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You’ll love these Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Scallops. They are made with just 4 ingredients and in less than 10 minutes! It’s the perfect seafood appetizer or snack.

Air fryer bacon wrapped scallops fully cooked and on a white plate, ready to serve.

Table of Contents

Quick and Easy Bacon Wrapped Scallops in Air Fryer

This simple recipe takes fresh scallops and cooks them in the best way. Bacon slices paired with the crispness from the air fryer create an easy recipe that everyone will love. Once you find out how simple it is to air fry scallops, you’ll never want them any other way.

When I say that this is a user-friendly recipe, I totally mean it. Not only is it fast and easy to make, but it’s perfect for an elegant appetizer as well. That crispy bacon wrapped around the large sea scallops is delicious every single time.

The best part about this scallops recipe is that it allows you some flexibility and versatility. You can drizzle a little bit of soy sauce on top if you’re like, or keep it simple and let the scallop recipe be simple and fresh.

Air fryer sea scallops are tender and juicy and pair perfectly with slices of bacon.

Don’t forget that you can pair up with a dipping sauce or two, but it may not be needed. Sometimes, I’ll sprinkle some parmesan cheese on top to give it an extra flavor kick. It’s up to you how you want to enjoy your scallops!

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Ingredients to Make Bacon Wrapped Scallops:

  • Sea Scallops: Large and freshly cleaned, make sure they’re patted dry.
  • Bacon: Center cut works best as it’s the right thickness for wrapping.
  • Old Bay Seasoning: Adds a nice hint of spice.
  • Black Pepper: Freshly ground for the best flavor.
  • Olive Oil Spray: Helps to crisp up the bacon without the need for excess oil
Ingredients needed to make bacon wrapped scallops in the air fryer - layed out on a table ready to be put together.

Scroll down to the bottom of the post for the recipe card with the exact measurements needed to create these delicious scallops wrapped in bacon!

How To Make Bacon Wrapped Scallops in the Air Fryer

STEP 1 – Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes. Prepare the air fryer basket with nonstick spray.

STEP 2 – Partially cook the bacon in the air fryer for 3 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove and let cool on a paper towel.

STEP 3 – Prepare the scallops by removing the side muscle and patting them dry. Wrap each scallop with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Lightly spray the scallops with olive oil and season with black pepper and Old Bay seasoning.

Scallops wrapped in bacon ready for the air fryer.

Step 4 – Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket.

scallops wrapped in bacon and placed in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer.

Step 5 – Cook for 8 minutes, turning halfway, until the scallops are tender and opaque, and the bacon is crispy.

Scallops wrapped in bacon and cooked in the air fryer.

STEP 6 – Serve hot and enjoy the combination of juicy scallops with crispy bacon.

NOTE: This recipe uses a basket-style 5.8-qt Cosori air fryer. All air fryers cook differently, and you may need to adjust the cooking time and temperature according to your specific air fryer brand.

Air fryer bacon wrapped scallops on a white plate ready to serve.

Tips for Making the Best Air Fryer Scallops

  • Secure with Toothpicks: This keeps the bacon wrapped around the scallops during cooking.
  • Ensure Scallops are Dry: Pat the scallops dry before cooking to ensure they get a nice sear.
  • Don’t Overcrowd: Cook in batches if necessary to make sure the air can circulate freely.

Bacon-Wrapped Scallops Variations

  • Add a glaze: Brush with maple syrup or balsamic reduction before the final few minutes of cooking for a sweet twist.
  • Try different seasonings: Experiment with garlic powder, paprika, or your favorite spice blends.

FAQs

Can I make this scallops recipe spicy?

You can! If you want to add in 1-2 tablespoons sriracha sauce, that’s the perfect way to add some heat! You can also sprinkle on some chili powder or even some red pepper flakes on top as well. Just be sure to add this to your portion, so it doesn’t make the entire main course hot!

Can I use frozen scallops?

Yes, just make sure they are completely thawed and patted dry.

Can I make them ahead of time?

You can wrap the scallops in bacon and keep them refrigerated until ready to cook.

When looking for easy air fryer seafood recipes, you should consider bacon-wrapped scallops, which are so good! They’re fun to make and are loaded with such a fantastic flavor!

Fork holding an air fried bacon wrapped scallop and ready to eat.

More Air Fryer Recipes:

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Bacon wrapped scallops on a white plate made in the air fryer.
5 from 1 vote
Servings: 4

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Scallops

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Scallops are made with just 4 ingredients and in less than 10 minutes! The perfect seafood appetizer or snack.
Prep: 3 minutes
Cook: 8 minutes
Total: 11 minutes
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Equipment

  • 1 Air Fryer

Ingredients 

  • 16 sea scallops, large, freshly cleaned and peeled
  • 8 slices bacon, center cut
  • 1/2 teaspoon Old Bay seasoning
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon olive oil, spray

Instructions 

  • Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes. Prepare the air fryer basket with nonstick spray.
  • Partially cook the bacon in the air fryer for 3 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove and let cool on a paper towel.
  • Prepare the scallops by removing the side muscle and patting them dry. Wrap each scallop with a slice of bacon and secure with a toothpick. Lightly spray the scallops with olive oil and season with black pepper and Old Bay seasoning.
  • Place them in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
  • Cook for 8 minutes, turning halfway, until the scallops are tender and opaque, and the bacon is crispy.
  • Serve hot and enjoy the combination of juicy scallops with crispy bacon.

Notes

This recipe was made using a basket style 5.8 qt Cosori air fryer. All air fryers cook a little differently and you may need to adjust the cooking time and temperature according to your specific brand of air fryer.
If you want to add other flavors to this recipe, do so! Adding garlic powder is always a good idea and would go great with jumbo scallops.
Using smaller bay scallops is an option, but you’ll want to cook those in a large skillet and then maybe mix with chopped bacon. They’re too small to cook in the air fryer because they’ll overcook quickly.
Squeeze a tad bit of lemon juice over the top for best results. This citrus flavor gives such a great boost of flavor! You can use lime juice as well.

Nutrition

Calories: 122kcal, Carbohydrates: 2g, Protein: 13g, Fat: 6g, Saturated Fat: 2g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 3g, Trans Fat: 1g, Cholesterol: 30mg, Sodium: 504mg, Potassium: 206mg, Fiber: 1g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 15IU, Vitamin C: 1mg, Calcium: 8mg, Iron: 1mg

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

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Jen Gamble

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2 Comments

  1. Dave says:

    I always have to modify your instructions since I use a tray type air fryer, not a basket type and a good thing with my type is that you don’t have to turn the items over since they sit on an open tray in the middle of the over so heat surrounds them constantly. But for this recipe, instead of patting the scallops completely dry, I would leave them moist and sprinkle them with pepper and Old Bay before wrapping with the bacon. Seems a waste to have to spray oil on BACON to cook it. Putting the seasoning on the scallop first means it will stay on and not fall off if you don’t spray it. Just my thoughts, works for me.

    Reply
    1. Jen West says:

      Yes, so good of you to share. Every air fryer will cook a little differently, so even if you had a basket air fryer you might have to adjust a little. So glad you know how to adjust these recipes to work for you.

      Reply