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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.
Serve With
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, Grilled Bacon Wrapped Shrimp and Bacon Wrapped Dates have all the fun!? 😉
And during grilling season, you can make Grilled Bacon Wrapped Scallops instead.
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
Video
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.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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! 😉