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Vegan Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

POSTED BY: ERIN WYSOCARSKI | UPDATED ON: OCTOBER 1, 2012 | 57 COMMENTS

Jump to Recipe· 4.7 from 3 reviews

These vegan bacon-wrapped scallops are made with king oyster mushrooms, wrapped in smoky tempeh bacon. Drizzle with a creamy buttery sauce for a perfect and pretty appetizer!

A vegan bacon-wrapped scallop with garnish.

I’ve never had a bacon-wrapped scallop before, even when I ate meat. However, I wanted to replicate this dish simply because I love making vegan seafood and am amazed at what king oyster mushrooms can do. These vegan scallops are succulent and buttery, and the tempeh is nicely textured and smoky … it’s a winning combo!

Here’s Why You’ll Love These Vegan Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

Easy to make: Planning a small gathering? These are easy to make and assemble. Just have your ingredients lined up and ready to go. Feel free to double or triple this recipe. Your guests will love them!

Rich and creamy: Drizzle these vegan scallops with a creamy and buttery sauce. It makes such a satisfying bite!

Unique and fun: Scallops and bacon are a classic combo. The succulent texture and smoky crispiness are both there, but this version is completely plant-based.

Three vegan bacon-wrapped scallops, lined up on a plate.

Key Ingredients in This Recipe

King Oyster Mushrooms: King oyster mushrooms, also known as king trumpet mushrooms, are a type of edible mushroom characterized by their thick, meaty stems. They make a great vegan scallop substitute and have an excellent texture when seared. Our king oyster mushroom cooking guide will give you all the info you need to master this mushroom!

Tempeh Bacon: Fermented tempeh bacon typically comes in packaging that includes liquid smoke, maple syrup, and spices. Bake or sauté until crisp. It develops a super crispy texture around the edges when cooked.

Vegan butter: Miyoko’s cultured butter, Earth Balance or Violife are all great vegan butter brands, but use whatever you like. It’s going to work wonderfully with the texture of the vegan scallop!

Coconut cream: Scrape the thick part of the cream off the top of canned coconut milk. Don’t fret—this will not add any coconut flavor—just a different note of richness.

Liquid Smoke: This will add a smoky taste and aroma without using a smoker. To make liquid smoke, smoke from burning wood is condensed and the liquid is captured and diluted with water. This is essential to imparting a smoky undertone to this appetizer. Use less than you think you need. If you add too much, it will overpower the dish.

Garlic: Finely mince the garlic here. It’s important to ensure the garlic does not brown or burn—this will add a bitter taste. You just want it softened, with just a tiny tinge of gold.

Vegetable broth: Use a good broth brand here for best results. I love Better than Bouillon garlic base, but their No-Chicken would work as well.

Vegan bacon-wrapped scallops, lined up on a plate.

Check Out These Recipes For More Ways to Use Vegan Scallops

FAQs

Are scallops vegan?

No scallops are not vegan. They are living creatures that can experience pain and stress. Harvesting scallops can also damage marine habitats and harm other non-target species. Minimizing harm and extending compassion towards all living creatures is the goal of veganism, so consuming scallops is not vegan.

What are vegan scallops made of?

King oyster mushrooms make a great vegan scallop substitute. Slice and soak the stems in water to create a vegan seafood version of a scallop. Sear until a little color develops around the edges.

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A vegan bacon-wrapped scallop with garnish.

Vegan Bacon-Wrapped Scallops

5 Stars 4 Stars 3 Stars 2 Stars 1 Star

4.7 from 3 reviews

  • Author: erin wysocarski
  • Total Time: 20 minutes
  • Yield: 8 pieces
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe

Description

These vegan bacon-wrapped scallops are am easy and fun appetizer to entice your dinner guests or start a meal for two. King oyster mushroom stems are wrapped in tempeh bacon for a one-bite delight!

Ingredients

for the sauce

  • 1 tsp vegan butter
  • 2 garlic cloves, minced
  • 2 TB coconut cream (skim it off the top part of the can)
  • 4 TB vegan broth
  • 1/8 tsp smoked paprika
  • 2 king oyster mushroom stems, sliced and soaked in hot water for 20 minutes
  • 1 TB olive oil
  • 8 slices of tempeh bacon
  • a few dashes of liquid smoke
  • fresh cracked pepper

Instructions

to make the sauce

  1. Melt the vegan butter in a large saute pan over medium-low heat. Add in the garlic and allow to soften for about 30 seconds. Add in the coconut cream and saute for about a minute. Turn the heat up to medium and add in the broth. Allow to sizzle for a minute or two, then whisk in the paprika. Remove from the heat.

to make the vegan scallops

  1. Return the pan to the stove and allow it to heat for about a minute over medium heat. Add in a little olive oil or vegan butter, then very carefully place the mushrooms into the pan. (Since they contain water, they will sputter once they hit the heat.)
  2. Place a lid over the top and allow the mushrooms to cook for about 3-4 minutes on each side, or until they are slightly brown on top.
  3. Remove from the heat and transfer to another plate to cool.

to make the tempeh

  1. In the same saute pan, add a little more oil if the pan is dry, then add in the tempeh strips.
  2. Allow to cook on each side for 4-5 minutes, checking them occasionally to ensure they do not burn. Once they are almost done, add a few dashes of liquid smoke, then allow it to sizzle, then remove from the heat.

to assemble

  1. Wrap a piece of tempeh around the scallop so both end slightly overlap each other. Cut off any excess, then spear with a toothpick. Spoon an little of the sauce over the top and serve immediately.

Notes

Soaking king oyster mushroom stems allows for a more succulent texture, so be sure not to skip this step. Take care when adding them to a hot pan, as they will sputter a bit. They vegan scallops are done when they develop a little color around the edges.

  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Appetizer, Snack
  • Method: Sautéeed
  • Cuisine: American

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Filed Under: Appetizers Fall Recipes Holiday Recipes Mushroom Recipes Popular Posts Reader Favorites Vegan Recipes Vegan Seasonal Recipes Vegan Umami

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Hi! I'm Erin and this is Jeff. I love creating vegan recipes for those who love to cook and eat, and Jeff enjoys photographing them. We're so glad you're here!

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Comments

    • erin wysocarski says

      Erin, you are going to soak the sliced mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes. Take a peek at the recipe card. This softens the mushrooms up so they have a nice soft texture before searing them.

      Reply

  2. Josh says

    Hi Erin, I don’t understand how you got the consistency of the sauce to be as shown in your photos. I’ve tried twice now and each time the sauce comes out with the oily consistency (and look) of a chili garlic oil, like the kind you’d see in a Thai restaurant. How does yours come out looking so thick and creamy and pink? Thanks

    Reply

    • erin wysocarski says

      Hi Josh, sorry the consistency is not turning out right for you! The sauce is not thick and creamy—it is quite thin.

      Reply

  3. Kay Goodman says

    This was a great recipe, however, I had trouble wrapping the ‘scallops’ with the cooked vegan bacon. Tried several times with varying degrees of doneness on the bacon, and it broke and was not pliable each time. Ended up crumbling the bacon and using as a garnish. Still tasted great. Used vegan bacon from Whole Foods. Also, needed to torch the scallops to make them look grilled. Tasty recipe, though!

    Reply

  5. Allie says

    Thanks! We also made your calzones, I'll let you know when the review is up. Spoiler alert: it was awesome!

    Reply

  7. MrEnglish says

    Fantastic. I love your blog and as an ex-pro photographer, your husband does an excellent job of photographing your cooking. Its a sign that you both have passion for what you do.

    Reply

  8. Nina says

    I wanted to come back and comment… I've made this recipe twice now, and it's been wonderful both times! I now keep a regular supply of french horn or king trumpet mushroom at home for when vegan scallops are mandatory (which feels like every day). And who knew that I would eventually love tempeh?!

    Reply

    • Jillian says

      Is King Trumpet the same as King Oyster? I’m a forager, and in the wild, “trumpets” and “oysters” are different. Though, trumpets, a member of the chanterelle family, would be awesome for their sweet buttery flavor — except you’d need the whole mushroom. I’ve never heard of King Oysters — no idea where to get them. So glad to see posts of having tried this!

      I’m going to try it with carrot “bacon” though — really don’t like tempeh.

      Reply

  13. Amey says

    how fun! they are so pretty and perfect looking. I've never had a real-life scallop! I think my husband would like these… thanks! 🙂

    Reply

  14. thejollyfox.com says

    I made a version of these last year with tofu scallops—can I tell you how insanely good (and better) yours look?!? Must give these another try w/ mushrooms! 🙂

    Reply

  15. adriennefriend says

    Oh, I SO hope you are secretly working on a cookbook… I will buy every copy. :)Seriously, though, your recipes often remind me of Peter Berley's or Myra Kornfeld – high praise, as I am sure you well know!

    Reply

  17. Lisa Mai says

    Wow I'm actually obscenely excited to make these. I have missed seafood so much since I went vegetarian and these just look so freaking goooood!

    Reply

  20. Mandee says

    Oohers this does look very elegant! I love the idea of using mushies – that means this is something I could try!

    Reply

  23. Angry Asian says

    how did your husband like this?

    i'm sitting here wondering how mushroom stems compares to scallops. this item would totally blow my friends' minds if i were to ever serve them this. you come up with the best ideas for food!

    Reply

  25. Carol Weaver says

    This looks lovely! I think I'll try it with some tofu bacon because I'm not the biggest fan of tempeh bacon.

    Reply

  27. Lisa Marie @ MidwestVeg says

    Beautiful photos! They look too pretty to eat. Although I wouldn't mind eating one or two of those right now. Yum!

    Reply

  33. Rachel says

    These are amazing! Your food photography is stellar, btw 🙂 Happy MoFo – I am excited to spend a month watching your creations!

    Reply

  38. Caitlin says

    you make such magical food, erin, and your husband takes beautiful photos of it. these look so savory and delicious, i could jut about pull them out of the computer screen with my fingers.

    Reply

  40. Erinwiko says

    These are super impressive for such simple ingredients! This recipe makes me want to host a cocktail party just so I have the excuse to serve such fanciness!

    Reply