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. šš»
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.šš¼āāļø Double check your model for that dishwasher bit.
But my Avalon Bay Air Fryer (Amazon affiliate link) is dish washer approved.ā 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 extremely 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!šš»
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!!!ššš»
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.ššš» Just sayin’! š¤·š¼āāļøš
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.
šš»šš»šš»And if you love air fryer recipes, check out my entire Air Fryer recipe archive here. šš»šš»šš»
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 (pictured above)
- 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.šš»
- 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. šš»
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.
Lauren says
Can’t wait to try this tomorrow morning – except I think I’ll plug it in outside!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
You might draw a few neighbor friends over with that yummy bacon smell. šš I hope you enjoy it, Lauren!
Samantha says
Love how complete your directions are, especially as someone who has never used an air fryer. That bacon looks delicious!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Thanks, Samantha!
Carol says
I tried thick cut bacon this morning. Added a little water to the bottom and first batch came out perfect. 11 minutes at 400. Then on the second batch I about got smoked out of the kitchen! Iām thinking my mistake was not pouring out the grease/water after the first batch. Itās a great way to cook the bacon though so I will definitely try again!! Any suggestions?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I am glad you enjoyed it, Carol! Yeah, pouring the grease out between batches should help. Also, people have had good luck using a slice of bread, instead of water, to soak up the grease.šš»
Ronda says
Another great recipe to make with breakfast tomorrow! This is great for busy mornings; looking forward to this, indeed!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay, Ronda!
supergirl says
Amazing!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay!š
Sue Cole says
I love groxon french fries and onion rings cooked in the air fryer, crispy and no grease
Nalle C Hogan-Echeonwun says
Did what you said everything game out great Iām never going back I also love the parchment paper advise I had no smoking whatās so ever I even put a few sliced mushrooms down they came out tender and bacon smoked flavored they will be going on burgers later today
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I am glad you enjoyed it!
Allie says
I invested in a Power XL 7QT air vortex fryer months ago and have hardly used my oven since. I found easy ways to reduce the mess and keep the food evenly cooked. I invested in stackable circular wire wracks (pack of 6 Amazon) so I could replace the bottom divider. I put my bacon on the wire rack, top it with another wire rack then put the temp on 380 for 6 mins. I used thick-cut bacon. I turned the wracks over using metal prongs. Set for another 6 mins. You may need to check on the bacon if you use different brands and cuts, etc. I have perfect evenly cooked bacon every time. I love my air fryer!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay, Allieššš» Glad you are enjoying it.
Sarah says
My family LOVE meat! Tried sausage for the first time in the air fryer tonight and tomorrow apparently I MUST try bacon in the air fryer lol thanks for the info looking forward to trying bacon next š
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Enjoy!š
Miranda says
This is our third time using our Air Fryer to make bacon. Thank you for inspiring us. We love it!! Way less messy and easier to multitask. Thank you!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Woo hoo, Miranda!šš» Glad y’all are enjoying it.
Carleen says
Glad I read all the comments cuz I tweaked it too AND I cooked veggie bacon as wellšš»šš»
Michele says
This worked great! Donāt know that Iāll ever go back to the old way with the griddle! Thanks for sharing!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay, Michele!š Same here.ššš»
Patsy Johnson says
When using bread for bacon fat, I cube the bread put in plastic bag to freeze then use it to flavor stuffing, casserole, etc. ALL LIVES MATTER!
Carleen says
oooohhhh, croutons!!!
Dusti says
Love that! ALL LIVES DO MATTER! Even bacon droppings!š
Kathy Soule says
I am broke down with a broken hip
My room is downstairs and my kitchen is upstairs. My grown 42 year old son is in charge of meals. He hates to Cook. Must me very easy. He does enjoy using the air fryer
I think he can handle it. We are having Velvetta and shells with hamburger and bacon
Now how hard can that m He has no patience
The pasta is always underdone like a little on the crunchy side
Told him to taste the pasta And make sure it’s done
Told him to make sure the bacon is nice and crispy.If he doesn’t lose patience, I think he will be fine.. Wish me luck.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Bless you both! I hope you get to feeling better soon, Kathy.šš»
M says
BLACK LIVES MATTER
M says
Love this recipe!!! Super easy! I like mine a little chewier so I do it at 350 for 10 mins and check back if it needs more time š BLACK LIVES MATTER
M says
Love this recipe!!! Super easy! I like mine a little chewier so I do it at 350 for 10 mins and check back if it needs more time š black lives matter š
Marissa says
Black lives matter š
Paul says
Great idea and all lives do matter. Thanks for your comment.
Alesia says
I’ve been doing this for a long time… I just wanted to give you a tip….. bread under the rack catches the grease for easy clean up.. before you put second batch in you can just remove the toasted bread and all the grease is gone
Shannon says
You don’t save your bacon fat!?!? š± As a foodie, I’m horrified. Lol
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Haha Shannon!š I actually have saved some since quarantine. I don’t normally cook with bacon fat, but saving some seemed like a good idea.
Molly says
I save the bacon fat, also. We use it to cook our popcorn on the stovetop. Itās how my grandpa and grandma, & mom and dad made it. Therefore, we do. š
Kathy Soule says
I save my bacon grease. Fried potatoes in anything else is just. Wrong. I. Also add it to my refried beans when I do Mexican food.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I started saving mine when food shortages started happening, at the beginning of quarantine. ššš»
soonerwink says
Fried potatoes in the air fryer are also excellent. The only way I cook them now.
Dan C. says
Been using air fryer for bacon for over a year now……..this is the finest way to cook bacon…
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
I am so glad you are enjoying it, Dan. I have not made bacon any other way since using the air fryer.šš»
julie says
What about the popping bacon does? Do you lay a piece of foil over the meat so it won’t splatter into the machine?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Julie! I personally do not. After it is cooled completely, you can wipe with a damp sponge to get any residual grease out. Or check with the manufacturer of your specific model, but that is what I do.šš»
Cindy Schmidt says
Operators beware: cooking temps and times do vary! I had never air fried bacon so I wanted to start with the suggested temp and time. Nope. Burnt black! Dialed back to 350 for 8 minutes. Perfect bacon!!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
So true, Cindy. And frustrating when trying to write recipes for the masses.š Glad you adjusted accordingly.šš»
Scott N. says
I have been wanting to try thick cut bacon in the Air Fryer for several weeks now. Just got my chance to experiment using your suggestions. I should point out that almost every single time we have used this cooking method, no matter the foods, no matter the recipe metrics, everything seems to come out overly cooked. So this time I decided to dial back the time and temp and work forward in batches. Using bacon that is approximately 1/8″ in thickness, cut in two and laying side by side in the fryer basket using the following (1) 8 minutes at 375Ā°, turning with 2 minutes left; (2) 9 minutes at 390Ā°, turning with 2 minutes left; (3) 10 minutes at 400Ā°, turning with 4 minutes left; and (4) 12 minutes at 400Ā°, turning with 4 minutes left. Results: #1 was pliable and soft, very little char. Would be good chopped up and added to baked beans. #2 a bit less pliable but flavors are more robust. #3 came out perfect, the first time I have experienced that using a recommended time / temp setting. #4 crunchy with a little bit of chewy, but not much; borderline overdone. It was fun to experiment like that. At least there is something positive with this current stay-at-home directive!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hahaha, you sound like me Scott! That is pretty much how I recipe test.š I am guessing the variations may be between air fryer types. Who knows?š¤·š¼āāļø Sounds like you found your sweet spot in number 3.šš»
Christine B says
this way was amazing, never going back to pan frying again! best bacon ive made in 30+ years, thank you for this!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay!
Tiffany says
Omg just tried it… so good!!!! I did 16 minutes and some of my edges got a little burnt, but it’s a learn as you go process š
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Glad you enjoyed it!š
Tom says
This is way too long! Ruined the first batch. 5 minutes on the second batch was Ok. I think Iām going back to pan frying.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Sorry to hear it didn’t work well for you, Tom. Did you happen to use thinner slices? That could be why. I was definitely using thicker cut bacon. Thin slices would require much less cook time.
Bee says
Great! I am trying tomorrow! Hope we will have a good breakfast!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Enjoy!š