Bacon in the oven has always been my go-to method for making bacon, but this year I learned how to cook bacon in an air fryer, and now it’s my hands-down favorite for small to medium batches. (Microwave bacon also works well for small batches, but I prefer the air fryer.) This easy air fryer bacon recipe cooks up in under 10 minutes, it’s perfectly crisp, and it’s faster than the oven. One try and you’ll be hooked! If you’re looking for more delicious ways to use your air fryer, try air fryer zucchini chips, air fryer chicken legs, air fryer jalapeno poppers, crispy air fryer chicken wings, or air fryer pork chops.
Can You Cook Bacon In An Air Fryer?
Yes and cooking bacon in the air fryer is one of the easiest ways to cook up crispy bacon without turning on the oven or making a mess of the stove.
Choosing Your Bacon
Thick, medium, or thick cut – Choose your favorite! The cooking time will vary depending on how thick the bacon is, but any type will work.Humanely raised vs conventional – I prefer using humanely raised pork products, but you can buy what works best for you.Appearance – Look for bacon that has a mix of both fat and meat — not too fatty, and not too lean.
How To Cook Bacon In An Air Fryer
This section shows how to make bacon in the air fryer with step-by-step photos and details about the technique, to help you visualize it. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card below.
Preheat. Preheating the air fryer will ensure that it’s hot and ready for the bacon. It’s MUCH faster than the oven, just a couple of minutes will do.
OPTIONAL STEP: Add water to the air fryer. If you want to be extra careful to prevent the air fryer from smoking, cover the bottom of air fryer tray with water. But see the section below on why this is probably not even necessary.
Arrange. Place bacon in a single layer, overlapping just slightly.
Cook. Cook the bacon for 6 minutes, adjust the slices so they aren’t overlapping and cook another 1-5 minutes, depending on size and desired doneness.
How long to cook bacon in an air fryer?
One of the best things about cooking bacon in the air fryer is that it cooks up incredibly fast!
Average bacon – 7-10 minutesThinner bacon – 6-8 minutesThick cut bacon – 9-11 minutes
What temp to cook bacon in the air fryer?
The best air fryer bacon temp is 370 degrees F. This is below the smoke point of bacon fat, but as high as possible to crisp up your bacon nicely.
Can you cook frozen bacon in the air fryer?
Yes, you can cook frozen bacon in the air fryer, it will just take longer. Start with 8 minutes, spread out the bacon, then cook another 4-8 minutes until it’s done to your liking.
Can you use this method for turkey bacon?
Yes, you can cook turkey bacon the same way in the air fryer. Adjust timing if necessary.
Tips For The Best Air Fryer Bacon
Follow these 6 tips for the best bacon in the air fryer!
Use uniform pieces. You can cook bacon of any thickness in an air fryer, but it’s easiest to choose pieces that are all the same thickness, so that they are all done at the same time. If you have any thick or thin outliers, they may need to cook for more or less time than the rest.Arrange bacon in a single layer. A little overlapping is okay, as it will shrink, but not too much.Spread out the bacon pieces halfway through. If the bacon slices are initially touching or overlapping slightly, that’s okay, but you’ll want to open the air fryer after 5-6 minutes to spread out the pieces once they start to shrink. This will allow all the edges to crisp up.Cut bacon in half for smaller air fryers. This is not required for the air fryer I use, but if you can arrange the bacon in the air fryer more efficiently in smaller pieces, this can help. Note that the bacon will air fry just a bit faster if the pieces are halved.Use an air fryer oven for larger batches. My regular air fryer is a decent size, but it still fits just 8 slices of bacon at a time. If you want to cook a whole package, or a bit more, get an air fryer oven so that you can use multiple racks. Rotate them halfway through cooking for best results.Let the bacon cool at the end. Like any other method, air fryer bacon will crisp up more as it cools.
How To Prevent Air Fryer Bacon Smoke?
Air fry bacon at 370 degrees F. This is below the smoke point of bacon fat, but as high as possible to crisp up your bacon nicely.
FYI: Bacon fat is a type of lard, and lard has a smoke point of 374 degrees F [*]. So, air frying below the smoke point will prevent smoking.
Add water. This isn’t totally necessary if you cook bacon in the air fryer at 370 degrees F as explained above, but if you want to be extra careful, you can add a bit of water into the air fryer, underneath the grate. The water will cool down the bacon grease that drips down during cooking.Bread method. I don’t personally use this method, but you can place a slice of bread underneath the grate to absorb the bacon grease.Keep the air fryer clean. Clean out any bacon fat drippings in the air fryer between batches. Wipe out the basket and the top burner as well. Any leftover grease on the heating element or elsewhere can start to smoke, and it may even have a lower smoke point if it’s on the heating element or if it’s some other food from another recipe.
Storage Instructions
To store: Store cooked bacon in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.To reheat: Reheat bacon in the microwave on a piece of paper towel.To freeze: Freeze cooked bacon for 2-3 months.
Ways To Use Bacon
Now that you know how to cook bacon in the air fryer, here’s how to use it. (Besides just eating it with a stack of almond flour pancakes, of course!)
Appetizers – Appetizer recipes like deviled eggs, jalapeno poppers, and warm ranch dip need some cooked bacon.Vegetables – Vegetable recipes like Southern fried cabbage, low carb broccoli cauliflower salad, and zucchini noodle salad all need some crispy bacon.Mains – Main dishes like cheesy bacon ranch chicken, bacon cheeseburger soup, and BLTs use cooked bacon.
Share your recipe picture by tagging @wholesomeyum and hashtag it #wholesomeyum on Instagram, or in our Facebook support group, too – I’d love to see it!
