Seared Scallops with Bacon in Lemon Butter Sauce

Seared Scallops with Bacon in Lemon Butter Sauce – this dish tastes just like bacon wrapped scallops but is much easier to make! Only 30 minutes from start to finish!  Gluten free, low-carb, keto friendly recipe.

Ingredients you need for seared scallops with bacon

• bacon , uncooked, chopped
• scallops
• salt and pepper
• olive oil
• lemon juice , freshly squeezed
• white wine or just use lemon juice
• butter , softened but not melted
• parsley , fresh, chopped

The key to making perfect pan seared scallops is to cook them really fast on a really hot skillet. After you’ve cooked the scallops, you should immediately remove them from the skillet. This ensures that the scallops retain their nice golden crust and are not overcooked.  Below are the guidelines you should follow when you pan sear the scallops.

How to sear scallops to perfection

1. If using frozen scallops, thaw them completely.
2. Bring scallops to room temperature before cooking.  That means let them sit on a plate on the counter top for about 30 minutes before cooking.
3. After the scallops reached room temperature, blot each scallop with paper towels to remove extra water.
4. Sprinkle each scallop with a dash of salt.
5. Use a large, non-stick skillet (I used stainless steel skillet which works well for me as non-stick).
6. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in this skillet on high heat until hot but not smoking. Oil should be rolling easily around the skillet when you move it around, and it should not smoke.
7. Immediately, add scallops without overcrowding the pan.
8. Sear on one side for about 3-4 minutes until the bottom is nice golden color. Don’t move the scallops around the pan in the beginning.
9. Flip the scallops over to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes.
10. Remove the skillet from heat and transfer the scallops to the plate immediately.
11. Important note:  Don’t let the scallops sit in the hot skillet, off heat, because they will start to steam, lose their crust and harden up.

These seared scallops with bacon in lemon butter sauce are amazing!  Keep in mind, that what you see in the photo above is 1 pound worth of scallops, and, after they are cooked, it’s only enough to be served as a small portion.  Scallops do cook down a lot, so keep this in mind when planning your dinner. Below I have some recommendations about what side dishes to serve with scallops.

What to serve with scallops:

Because these pan-seared scallops have bacon and lemon butter sauce, the best side dishes would be something green, such as sautéed spinach, roasted asparagus, or mashed potatoes.  Easy and plain pasta dishes will work too, like angel hair pasta with garlic and olive oil.  Below are some other suggestions:

Asiago Bacon and Garlic Roasted Asparagus

Cilantro Lime Potato Salad

Garlic and Bacon Green Beans

Other amazing scallop recipes:

Seared Scallop with Creamy Lemon Caper Sauce – in this recipe, scallops are seared in a skillet to a nice golden crust and then coated with a creamy sauce made with garlic, lemon juice, and capers.

Scallops with Creamy Mozzarella Pasta – eat your scallops with pasta!   Scallops are combined with penne pasta and creamy sauce made with Mozzarella cheese, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, basil and red pepper flakes.

This is one of the easiest scallop recipes you’ll ever try! And, if you love bacon – go for it! The buttery sauce with lemon and bacon is super yummy – you’ll enjoy every bit of it!

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Seared Scallops with Bacon in Lemon Butter Sauce

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

20 mins

Total Time

30 mins

 

Seared Scallops with Bacon in Lemon Butter Sauce - this dish tastes just like bacon wrapped scallops but is much easier to make! Only 30 minutes from start to finish!  Gluten free, low-carb, keto friendly recipe.

Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Servings: 4 people

Calories: 309 kcal

Author: Julia

Ingredients

• 5 strips bacon , uncooked, chopped
• 1 lb scallops
• salt and pepper
• 2 tablespoon olive oil
• 3 tablespoons lemon juice , freshly squeezed
• 2 tablespoons wine or use lemon juice
• 2 tablespoons butter , softened but not melted
• 2 tablespoons parsley , fresh, chopped

Instructions

1. Cook chopped bacon in a skillet until cooked.
2. Dry scallops with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Heat the large skillet until very hot, add 2 tablespoon of olive oil and immediately add scallops. Sear on high heat, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet.
4. Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice (and maybe 2 more tablespoons white wine). Scrape the bottom of the pan.

5. Remove from heat, add softened butter (but not melted) - to create a creamy sauce. Add chopped bacon. Add back seared scallops. Top with chopped parsley

Nutrition Facts

Seared Scallops with Bacon in Lemon Butter Sauce

Amount Per Serving

Calories 309 Calories from Fat 216

% Daily Value*

Total Fat 24g 37%

Saturated Fat 8g 40%

Cholesterol 60mg 20%

Sodium 678mg 28%

Potassium 309mg 9%

Total Carbohydrates 4g 1%

Protein 17g 34%

Vitamin A 6.9%

Vitamin C 8.5%

Calcium 1%

Iron 3.7%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.