Did you know that air fryer bacon is a thing? I will show you exactly how to cook bacon in the air fryer.
And y’all! It is the most perfect, most delicious bacon I have ever had. Seriously!
I am not even that big of a bacon eater, but this is sooooo good. After you try this method for cooking bacon, you may never do it any other way. It’s a total game-changer, people. 🙌🏻
Why? It is so much easier and less messy than stovetop, microwave or baking in the oven. It is simple, mostly hands off, plus the grease effortlessly falls off into the lower reservoir.
And you can wash the pair fryer parts in the dish washer if you want to.💁🏼♀️ Double check your model for that dishwasher bit. But my Avalon Bay Air Fryer (Amazon affiliate link) is dish washer approved.✅ I got that one because it has consistently great reviews, plus it wasn’t too pricey. I have been pleased!
But back to cooking bacon in the air fryer!
How to Cook Bacon in the Air Fryer
I was able to do a twelve ounce package from Trader Joe’s in two batches.
It is a twelve ounce package, and it had eleven slices, FYI. Just arrange them in the basket. A few folds are okay, but try not to overcrowd the pan.
And then ten minutes on 400 degrees will do the trick. I did take a peek half way through to see if anything needed to be re-spaced. Tongs are helpful for this. True to form, bacon shrinks down quite a bit when cooking.
Check it after ten minutes, and see if you want it any more done. I like mine pretty well-done, so I went an extra minute and a half. It was perfect y’all!👌🏻
I use the tongs to place the cooked pieces on paper towels, where I blot and drain off any remaining grease.
Crunchy outside, chewy inside, dark around the edges…just perfect!!!😍👌🏻
Heads up: I did empty out the grease prior to cooking my second batch. Just for the record, I may never make bacon any other way again.
And if you are a big bacon eater, I think cooking bacon alone would justify an air fryer purchase.😎👌🏻 Just sayin’! 🤷🏼♀️😉
By the way, this has inspired me to explore more cooking with my air fryer. So stay tuned for more of those recipes. Also, if you love your air fryer, leave me a comment with your favorite things to make in it. OR, a wish list of foods you wish you knew how to make in the air fryer.
How to prevent air fryer from smoking
Update: after a few people have experienced smoke issues with this recipe, I wanted to share a few tips that will help prevent this smoking issue.
- Perhaps the easiest solution is to add a little water to the lower pan
- Alternatively, you can add a piece of bread to the lower pan to soak up the grease
- One reader mentioned he adds rock salt (not regular salt), like you use to make ice cream. The pieces are big enough that they won’t blow around from the air blowing in your air fryer, and they will soak up the grease.
- Use parchment paper to line your fryer basket. There are a few types of parchment paper that are made specifically for the air fryer. (Amazon affiliate) They are made specifically for air frying and have little holes in them to allow for air circulation. Check your specific model for the correct dimensions, as these can vary in size. There are several sizes of parchment paper available.
Recipes with Bacon
Here are some other recipes you may enjoy where I use bacon.
- Chicken BLT salad with avocado
- Classic club sandwich
- Cobb salad
- Irish potato leek soup
- Chicken corn chowder
Here are a few of my favorite breakfast recipes that pair well with bacon as a side.👌🏻
- Egg muffins
- Banana bread
- Breakfast veggie scramble
- Breakfast casserole
- Whole wheat pumpkin spice muffins
- Instant Pot hardboiled eggs
- Blueberry oat muffins
- Strawberry muffins
- Irish corned beef hash
- Double chocolate mocha muffins
- Pumpkin spice bread
- Tomato basil frittata
Air Fryer Bacon Recipe
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Air Fryer Bacon
I will show you exactly how to cook bacon in the air fryer. You may never make it any other way again because it is seriously the best!
Ingredients
- 11 slices bacon (I am using Trader Joe's, and it is a thick cut)
Instructions
Divide the bacon in half, and place the first half in the air fryer.
Set the temperature at 400 degrees, and set the timer to 10 minutes (possibly less time for thinner bacon).
Check it halfway through to see if anything needs to be rearranged (tongs are helpful!).
Cook remainder of the time. Check for desired doneness. I like mine extra crispy so I did about 1.5 minutes extra for a total of 11.5 minutes, and mine was perfect. 👌🏻
Recipe Notes
If you are doing more than one batch, be sure and empty the grease from the lower basket before cooking the second batch.
I liked thicker bacon for this recipe. If you are using thinner cuts, watch closely because you may need less time.
Dee R says
Does it work in the Airfryer oven too?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Dee! Are you talking about the device that is like a combination air fryer + toaster oven? I am not sure to be honest. I have not worked with one of those. If you do end up trying it, please let me know how it turns out.
Liz Kefauver says
Will the grease get up into the heating element? How do you clean it?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I have made this a dozen times (or maybe more), and I haven’t had an issue. When I am done, I empty out the grease, wipe it down and put it in the dishwasher.
Donald Pojman says
As others have mentioned, cooking bacon in an air fryer can cause a lot of smoke. I will have to try the bread solution. Currently what I do is place rock salt (ice cream maker salt) in the bottom pan. It absorbs the grease and
is too big fly around. I always leave rock salt in the machine no matter what I am cooking and dump it when is gets disgusting.
Twilla says
Hiw do you keep the bacon from rolling up when cooking in air fryer ? I tried putting the cooking paper on top but it caught on fire
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yikes! It may curl a little, but I like it that way. I don’t do anything other than put it in there, and it comes out like you see in the photos.
pauline says
My air fryer smoked badly when I attempted bacon. It set off the smoke alarms and I had to open the doors and windows to clear it. I read the comment on the paper and bread, maybe I will try that. I love salmon fillets in paper in the air fryer and chicken wings or thighs are brilliant.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Oh goodness! Yes, I would try the bread trick next time that others have recommended. Salmon filets sound amazing!
Judy says
I find if you pu a little water in the bottom basket it doesn’t smoke. Try that
Peggy says
I just googled and got your directions for air frying bacon. Best bacon ever!!! I never use a pan for bacon again!! Thank you!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay Peggy! I am so glad that you enjoyed it. Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback.
Karen Kopp says
I I followed your instructions and four minutes in, smoke started pouring out of my air fryer. The smoke alarm even went off. I pulled out the basket & after a few minutes put it back in & reduced the temp to 340. Same thing.
Any idea why?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yikes! Purely guessing here. Did you use a different kind of bacon such as maple bacon? Or did it have sugar as an ingredient perhaps? I know this would likely burn.
Brian says
I really like this idea but have you had any issues with the coating on your dryer basket? Some of the Amazon reviews say this is a big issue.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Bryan! I have not had any issues yet. There are tons of companies making air fryers. Many more options than when I bought this one. I’d find the one with the best reviews, within your budget and go with that one.
Cheri says
This sounds amazing! Did you experience smoke or grease popping inside?
Gwen says
tried bacon in my new air fryer and I am in love! I used 390 degrees for 10 minutes and it was perfect for our taste. Plus no greasy stove or cookie sheet to deal with. Clean-up of air fryer is so quick and easy. Thanks for your recipe.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Glad you enjoyed it Gwen! It’s now my favorite way to make bacon.😎👍🏻
Kalli says
LOVE air fryer bacon! we’ve had our for two years and i just tried this recipe this morning. I Also recommend reheating pizza in the air fryer. better than fresh out of the oven in my opinion!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
So glad you enjoyed it Kalli! I have heard that about pizza, and I really need to try that. 👍🏻
jude says
Excellent guideline for making bacon. Thank you for taking the time to write this!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
So glad you liked it Jude! And thank you for leaving feedback!👍🏻
Nancy Blakely says
OMG the bacon was outstanding
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay, so glad to hear that, Nancy!💖
Kimberlee says
I used my air fryer to do french toast sticks! Definitely worth trying, if you haven’t already!? I lined the bottom of the basket with them and set them at 400° for 6 minutes! Yum!! A whole different taste!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Of that sounds amazing!!
Marissa says
Oh my goodness. You have know clue how excited this has me right now. It’s crazy the older we get in life the gifts we request and get that impress us. I’m seeing this is gonna be a game changer in our kitchen. Thanks for the tips.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Right Marissa?! I agree.👍🏻 I hope you enjoy!
Nancy says
I just did bacon for the first time in my air fryer and I put a piece of parchment paper and a piece of bread on the bottom under the rack to absorb the grease. Was able to do a pound of bacon (3 x’s) without emptying . I did cook at a lower temp. 380 for 7 min. Loved it!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Wow! That is such a great tip to use the bread and parchment for easier cleanup. I am so glad you enjoyed it.
Kathy says
Just made bacon in the air fryer. Only had to cook it for 8 minutes and it was brown and crispy.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay, glad you enjoyed it. Yes, the thickness of the slices may make a slight difference in cook time.
Priscilla says
I just bought an air fryer so I’m very new to learning how to cook with it. so when should I preheat and when should i not? In your bacon recipe you do not, correct?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I never know the official answer on this. I did not preheat with this recipe. Great question!