Bacon Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce

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!

Bacon Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce
Bacon Scallops with Lemon Butter Sauce

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.
Pan-Seared Scallops with Bacon and lemon butter sauce


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.

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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.
Pan-seared Scallops with Bacon in Lemon Butter Sauce in a large skillet


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.

FULL RECIPE PLEASE CLICK HERE

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