Cooking Bacon in a Ninja Air Fryer is the quickest and simplest way to make perfectly crispy strips with ZERO greasy mess. Evenly cooked, crispy bacon is ready in just 9 minutes, with no splatter and hardly any cleanup. Forget the stovetop - this foolproof method gives you the crispiest, tastiest bacon ever, right from your air fryer basket.
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Crispy bacon is always a breakfast favorite, and it's perfect for a quick and easy brunch charcuterie board. Air frying bacon is even easier than pan frying it in a skillet or baking it in the oven.
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 with eggs.
You can even use it to make these savory bacon muffins or a homemade breakfast sandwich.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- It's the easiest way to cook the best bacon.
- No splattering or mess to clean up.
- Cooking time is 10 minutes or less.
- Use this recipe for any type of bacon you'd like.
I used my dual-zone Ninja air fryer, but you can use any air fryer, even a Ninja Foodi air fryer.
Ingredients
- Bacon: I used regular-cut bacon in this recipe, but you could also use thick cut bacon, turkey bacon, or even frozen bacon.
- Water: Water is added to the bottom of the air fryer basket to reduce smoke.
See the printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for a full list of ingredients with measurements.
How to Cook Bacon in Air Fryer Ninja
Step-by-Step Instructions
- Step 1: Preheat your air fryer to 370°F. Pour 1 cup of water into the bottom of the air fryer basket. This keeps it from smoking as it cooks. Add the bacon in a single layer to the air fryer basket. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you will be able to fit more or less in your basket. Cook in batches if needed.
- Step 2: Air fry bacon slices for a total of 9 minutes, flipping halfway through the cooking time. Cook for a shorter time, 7-8 minutes, if you like your bacon more tender and less crispy. Transfer bacon to a plate lined with paper towels using tongs. And that's it! Enjoy!
Jeri's Tip
The strips of bacon can be overlapped in the air fryer basket. The bacon will shrink as it cooks.
How to Cook Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer
Air fry frozen bacon for 5-7 minutes at 360°F to defrost. Break the bacon slices apart. Increase the temperature to 370°F and cook for 6-8 minutes, or until you reach your desired 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
- Remove the bacon grease before cooking another batch. Wipe the basket clean with a paper towel.
- All air fryers cook differently. Check to make sure your bacon isn't 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
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 wipe the grease out with a paper towel. Wash the basket with hot, soapy water. Some models have dishwasher-safe parts.
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Printable Recipe
Bacon in 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 1 cup of 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.
El Super says
The water trick is such a simple fix for the smoke issue—never would have thought to add it to the basket bottom. That one detail makes this method feel genuinely practical, not just another air fryer hack.
Jeri Walker says
Thank you so much!
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