Bacon Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce - this dish tastes just like bacon-wrapped scallops but is much easier to make! It takes only 30 minutes from start to finish!
These seared scallops with bacon in lemon butter sauce are easy-to-make, they taste delicious, and look like something you would get at the high-end restaurant! It's a great recipe to make as an appetizer or you can pair the bacon scallops with pasta or rice to serve them as the main course! The buttery sauce with lemon and bacon is super yummy - you'll enjoy every bit of it! This recipe is gluten-free and low-carb.
Keep in mind, that what you see in the photo above is 1 pound worth of scallops. After they are cooked, it's only enough to be served as a small portion. Scallops cook down a lot. Below I have some recommendations about what to serve with bacon scallops.
Serve Bacon Scallops as the main course
Serve seared scallops over pasta or rice to make a complete meal. Here are some suggestions:
- Use angel hair pasta. This type of pasta is fine enough to go with the lemon butter sauce without overwhelming the bacon scallops. You can add olive oil and roasted garlic to pasta for extra flavor.
- Prepare orzo and serve the scallops and the sauce over the cooked orzo.
- Cooked jasmine rice or flavored rice are also great options.
Side Dishes
Because these pan-seared scallops have bacon and lemon butter sauce, the best side dishes would be green vegetables, such as sautéed spinach, roasted asparagus, or mashed potatoes. You can also serve scallops with Asiago Bacon and Garlic Roasted Asparagus or Garlic and Bacon Green Beans.
How to thaw frozen scallops
If using frozen scallops, it's imperative to thaw them completely. Thaw the scallops overnight in the refrigerator. Do not thaw the scallops by leaving them on the counter.
How to cook perfect scallops on the stovetop
- First of all, bring thawed scallops to room temperature before cooking. That means to let them sit on a plate on the countertop for about 30 minutes (not longer) before cooking.
- After the scallops reach room temperature, blot each scallop with paper towels to remove extra water.
- Sprinkle each scallop with a dash of salt.
- Use a large, non-stick skillet (I used stainless steel skillet which works well for me as non-stick).
- 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.
- Immediately, add scallops without overcrowding the pan. Sear on one side for about 3-4 minutes until the bottom of the scallops is a nice golden color. Don't move the scallops around the pan in the beginning. Flip the scallops over to the other side and cook for 2 more minutes.
- Remove the skillet from heat and transfer the scallops to the plate immediately. 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.
Key Tip for making perfect seared scallops
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.
Other delicious recipes with scallops
- 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 - this is a great recipe that combines scallops with pasta! Scallops are served with penne pasta and creamy sauce made with Mozzarella cheese, garlic, sun-dried tomatoes, basil, and red pepper flakes.
Bacon Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce
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
- Cook chopped bacon in a skillet until cooked.
- Dry scallops with paper towels. Season with salt and pepper.
- Heat the large skillet until very hot, add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and immediately add scallops. Sear on high heat, about 3-4 minutes on each side. Remove from the skillet.
- Add 3 tablespoons lemon juice (and maybe 2 more tablespoons white wine). Scrape the bottom of the pan.
- 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
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
At no point in the recipe instructions do you actually cook the bacon. #rawpork?
Step 1 cook the chopped bacon?
Yes, that's correct, the bacon is cooked in step 1.
Hello
This is a lovely recipe, BUT do not cook the scallops for more than 1 minute each side. Three minutes is far too long and will turn them to rubber. And try a bit of Chorizo with the crispy bacon. DeLicious!
I also think the adverts are very annoying and will not be visiting this site again if the adverts are more important than the recipes.
Thanks
Richard Garland
Richard, thank you for your feedback! Glad you liked the recipe!
Well I am about to make this for our Christmas dinner
Enjoy! I hope you like it!
Those look amazing!
Thanks!
The recipe seems great but not being able to get rid of the ads that take up half the screen are making me now click out of your page and look for a different recipe. So annoying!
Husband LOVED these. His highest compliment is “you can make that again.” He said make it again & keep it in the menu rotation. Delicious, easy, & on table within 30 mins. Had it with broccoli & cauliflower cheese mash. Yummmm.
That sounds nice too. Cauli and broccoli cheese mash
I agree - that's a nice side dish for scallops.
Julia loved your recipe. I work for a scallop company based out of New Bedford, MA. We are the scallop capitol of the world and largest seaport by dollars due to scallops. I noticed that you said your frozen scallops tend to "shrink" A LOT. This could be that you are using what is known as a "wet" or "processed" scallop. That means water is added to the scallop to increase it's size and weight. For pan searing I would recommend using a "dry" or natural scallop. You and your followers will get less shrinkage and better carmelization on the scallop as well. From your pictures my guess is you may have used the wet scallops because there isn't a crispy "sear". I did use dry scallops for this recipe for a demonstration for y customers and they LOVED it !! So thanks for posting. Feel free to check us out @ premierfds.com for some more scallop info.
I live in Kodiak Use fresh off the boat scallops and have very little shrinkage
I couldn’t resist adding some paper thin sliced garlic. Good golly that was nummy.
I hate the mess cooking in a skillet makes. Is it possible to use a stock pot as my skillet?
I cannot wait to try this! Looking forward to more of your recipes.... thank you!!
Had this with my 19 year old son, he’s now a lover of scallops just like me. Easy to do and great flavours.
Would it be okay to include shrimp in this dish? I'm truly want to try this dish.
Yes, you could use shrimp here - it would work well!
I just made the buttery garlic shrimp pasta, tomorrow I will try they bacon lemon scallops with mash potatoes. Shrimp pasta was wonderful. Like amped up ghoulash. Thanks for helping me come up with fresh ideas while quarentined.
Do u cook the scallops in the bacon fat?
Ild like to know this too
I prefer to remove bacon fat and cook scallops in olive oil
Fantastic! I’ve never cooked scallops before. This was easy and delicious! Thanks! Great unexpected flavor profile! I served over cauliflower rice to soak up the sauce.
I am so happy you enjoyed this recipe! Love the idea of serving the scallops over cauliflower rice!
This is, by far, the best scallop recipe I've ever found online!
The scallops came out perfect and the sauce was so simple and delicious.
I tossed with Tinkyada white rice (gf) pasta!
So glad you tried this recipe and enjoyed it!
My favorite recipe! So flavorful with the lemon and bacon flavor. Better than restaurant quality meal and super easy.
So happy to hear that!