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    Home » Air Fryer

    Bacon in Air Fryer

    Published: Aug 1, 2021 · Modified: Jun 20, 2022 by Jeri Walker · This post may contain affiliate links · 8 Comments

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    Air fryer bacon served on a white plate, and on a bed of green lettuce
    Air fryer bacon served on a white plate, and on a bed of green lettuce

    Bacon lovers rejoice! Bacon in Air Fryer is the quickest and best-tasting bacon ever! Now you can have perfectly cooked bacon ... Every ... Single ... Time. Bacon in the air fryer is the easiest bacon to cook, and you can make it exactly how you like. Crispy or less crispy? No problem. Cook time is just 9 minutes for perfect bacon, and cleanup is a breeze with absolutely no splatter! This recipe is a total game-changer. Give it a try! You won't cook it any other way!

    PIN the recipe to try it later!

    A closeup of crispy bacon cooked in  the air fryer. this …

    Like most people, we love bacon. I mean, who doesn't? It makes the perfect breakfast!

    It tastes so good served as a side dish with Baked Overnight Eggnog French Toast Casserole, Buttermilk Sheet Pan Pancakes or Buttermilk Belgian Waffles.

    Or how about served in Oven-Baked Omelet Casserole or a soup or salad for added flavor?

    The options are endless in how to serve bacon. And I'm so excited to share with you my new favorite way how to cook it.

    One of my favorite things about the air fryer is that it cooks food in less time, with no mess!

    The first time I tried bacon in the air fryer, I cooked it at a high temperature and didn't add water so I nearly set off the fire alarm. I had no idea that the smoke point of bacon fat is 325°F. There was white smoke everywhere!

    Lesson learned, cook the pieces of bacon at a lower temperature and make sure you add water. 😉

    Now that we have discovered how easy it is to cook bacon perfectly in the air fryer with this simple recipe, we have been enjoying it in homemade BLT sandwiches made with soft and fluffy Air Buns or in 3 Ingredient Flatbread with vine-ripened tomatoes.

    There are so many delicious ways to serve it! Yum! Your whole family will love it!

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    Jump to:
    • More easy air fryer recipes
    • Why you will love this easy air fryer bacon recipe
    • Ingredients
    • How to make Air Fryer Bacon
    • Variations
    • Equipment
    • You might also enjoy
    • Storage
    • Top tips
    • Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
    • Related Recipes
    • 📋 Recipe
    • Food safety
    • 💬 Comments

    Why you will love this easy air fryer bacon recipe

    • This is an easy way to make bacon, way easier and the least messy way than cooking it the traditional way on the stovetop.
    • It cooks in 10 minutes or less.
    • The excess grease drops down below in the bottom of the basket so the bacon doesn't sit in the grease.
    • This recipe works for any type of bacon, just adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness of the bacon.
    • No mess means a splatter-free kitchen.
    • Easy clean-up, just wipe clean with a paper towel.
    • You will get perfectly cooked strips of bacon every time. Lovely crisp bacon that is delicious!
    • Everyone can have their favorite bacon, whether its the crispiest bacon or chewier bacon.
    • Hands-off cooking 🙂

    Ingredients

    You only need 1 ingredient .... bacon!

    Raw sliced bacon ready to cook, sitting on a wooden cutting board

    Bacon: I buy bacon from Costco and freeze it. That way, it is so much cheaper, and I always have it on hand when I want it. I used regular-cut bacon, but you could also use thick-cut bacon, just increase the cook time by an extra minute or two.

    How to make Air Fryer Bacon

    Preheat the air fryer temperature to 370 degrees F.

    Add 1 cup of water to the air fryer to prevent smoking during cooking.

    Place slices of bacon in a single layer on the air fryer basket. They can be touching each other, don't worry about leaving space between the bacon strips. It shrivels up a lot, so there will be lots of hot air circulation.

    The size of your air fryer will dictate how many bacon slices will fit in the basket.

    Slices of raw bacon placed in basket of air fryer

    Air fry bacon slices for 9 minutes. For more tender and less crispy bacon, reduce cooking time to 7-8 minutes—no need to flip during cooking time.

    Crispy bacon cooked perfectly in the air fryer, on the air fryer tray

    Using tongs, remove cooked bacon and place it on paper towels to absorb any remaining grease.

    The awesome part about using the air fryer is the bacon grease drips down underneath the tray, so the bacon doesn't sit in grease. This results in bacon that is much less greasy than the usual method of cooking bacon.

    Air Fryer bacon is crunchy on the outside and chewy on the inside. It's perfect!

    Because you can only cook a small amount of bacon at a time, you will need to cook it in small batches. Just cover the cooked bacon to keep it warm while the next batch is cooking.

    Hint: Add 1 cup of water to the air fryer tray to prevent smoking. Empty the grease in the air fryer between batches and wipe clean with a paper towel.

    Variations

    One of the best parts of this crisp air fryer bacon recipe is that you can use any type of bacon. Change things up by cooking turkey bacon. Follow the same instructions as you would for regular bacon.

    You can also cook thick-cut bacon in the air fryer, which also cooks awesome in the air fryer! Just increase the cooking time to 10-13 minutes.

    Perfectly cooked bacon from the air fryer sitting on a white plate

    Equipment

    To make the best bacon, you need an air fryer. The one I use is the Instant Pot Vortex 6-quart Air Fryer. It was very reasonably priced and has a large basket so I can easily cook for my family.

    I also recently bought a Ninja Air Fryer as well (because heck, sometimes you need 2 ;).

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      Easy Watermelon Basil Salad with Feta and Honey Glaze
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    • Homemade Irish soda bread baked in a cast iron skillet.
      Easy Irish Soda Bread Recipe Without Buttermilk

    Storage

    Fridge: Store cooked bacon in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.

    Freezer: Store cooked bacon in a freezer bag for up to 4 months. This way you can grab delicious bacon anytime you want it! Just reheat in the air fryer at 360 degrees for a few minutes.

    Top tips

    • Make sure to add water to the air fryer before cooking.
    • Empty the grease every time before cooking another batch of bacon. Wipe clean with a paper towel.
    • I want to point out that the time I cook bacon in the air fryer is based on my own air fryer. All air fryers cook differently, so check periodically to make sure your bacon is not burning toward the end of the cooking time.
    • Also, the cooking time will depend on the thickness of your bacon, which will need a longer cook time.
    Cooked air fryer bacon on a paper towel to soak up the grease
    Place cooked bacon on a paper towel to absorb any remaining grease

    Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

    How long do I cook bacon in the air fryer?

    Regular-cut bacon - For softer bacon, cook at 370 degrees 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 degrees F for 10 minutes. If you like it crispier, cook it for 11-12 minutes.

    Can you cook frozen bacon in the air fryer?

    Yes! You will have to increase the cooking time by about 5 minutes.

    How do you keep bacon from smoking in an air fryer?

    Add 1 cup of water to the air fryer tray before cooking. Alternatively, you can lay a piece of bread underneath the air fryer tray, and it will absorb any grease and prevent smoking as well.

    Perfectly cooked bacon in the air fryer, tender and crispy

    Related Recipes

    • Easy Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer
    • Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Potatoes
    • Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries - Ultra Crispy
    • How To Make Ultra Crispy Air Fryer Chickpeas
    • Extra Crispy Air Fryer Chicken Wings
    • Air Fryer Keto Tuna Patties - Quick and Healthy

    If you’ve tried this Air Fryer Bacon or any other recipe, please take a moment to rate the recipe and leave a comment letting me know how you liked it. I love hearing from you!

    You can also Follow Me on Instagram, Facebook, and Pinterest. Would you please tag me in your photos @windingcreek_ranch? I would love to see your pictures!

    📋 Recipe

    A closeup of crispy bacon cooked in the air fryer.

    Air Fryer Bacon

    Bacon lovers rejoice! Air Fryer Bacon is the quickest and best-tasting bacon ever! Now you can have perfectly cooked bacon ... Every ... Single ... Time. Bacon in the air fryer is the easiest bacon to cook, and you can make it exactly how you like. Crispy or less crispy? No problem. Cook time is just 9 minutes, and cleanup is a breeze with absolutely no splatter! Give it a try! You won't cook it any other way!
    5 from 55 votes
    Print Pin Rate Save Saved!
    Course: Appetizer, Breakfast, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 2 minutes
    Cook Time: 9 minutes
    Total Time: 11 minutes
    Servings: 10 slices
    Calories: 86kcal
    Author: Jeri Walker
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    Ingredients

    • bacon as many slices as you want
    • 1 cup water

    Instructions

    • Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F. Add 1 cup of water to the air fryer to prevent smoking during cooking.
    • Place slices of bacon in a single layer on the air fryer basket. They can be touching each other, don't worry about leaving space between the bacon. It shrivels up a lot, so there will be lots of air circulation.
    • Air fry bacon for 9 minutes. For more tender and less crispy bacon, reduce cooking time to 7-8 minutes -no need to flip bacon during cooking time.
    • Using tongs, remove cooked bacon and place on a paper towel to absorb any remaining grease.
    • Enjoy!

    Notes

    Nutritional information is approximate and is meant as a guideline only.
    STORAGE:
    Store cooked bacon in the fridge in an airtight container for 3-4 days.
    Store cooked bacon in a freezer bag for up to 4 months.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 86kcal | Protein: 3g | Fat: 8.1g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Cholesterol: 19mg | Sodium: 141mg
    L❤️VE this recipe? PIN it for later! 😊Mention @windingcreek_ranch or tag #windingcreek_ranch on IG!

    Food safety

    • Do not use the same utensils on cooked food, that previously touched raw meat
    • Wash hands after touching raw meat
    • Don't leave food sitting out at room temperature for extended periods
    • Never leave cooking food unattended

    More Easy & Delicious Air Fryer Recipes

    • A halibut fillet on a white plate with homemade tartar sauce, sweet potato fries, and broccoli.
      Air Fryer Halibut with Crispy Parmesan Crust
    • Two air fried filet mignon with bacon on a white plate with garlic herb compound butter on top.
      Easy Air Fryer Filet Mignon with Bacon
    • Crispy chicken tenders on a white plate with a small white dish of buffalo dipping sauce.
      Crispy Chicken Tenders in Air Fryer
    • Crispy golden brown shrimp tempura in a white bowl with lemon slices, and a yellow napkin in the background.
      The BEST Crispy Air Fryer Shrimp Tempura

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Linda

      August 05, 2021 at 2:32 pm

      5 stars
      Never thought of adding water when air frying bacon, thanks for the trick to prevent them from burning!

      Reply
    2. Kay

      August 04, 2021 at 3:54 pm

      5 stars
      We love how easy and mess free it is cooking bacon in air fryer.

      Reply
    3. Kim

      August 04, 2021 at 1:30 pm

      5 stars
      Holy cow! The water in the bottom of the tray completely worked. Genius level tip!

      Reply
    4. Genevieve

      August 04, 2021 at 1:28 pm

      5 stars
      You can never go wrong with air-fryer bacon! I need to get an air-fryer stat!

      Reply
    5. Jere Cassidy

      August 04, 2021 at 9:30 am

      5 stars
      I neeeeeeed an Air Fryer. Love blt's and your method is so much easier than in the skillet.

      Reply
    6. Jeannie

      August 02, 2021 at 5:47 pm

      5 stars
      it doesnt make a mess in the kitchen and eay better than frying.

      Reply
    7. serena

      August 02, 2021 at 4:16 pm

      5 stars
      So quick and delicious. I usually use the oven, but going to have to give this a try. YUM!

      Reply
    8. Anaiah

      August 02, 2021 at 12:24 pm

      5 stars
      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

      Reply

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