This bacon wrapped scallops air fryer recipe needs two ingredients and is the perfect appetizer or main course for a family dinner.
Bacon wrapped scallops air fryer are super simple to make with no complex preparation, and you can have them ready in 10 minutes. Bite-sized and delicious, they’re just the thing if you’re looking for easy scallop appetizer recipes!
This recipe for bacon wrapped scallops is deliberately simple with no extra flavorings because they just aren’t needed. The scallops and the bacon flavors are a great pairing on their own plus the air fryer is the best way to cook bacon wrapped scallops.
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Scallops have a naturally mild and slightly sweet flavor and buttery texture, perfect with uncured bacon’s salty, smoky taste. Cooking them together in the air fryer seals in all flavors and juices, which is why air fryer bacon wrapped scallops are one of the tastiest things you’ll make.
Ingredients
**Find the full list of ingredients along with the recipe instructions at the end of this post**
Buying sea scallops: You should be able to find them in your local grocery store quickly, or you can opt to buy them from a fishmonger or even straight from the boat if you live near the sea!
Ensure that you buy sea scallops rather than bay scallops, as they are much larger - it would be difficult to wrap the smaller with bacon.
Generally, scallops will come out of the shell. Therefore, it’s best to buy them this way as it saves you the fiddly job of de-shelling them.
Bacon: I like to use uncured bacon. One of my favorite brands is Applegate, and also, the uncured one from Trader Joe’s is a budget-friendly alternative.
How to make scallops wrapped in bacon in the air fryer
Now that you know you can air fry scallops let's start with the steps you need to follow to make this amazing air fryer recipe.
First: Preheat the air fryer to 370ºF degrees for 5 minutes. This will help the scallops to sear faster while still wrapped.
Pat the sea scallops dry with paper towels, cut the bacon half lengthwise, and wrap each scallop with a half piece of bacon. Repeat until all the scallops are wrapped in bacon.
Next, place in the preheated air fryer basket and cook for ten minutes turning halfway through or until scallops are opaque and firm and the bacon is cooked through.
Finally, remove from the basket and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Recipe tips
- This recipe is not intended to be made with thick bacon because it will take longer to cook. Or you’ll need to partially cook the bacon to 400F for 4 minutes (only if using thick bacon) and wait for it to cool down before wrapping.
- Use a toothpick to secure the bacon in place if you want
- Patting the scallops dry is crucial because the heat will conduct properly in the air fryer. Do this using sturdy paper towels, not ones that might disintegrate and stick to the scallops.
- Different air fryer models will yield different results and cooking times. When cooking bacon wrapped scallops, ensure that they reach an internal temperature of 130°F before serving to ensure they are safe to eat. You can check this by inserting a meat thermometer into the center.
How long to cook bacon wrapped scallops in air fryer
It usually takes around 5 minutes per side for bacon wrapped sea scallops to cook in an air fryer at 370°F.
Cook time can vary depending on the size, however, so you should always check with a meat thermometer before serving.
What to serve with bacon wrapped scallops
Air fryer scallops wrapped in bacon are gorgeous on their own or as an appetizer. You can also transform them into an entree if you combine them with some delicious sides:
- Try them with this delicious instant pot risotto.
- Serve them with this simple air fryer asparagus or this easy air fryer broccoli recipe.
- Or cook up a pot of instant pot brown rice to serve them with, and add a good helping of fresh strawberry pineapple salsa for good measure.
If you want to serve them with other air fryer appetizer recipes
This crispy air fryer chicken wings and these Air fryer candied pecans are so easy to make. Or this air fryer fish sticks to add the perfect crunch.
How to store bacon wrapped scallops
You can store your bacon wrapped scallops in the fridge for 2-3 days or the freezer for up to 3 months. If you’re freezing them, you can do so before cooking if you prefer - ensure you defrost them thoroughly in the fridge before cooking.
To store them safely after cooking, ensure that they are thoroughly cooled, and then seal them in an airtight container. You should always put cooked food in the fridge or freezer within two hours of cooking.
How to reheat bacon wrapped scallops
Reheating in the air fryer
- If reheating from frozen, defrost in the refrigerator first.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Heat the scallops for 4-5 minutes, ensuring that you turn at least once.
Reheating in oven
- If reheating from frozen, defrost in the refrigerator first.
- Preheat the oven to 400°F.
- Place the bacon wrapped scallops on a baking sheet.
- Cook for 15-20 minutes until warmed through.
Tools used to make this recipe.
More Easy air Fryer Recipes
- Simple air fryer scallops
- Fish nuggets in air fryer
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Brussel Sprouts
- Air fryer tuna steaks
- Blackened salmon in air fryer
- Air fryer halibut
- Two ingredients Air fryer Mahi Mahi
- Easy air fryer shrimp
- Air fryer salmon cakes
- Bacon Wrapped Chicken Thighs
- Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Asparagus
- Air Fryer Swordfish Steaks Recipe
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Bacon Wrapped Scallops Air Fryer Recipe
Bacon wrapped scallops air fryer are super simple to make with no complex preparation, and you can have them ready in 10 minutes. Bite-sized and delicious, they’re just the thing if you’re looking for easy scallop appetizer recipes!
Ingredients
- 1 pound sea scallops
- 8-9 slices of uncured bacon
Tools
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 370ºF degrees for 5 minutes.
- Pat the sea scallops dry with paper towels, cut the bacon in half lengthwise and wrap each scallop with a half piece of bacon. Repeat until all the scallops are wrapped in bacon.
- Place in the preheated air fryer basket and cook for 10 minutes, turning halfway through or until scallops are tender and opaque and the bacon is cooked through. The scallops should reach an internal temperature of 130ºF degrees.
- Remove from the basket and serve immediately. Enjoy!
Notes
- This recipe is not intended to be made with thick bacon because it will take longer to cook. Or you’ll need to partially cook the bacon to 400F for 4 minutes (only if using thick bacon) and wait for it to cool down before wrapping.
- Use a toothpick to secure the bacon in place if you want
- Patting the scallops dry is crucial because the heat will conduct properly in the air fryer. Do this using sturdy paper towels, not ones that might disintegrate and stick to the scallops.
- Different air fryer models will yield different results and cooking times. When cooking bacon wrapped scallops, ensure that they reach an internal temperature of 130°F before serving
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4 Serving Size: 5Amount Per Serving: Calories: 247Total Fat: 10gSaturated Fat: 3gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 72mgSodium: 600mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 0gProtein: 32g
Please keep in mind that the nutritional information is calculated using a nutrition facts calculator. It is a rough estimate and can vary significantly based on products used. When the recipe list salt to taste the amount of salt is not calculated, only the sodium in the other ingredients is calculated.