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 because it makes the crispiest bacon. After you try this method for cooking bacon, it may become your new favorite way.
It’s a total game-changer, people. 🙌🏻
Why? It is so much easier and less messy than making it the more traditional way: stove top, microwave or baking in the oven. It is simple, mostly hands off, plus the bacon grease effortlessly falls off into the bottom of the basket. It is the king of easy recipes. You get the best bacon for the least effort.
Note: This post may contain Amazon affiliate links. See my full affiliate disclosure policy here.
Note: If you want to make turkey bacon instead, check out my air fryer turkey bacon here.
And you can wash the pair fryer parts in the dish washer if you want to, making clean up even easier.💁🏼♀️ 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
Here is how to cook bacon in the air fryer. Note: 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. And heads up: be sure and pay attention to the type of bacon (i.e., thickness of your bacon) you are using because it can significantly affect cook time. These slices were more of a thick-cut bacon. Thinner slices of bacon will likely need less cooking time.
The cooking process is very simple. First, arrange the bacon slices in the air fryer basket in a single layer. A few folds are okay, but try not to overcrowd the pan.
Next, it’s time to air fry the bacon!
Air fryer bacon cook time and temperature
How long do you air fry bacon? Ten minutes on 400 degrees F 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!👌🏻
I use the tongs to place the air-fried bacon strips on paper towels, where I blot and drain off any excess grease.
Crunchy outside, chewy inside, dark around the edges…just perfect!!!😍👌🏻
Heads up: I did empty out the bacon 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.
👉🏻👉🏻👉🏻And if you love air fryer recipes, check out my entire Air Fryer recipe archive here. 👈🏻👈🏻👈🏻
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 cup of water to the lower pan
- Alternatively, you can add a slice of bread to the lower pan to soak up the bacon 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 air 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.
How long is leftover bacon good for?
So how long is cooked bacon good in the fridge? 4 to 5 days in the refrigerator or one month in the freezer.
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.👌🏻
- 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
Crispy 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 bacon)
Instructions
-
Divide the bacon strips in half, and place the first half in the air fryer in a single layer.
-
Set the temperature at 400 degrees, and set the timer to 10 minutes (possibly less time for thinner bacon).
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Check it halfway through to see if anything needs to be rearranged (tongs are helpful!).
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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. 👌🏻
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Use tongs to place finished cooked bacon on paper towels to drain excess grease.
Recipe Notes
If you are doing more than one batch, be sure and empty the bacon grease from the lower portion of the air fryer basket before cooking the second batch.
I liked using thick-cut bacon for this recipe. If you are using thinner cuts, watch closely because you may need less time.
Lisha says
What is the easiest clean up for the bacon grease? I think I’m doing it wrong 😂
WT Gator says
I line the drip tray in the bottom with foil then dispose of it afterwards.
Jeri Donaldson says
Most fabulous bacon told all my grandchildren and kids
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay!💖
yulia says
Great recipe! The bacon is tasteful. I think I’ll do 7mins at 400F since mine started getting too shrivelled up before it hit the ten minute mark.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay! Yes, feel free to tweak, of course, to your preferred crispiness.😉👍🏻
John D. says
Do you preheat the air fryer first or stick the bacon in the cold air fryer and then turn it on for your 11.5 minutes?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi John! It works just fine for me not to preheat. Hopefully that works well for you too. I realize that some models vary, but it has worked well for me this way with 4 different air fryers. Hope you enjoy!
Melanie Herendeen says
Tried the bacon and it was fantastic! My husband always liked the oven method but this was so much quicker and easier. We have only had our AirFryer for 4 days but loving it so far. I still have to use my oven because I cananot figure out meals with a meat and potato mixture, so I use the AirFryer for the meat and make the potatoes in the oven. Has anyone mastered multi dishes yet?
Sandra Madden says
Please add a “jump to recipe” button.
Julie says
Awesome I cubed up bread on the bottom to soak the grease and they got crispy I sprinkle a little garlic on them and used them for croutons I know not really healthy but boy were they yummy
Dorothy L. Smith says
Has anyone ever tried fixing a pork loin in the air fryer?
Kristy says
Yes and it turns out great! Add your favorite spices and turn half way through!
N says
I just did pork loin last night. I put it in a little foil boat, sprayed with avocado oil, and seasoned. Cooked at 400 for 20 mins, flipping halfway through. Checked with meat thermometer and it was amazing. Juicy AF!
Paula K says
I have made bacon now twice since getting my
Counter oven/air fryer. I keep checking recipes. All will say the bread/water suggestion. However, the first one has me cook it at 375° or 400° for 9 min or when it my liking.
The second said never use the high temp because
Bacon grease has a flash point of 374°. It said to do
it at 350°-360° longer.
I found the bacon greaser with lower temp. However, now I am afraid to go higher. The lower temp cooked more evenly.
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Paula! I’d say…Stick with what is working for ya.😉👌🏻 I haven’t had any issues, but good to know.
Francis Carter says
Yes and I cooked a steak as well
Beth Coleman O'Keefe says
I use extra thick bacon, meaty cuts – but still (because of the thickness) there is a lot of drippings. I am not concerned as much about smoke (emptying the tray after each batch) as I am about there being too much for the tray to hold. Is there likely to be an overflow?
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Hi Beth! I have not had any issues over here. Of course, keep an eye on it. And I know all air fryer designs can vary. Emptying between batches should do the trick.👌🏻
Beth Coleman O'Keefe says
Thanks! I will update my comments after I try it!
Olivia says
Hi, my family sticks a slice of bread in the bottom to soak up the excess grease. We don’t eat the bread, so it is a little wasteful, but it might fix your problem. You might want to do a bit more research because there could be some other steps that I might not know about.
Lija says
Have used the oven for decades, but looks like I’ve found a new way to make bacon.
Will definitely be looking around your site some more. Thanks!
Marjorie @APinchOfHealthy says
Yay, Lija!🙌🏻