iron skillet with olive oil, followed the rest of the instructions, and they turned out great! 425° really is spot on.
Awesome recipe! My wife said, “Go online and find a good recipe for bacon wrapped scallops”, so I did. They turned out so perfect, thank you!
That’s wonderful, Christopher! Thank you for coming back to let me know.
Hoping to make this for my husband tomorrow for valentine’s day! Do you use frozen then thawed or do you buy fresh? And have you tried it with butter instead of olive oil? Thanks in advance!
April, I’m so sorry that I didn’t get back to you before Valentine’s Day! I buy frozen and thaw them – I’d love to buy them fresh, but I live in the high desert of Oregon, lol! I haven’t made them with butter – my only concern is the butter getting too brown, but my guess is that it would work just fine!
WOW – Your instructions are to the T – PERFECT – I have tried making these so many times and was never successful – Bacon not crispy — Scallop overcooked – Thank you for the time and work you put into this – I made them for Super Bowl Sunday and they were DELISH
That’s wonderful, Lorraine!! So glad you enjoyed them. Thank you for coming back to let me know!
Hi, made these tonight for dinner. We loved the recipe. Followed the recipe exactly. They came out perfectly. Always wanted to make bacon wrapped scallops but never tried. This recipe is so easy and the outcome so delicious. Will definitely be making them again. The next time I will pre cook the bacon a bit so it crisps a bit more.
Thank you so much for sharing.
So glad you enjoyed these, Eloise!! Thank you for coming back to let me know! 🙂
Delish!!! Thanks for this 🙂
My pleasure!! 😊
Trying it tonite yum yum
Do you absolutely need to remove the roe? can you cook it with this on.
Hi Naylin. 🙂 I’m guessing you’re referring to the foot of the scallop? If that’s correct, then I do recommend removing it as they can be very tough.
Can you reheat them if you take them to a party?
Hi Shawnna! Wish I could say ‘yes,’ but I’m afraid it won’t go well if you do. I haven’t reheated them before and I’m afraid that they might be rubbery that way…
Are scallops thawed or f
Rozen? Thanks!
Hi Ann! You’ll want to use thawed scallops for this recipe. 🙂
This is now the only way I will ever make bacon-wrapped scallops for the rest of my life. They are exceptional!!!! Wow!
That’s wonderful, Janet! So sweet of you to come back and let me know!
I’m looking forward to making this one..Do you think using turkey bacon would work? My daughter does not eat pork.
Hi Christine. I haven’t made them myself with turkey bacon, but I think it would work just fine. Hope that you and your family enjoy them!
Even precooki g the bacon a small amount didn’t keep it from being underdone and I cooked it longer than the recipe called for.
Hi, Dona. I haven’t had that issue – perhaps your bacon was thicker?
I had to cook mine for much longer too, but I used thin I cut bacon. Even with the longer cook time they were still delicious!
Glad you enjoyed them!
They were perfect and super delicious! Will definitely be making my scallops this way again!
That’s wonderful, Cindy!! Thank you so much for coming back to let me know!
It has been too long since I’ve had bacon wrapped scallops! These are just perfect!! Shared!
Yay! Thank you so much, Annie!
Thanks thank you for that great recipe for my favorite dish. They are in the oven right now, We are looking forward to my favorite meal. I recently discovered avocado oil in place of olive. It is supposed to not burn until 500 Degrees. So far, no problem with smoke.
Wonderful, Kevin! I hope they turned out beautifully!
These look incredible!! The perfect combo of sweet and salty and lean and fat. Perfect!
Thanks, Jessie!! 🙂
These look amazing Marissa! And with all your tries I know they will be perfect! Beautiful.
Thank you so much, Paula! xo
I don’t know if you ever watched Hell’s Kitchen, but ever since I did it a few years back, scallops are associated with this show. I think scallops along with risotto were the food that always made Gordon Ramsay infuriated as many of the contestants couldn’t handle it 😉 Indeed, scallops might be a little tricky to make. I’m glad you’ve attempted this recipe and found the best way to cook them. Looks delicious!
What doesn’t make Gordon Ramsay infuriated? 😉 Thank you, my friend!
Oh the things we go through in the name of recipe development! But I’m glad you stuck with it to perfect the recipe. They sound delicious and look so dang fancy!
haha, yeah: work, work, work! 😉 Thank you so much, Kelsie!
Ugh, I have totally been there with recipes before. Ones where you want them to work so badly but they just keep giving you the fits. The bacon in the broiler…how does Food Network think that would actually work!? But I must thank you for keeping at it here as your version sounds incredible! I’m thinking I might have to surprise Laura with this dinner when she gets back from her work trip. Hope you have a great weekend, Marissa!
I hope you do make these for Laura! I know I’d love to come home from a trip to these. 🙂 It’s a mystery about the broiler bit…
I am so excited for this one!! We LOVE bacon wrapped scallops – if we see them on an appetizer menu we usually order them. Thank you for doing the leg work and sorting through all of the rights and wrongs for oven baking these guys! Now I have a trusted resource the next time I do this 🙂 Have a great weekend!
woohoo! Can’t wait for you to try them, Katherine!
They look scrumptious! Very delicious and I love how quick and easy they can be prepared. A perfect any day meal that would also fit to any occasion.
Thank you so much, Ashley!
Bacon and scallops are one of my favorite combinations for sure. I definitely could eat these every day!
I have been eating them every day! 😉 And believe it or not, I’m not sick of them at all!
My husband would steal the whole plate, and not feel one bit guilty about it Marissa! He loves bacon wrapped scallops and so do I. We love them with a horseradish cream sauce!
lol! Your husband the scallop stealer, huh? 😉 That horseradish cream sauce sounds amazing!
Hi Marissa.. These look wonderful! I hope you made them for Keith tonight for Valentine’s Day if you are not tired of them after all the testing. 🙂
Thank you, Dorothy! Keith was my co-tester, so we’ve both been eating a lot of scallops! 😉