Bacon-wrapped scallops with lime and maple glaze are quick and easy and can be served as finger food, appetizer or a light lunch with a side salad. This recipe is gluten-free, paleo, and low-carb friendly.

Lollipops for grown-ups is what I imagined when I was making these tender, flavourful maple and lime glazed bacon-wrapped scallops. These bite-size balls of happiness are perfect as a starter for your next dinner party or as finger food to go with cocktails. I also love them as a little fancy weekend lunch with a side salad.

What are scallops? What do scallops taste like?

If you’ve never had scallops, they are a type of shellfish called bivalve mollusk and are similar to clams, mussels and oysters in a sense that they come inside a shell (a very beautiful one, too). However, they are more similar to shrimp and codfish in texture.

Inside the scallop shell, you will find a round, creamy white ball with a little red or orange piece (eye). Scallops have a lovely sweet, subtle flavour similar to crab or lobster, or a sweet prawn. In texture, they are buttery soft and delicate if cooked correctly. If overcooked, they can get a little chewy.

Scallops can be a little intimidating because they’re not cheap and you feel like you don’t want to stuff them up, but the main thing to remember is not to overcook them.

 

When it comes to scallops nutrition, unless you are allergic to shellfish, scallops are a great addition to any diet, even if only on special occasions. They are rich in protein, low in calories and have many essential vitamins and minerals, including omega-3 fatty acids. They have zero carbs so they are great for a keto diet. Another nice thing about using scallops is that they are a good, sustainable choice of seafood.

HOW TO MAKE BACON WRAPPED SCALLOPS

Wrapping scallops in bacon or prosciutto and searing or grilling them in a pan or over a BBQ creates a little magic. Scallops have that subtle sweetness and buttery texture which is contrasted and enhanced by the crispy, salty bacon.

I suggest buying scallops out of the shells and all you’ll have to do is to trim off any side muscles and make them neat and round.
Choose thing rashers of bacon or prosciutto and wrap each slice over the scallop before sliding it onto a bamboo skewer. If you don’t have the skewers, you can pan-sear the bacon-wrapped scallops as they are.

How To Grill or Sear Scallops

Grilled scallops or pan-seared don’t need much cooking time, similar to shrimp or prawns, however, as they are wrapped in bacon, they will need a little longer to get the crispy finish. The bacon will protect the scallop from overcooking too quickly. You can use a large frying pan, griddle pan or the BBQ grill on high heat and a little oil (coconut or olive oil will do). About 2-3 minutes on medium-high heat should do the trick. 

Once the bacon is browned and crispy and the scallop has changed to a brighter white colour, simply scoop the lime and maple glaze over the top and serve. The glaze adds a little sparkle – extra sweetness and tang – to the scallops but can be omitted.

 

MORE SEAFOOD RECIPES YOU MIGHT LIKE

Spanish Grilled Garlic & Chili Squid 

Grilled Shrimp With Three Sauces

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Description

Grilled or pan-seared, these bacon wrapped scallops are brushed with a tangy, sweet lime and maple glaze. Great as an appetizer, starter at a dinner party or finger food. Gluten-free, paleo, low-carb.

 

  1. To prepare the scallops, check for any firm muscle band still attached to the sides of the meat. It’s like a little tag that you can peel off. It’s safe to eat but becomes rubbery when cooked. Sometimes your fishmonger will have those already removed. The little orange part is the roe, called the coral, which is also fine to eat but I removed them to keep the scallops perfectly round and easier to wrap. Pat scallops dry with paper towels.
  2. Wrap each scallop in a piece of prosciutto or bacon, overlapping it twice and then use the skewers to pierce through and secure everything in place.
  3. Heat coconut oil in a large frying pan or use your outdoor BBQ grill. Once sizzling hot, add the wrapped scallops and bring the heat down to medium-high. Grill for about 2.5 minutes on each side.
  4. In the meantime, combine the lime juice with maple syrup and drizzle over or brush the scallops on each side once cooked.

Notes

Prosciutto, streaky bacon or pancetta can be used to wrap the scallops.

Raw king prawns can be used instead of scallops and will work in this recipe.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 2-3 scallops
  • Calories: 212
  • Sugar: 6.5 g
  • Sodium: 341.3 mg
  • Fat: 16.2 g
  • Saturated Fat: 6.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 8.5 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 7.9 g
  • Cholesterol: 29.4 mg

GRILLED SCALLOPS SUBS & SWAPS

For these grilled skewers, you can also use raw king prawns instead of scallops as the combination of salty prosciutto or bacon works well with both and the maple syrup offsets the saltiness and highlights the sweetness of the scallops or prawns. If you don’t eat seafood, chicken pieces can also be used, although you will need to cook them for longer.

To make a Keto scallops version, simply omit the maple glaze (although you can check the macros below the recipe if you can still have it). Otherwise, you could serve a side of spicy ranch dressing to dip them into.

 

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Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip

My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip was a Denny family favorite long before anyone heard of Ranch Dressing! And this family favorite Ranch Dip is a delicious low-carb and keto dip recipe and in my family this makes an appearance at every holiday gathering!

PIN Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip to try it later!

My Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is one of my favorite memories from childhood! As early as I can remember, my Grandma Denny made a fantastic dip that she served with carrots and celery as an appetizer at every family gathering. In those days we called Grandma’s homemade ranch dip just *Vegetable Dip* as if there was only one kind of dip that could possibly be served with veggies.

This was long before the introduction of Ranch Dressing to the American culinary scene, and obviously my Grandma Denny was ahead of her time, because  now people all over the country are eating Ranch Dip with veggies. And in my own extended family, there would never be a holiday gathering without this delicious homemade Ranch Dip on the table.

Of course there’s nothing wrong with making Ranch-Style Vegetable Dip using a package mix if that time-saver works for you. But my grandma’s Homemade Ranch Dip is a bit fresher tasting as well as being low in carbs, and if you usually use the mix but don’t have a package on hand I bet you’ll love my Grandma’s recipe.

Grandma Denny always used full-fat mayo and sour cream, but for anyone wanting lower fat you can obviously make this with reduced-fat products if you prefer. Or if you don’t like mayo, you might prefer the variation below for Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip, made with Greek yogurt and blended cottage cheese for a higher protein, lower-fat dip.

What ingredients do you need for this recipe?

(This is only a list of ingredients; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

Can you make this dip with onion powder?

I love the flavor the grated onion gives to my Grandma Denny’s homemade ranch dip. But if you prefer or want to save time, just use 1 tsp. onion powder.

Can you make this homemade ranch dip with Greek Yogurt?

I sometimes make a variation of this that I call Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip that’s lower in fat and higher in protein. For that variation follow this recipe but replace the sour cream with one cup of cottage that’s blended in the food processor until it’s nearly smooth and replace the mayo with one cup fat-free Greek Yogurt. (This is the version I would make when I was strictly following the original South Beach Diet.)

Want a version of ranch dip with more texture?

You can make a variation of this homemade ranch dip recipe with a little chopped red onion, finely diced cucumber, and finely diced red pepper if you’d like a chunkier dip. I would use about 2 T of each.

How to Make Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip:

(This is only a summary of the steps for the recipe; please scroll down for complete printable recipe. Or if you use the JUMP TO RECIPE link at the top of the page, it will take you directly to the complete recipe.)

  1. My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning Salt as the secret seasoning in her vegetable dip, but it’s no longer being made (sob!) If you still have Bon Appetit, use it, but now I use Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link). If you’re in Europe you can also use Trocomare Seasoning. (affiliate link)
  2. Grate a small amount of raw onion into a bowl.  (I use the large side of a box grater; don’t use a microplane grater which just turns the onion to liquid.)
  3. Add mayo and sour cream to bowl.
  4. Then add Beau Monde Seasoning and dried dill weed (affiliate link).
  5. Mix all ingredients together well with a whisk. You can use a food processor as well, but the whisk is quicker.
  6. Let the dip chill in the refrigerator for at least an hour or two for best flavor.
  7. Serve with raw vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, bell pepper strips, jicama, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower.
  8. This is also good with carrots or as a dip for baked sweet potato fries for those who don’t mind more carbs.
  9. I tested this out on my friend Robin and she gave it two thumbs up!

More Tasty Vegetable Dips You Might Like:

Weekend Food Prep:

This recipe has been added to a category called Weekend Food Prep where you’ll find recipes you can prep or cook on the weekend and eat during the week!

Ingredients

  • 1 cup sour cream (see notes)
  • 1 cup mayo (see notes)
  • 1 tsp. grated onion
  • 2 tsp. dried dill weed
  • 2 tsp. Beau Monde Seasoning (see notes)

Instructions

  1. Grate onion into a bowl, using the large side of a box grater or flat grater (not a microplane grater.)
  2. Add all other ingredients to the bowl and stir together with a whisk (or you can use a food processor, but it’s not necessary.)
  3. Chill an hour or so before serving.

 

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Notes

I only use Daisy full-fat sour cream and full-fat mayo for this recipe but if you prefer to make a lower-fat version of the recipe you can definitely use reduced fat sour cream and mayo.

My Grandma always used Bon Appetit Seasoning for this. When that was discontinued I started making it with Beau Monde Seasoning (affiliate link), which is almost identical in flavor.

This will keep in the refrigerator for several weeks. Nutritional information doesn’t include vegetables and is calculated on 1/4 cup serving size.

Recipe from my Grandma Denny, who was a wonderful cook!

Nutrition Information:

Yield:

8

Serving Size:

1

Amount Per Serving:
Calories: 245Total Fat: 26gSaturated Fat: 6gUnsaturated Fat: 18gCholesterol: 29mgSodium: 564mgCarbohydrates: 2gFiber: 0gSugar: 1gProtein: 1g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated by the Recipe Plug-In I am using. I am not a nutritionist and cannot guarantee 100% accuracy, since many variables affect those calculations.

Did you make this recipe?

Did you make this recipe? Please leave a star rating (under the PRINT button in the recipe) or share a photo of your results on Instagram! THANKS!

Low-Carb Diet / Low-Glycemic Diet / South Beach Diet Suggestions:
Grandma Denny’s Homemade Ranch Dip is great for low-carb diets.Eat with low-carb vegetables like celery, sugar snap peas, jicama, bell pepper strips, radishes, broccoli, or cauliflower for low-carb diets. If you’re making this for the original South Beach Diet the Greek Yogurt Ranch Dip variation above is better for South Beach. 

Find More Recipes Like This One:
Use Appetizers to find more recipes like this one. Use the Diet Type Index to find more recipes suitable for a specific eating plan. You might also like to follow Kalyn’s Kitchen on Pinterest, on Facebook, on Instagram, on TikTok, or on YouTube to see all the good recipes I’m sharing there.

Historical Notes for this Recipe:
Kalyn was making this dip recipe long before the existence of the internet, and it was first posted on this site in 2005 (probably without a single photo in those days.) The recipe was last updated with more information in 2023.

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Hi, I'm Alex!

I love sharing easy, healthy, and family-friendly recipes that anyone can make at home.