Learn How To Cook Bacon in A Ninja Air Fryer to make the quickest and best-tasting bacon ever! The cook time is just 9 minutes for perfectly crisp bacon, and cleanup is easy with absolutely no splatter!
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Bacon is always a breakfast favorite, and it’s perfect for a quick and easy brunch charcuterie board. Cooking bacon in the air fryer is even simpler than using the oven or a skillet!
I love to serve it with air fryer egg white bites, or banana pancakes, baked overnight eggnog french toast casserole, sheet pan pancakes with mix, buttermilk Belgian waffles, or simple breakfast sliders.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's an easy way to make bacon.
- No splatter or mess to clean up.
- Ready in 10 minutes or less.
- Use it for any type of bacon.
Recipe Ingredients
- Bacon: I used regular-cut bacon, but you could also use thick-cut bacon, turkey bacon, or frozen bacon.
- Water: This is added to the air fryer basket to reduce smoke.
See the printable recipe card below for a full list of ingredients and measurements.
How To Cook Bacon In Air Fryer Ninja Foodi
Step By Step Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your air fryer to 370°F. Add 1 cup of water to the bottom of the air fryer basket to prevent smoking while cooking. Place slices of bacon in the air fryer basket in a single layer. The size of your air fryer will dictate how many bacon slices will fit in the basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- Step 2: Air fry bacon slices for a total of 9 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time. Reduce cooking time to 7-8 minutes for more tender and less crispy bacon. Remove cooked bacon with tongs and place on paper towels to absorb any remaining grease.
Jeri's Tip
The strips of bacon can touch each other in the air fryer basket as they will shrink as they cook.
How to Cook Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer
Air fry frozen bacon for 5-7 minutes at 360°F to defrost, then break the bacon slices apart. Increase the temperature to 370°F and cook for 6-8 minutes until you reach your desired level of crispiness.
How to Cook Thick Bacon in Air Fryer
Cook thick-cut bacon for 10-13 minutes at 370°F.
Serving Suggestions
Use cooked air-fried bacon in homemade breakfast sandwiches with cheese, Make Ahead Omelet Casserole, Ham and Potato Soup in Instant Pot, or Twice Baked Mashed Potatoes.
I also like to use it in Creamy Ranch Pasta Salad, Shredded Broccoli Salad, and Instant Pot Chicken Gnocchi Soup.
Top Tips
- Empty bacon grease before cooking another batch. Wipe the basket clean with a paper towel.
- All air fryers cook differently, so periodically check to ensure your bacon is not burning toward the end of the cooking time.
- Thick bacon will take longer to cook than regular bacon.
- Leftover bacon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Recipe FAQs
Regular-cut bacon - For softer, chewier bacon, cook at 370°F for 7 minutes. If you like your bacon more well done and crispy, cook for 8-9 minutes.
Thick-cut bacon - For softer bacon, cook at 370°F for 10 minutes. If you like it crispier, cook it for 11-12 minutes.
Add 1 cup of water to the air fryer tray before cooking, or lay a piece of bread underneath the tray to absorb grease and prevent smoking.
I find it best to cook a full pack of bacon in batches, as overcrowding can lead to uneven cooking.
Let it cool down, then clean the basket with hot soapy water. Some models have dishwasher-safe parts.
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Printable Recipe
How to Cook Bacon in a Ninja Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 10 slices bacon or as many slices as you like
- 1 cup water
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 370°F. Add water to the bottom of the air fryer basket to prevent smoking during cooking.10 slices bacon, 1 cup water
- Place slices of bacon in a single layer in the air fryer basket. They can be touching each other.
- Air fry bacon for 9 minutes, flipping over halfway through the cooking time. Reduce cooking time to 7-8 minutes for more tender and less crispy bacon.
- Using tongs, remove cooked bacon and place on a paper towel to absorb any remaining grease. Serve immediately.
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Notes
- Empty the grease after each batch. Wipe clean with a paper towel.
- All air fryers cook differently, so check to ensure your bacon is not burning toward the end of the cooking time.
- The cooking time will depend on the thickness of your bacon.
- Store leftover bacon in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days or in the freezer for up to 2 months.
Nutrition
The provided nutrition information is automatically calculated. Accuracy is not guaranteed.
Linda says
Never thought of adding water when air frying bacon, thanks for the trick to prevent them from burning!
Kay says
We love how easy and mess free it is cooking bacon in air fryer.
Kim says
Holy cow! The water in the bottom of the tray completely worked. Genius level tip!
Genevieve says
You can never go wrong with air-fryer bacon! I need to get an air-fryer stat!
Jere Cassidy says
I neeeeeeed an Air Fryer. Love blt's and your method is so much easier than in the skillet.
Jeannie says
it doesnt make a mess in the kitchen and eay better than frying.
serena says
So quick and delicious. I usually use the oven, but going to have to give this a try. YUM!
Anaiah says
Wow! Air fryer bacon is a total game changer! It seriously does make it perfect every single time. I don't think I'll make it stove top ever again.. now I can avoid all the grease splatter haha