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Elegant but simple bacon-wrapped scallops are delicious enough for an extravagant dinner but easy enough for your average Tuesday. Baked in an olive oil drizzle and served with an incredible herb-butter sauce, they’re loaded with protein and pair well with almost any side.

What Makes This Recipe So Good

Bacon-wrapped scallops are easy enough for a busy weeknight when you just want something light but satisfying. They’re also elegant enough for a date night or dinner party where you really want to make a great impression. Pair them with hearty sides like pasta, broccoli, mashed potatoes, zucchini noodles, palmini, or green beans, and you’ve got a total meal in no time at all. They also work as an appetizer for New Year’s Eve or any other fancy party – just serve them with toothpicks and you’re good to go!
Scallops are unbelievably delicious all on their own, but then you wrap them in savory bacon and drizzle an herb-butter sauce over them? Oh, mama. Talk about incredible flavors!
Don’t be intimidated by the scallops. This cooking method is so, so easy – just put them in the oven for 12-15 minutes. That’s it. You don’t have to flip them or pan-sear them after or anything like that.

Chef’s Tips

Use thin-cut bacon. Scallops cook quickly, and you want the bacon to cook at the same rate. If you use thick-cut bacon, you risk overcooking the scallops or undercooking the bacon. Keep in mind that this method won’t give you super crispy bacon like you would expect from pan-fried bacon strips.
Dry the scallops really well before you start. If you’re using frozen scallops, make sure they’re fully thawed and then dry them well.
You’ll want to use the largest scallops you can afford, as they’re easier to wrap in bacon. If you use smaller scallops, you’ll likely need to adjust the cook time.
To really perfect the bacon-wrapped scallops, use a meat thermometer. It’ll eliminate some of the risk and ensure you get the scallops just right, especially if you’re new to them and aren’t confident in the visual signs. Visually, the scallops should be fully opaque and a little pearly. The thermometer should read around 115°-120° Fahrenheit when you insert it in the center of the scallop. They’ll residually cook a little after you take them out of the oven, so keep that in mind. They should be between 125°-130° Fahrenheit when you serve them.

Overhead view of a plate of bacon-wrapped scallops with lemon wedges and a fork.

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Sam Guarnieri

Sam is a travel, food, and fitness enthusiast from the New York metro area who loves creating new and inventive recipes. Her love of food goes all the way back to her early childhood, cooking alongside her mom and Nonna – the two best cooks she knows! She's a big believer that good-for-you food can still explode with flavor and (most importantly) be easy to make. When she's not in the kitchen, Sam can usually be found planning her next vacation, spending time outdoors, or bingeing the latest Netflix docu-series.