Crispy Air Fryer Bacon Recipe
This Air Fryer Bacon recipe is easy, satisfying, and super crispy, without any of the grease splatters! It delivers perfect bacon every time, making your meal prep a breeze. Ready in 15 minutes, it’s perfect for breakfast, brunch, on sandwiches, or even mixed into soups and sides.
Why You Will Love Making Air Fryer Bacon
Who doesn’t love bacon? Making crispy air fryer bacon is a game changer for several tasty reasons:
- Quick Cooking: Air fryer bacon is ready in just about 15 minutes. That’s faster than your oven can preheat!
- Less Mess: Say goodbye to grease splatters all over your stove top. The air fryer keeps all that mess contained.
- Even Cooking: Flipping the bacon halfway through means each strip is perfectly crispy on both sides.
- Healthier Option: Excess fat drips away into the air fryer’s drip tray, making your bacon a bit leaner.
- Versatility: Crisp up your bacon to eat alone, toss in salads, or stack in your favorite wrap.
Ingredients You’ll Need
You’ll need all the ingredients in the photograph below.
How to Air Fry Bacon with Step-By-Step Instructions
A complete printable recipe and the measurements in both US customary and metric are available in the recipe card below.
Making bacon in an air fryer is super straightforward. Follow these steps to get crispy bacon without the usual mess of frying it on the stove.
Preheat the Air Fryer
First, crank up your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) and let it heat for about 3 minutes. A good preheat helps the bacon start cooking immediately and crisps up nicely.
Arrange the Bacon
Lay the bacon slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. If they overlap, they won’t cook evenly. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to do this in batches.
Cooking Time
Pop the basket into the air fryer and let the bacon cook for 8 to 10 minutes. The exact time will depend on how crispy you like your bacon.
Flip Halfway Through
About halfway through cooking, open the air fryer and use tongs to flip the bacon strips over. This ensures they get evenly crispy on both sides. This is also a good time to check how cooked the bacon is already and adjust the cooking time to prevent burning if needed.
Drain and Serve
Once your bacon is done, carefully remove it using tongs and lay it on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any extra grease. Give it a minute or two to cool down, then it’s ready to serve.
Recipe Notes and Expert Tips
Here are a few tips to help you make bacon in the air fryer:
- Thick Bacon: Keep in mind that thick-cut bacon will need a bit more time to get crispy, so adjust your cooking time if needed.
- Frozen Bacon: You can cook frozen bacon in the air fryer. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time, and make sure it’s separated into individual slices.
- Turkey Bacon: You can cook turkey bacon in the air fryer, but it might cook faster than regular pork bacon, so adjust the time accordingly.
- Avoid Overcrowding: Cook in batches if necessary to ensure that air can circulate freely around each slice, promoting even cooking and crispiness.
- Monitor Closely: Since all air fryers are a bit different, start checking your bacon around the 8-minute mark to prevent burning.
- Safety First: Use tongs to handle the bacon as it can get quite hot, and be careful of hot grease.
- What should I do if the bacon smokes in the air fryer? If the bacon starts to smoke, check for excess grease buildup in the drip tray. Clearing it out should help reduce smoking. Also, try lowering the cooking temperature slightly.
- Parchment Paper in the Air Fryer: You can use parchment paper to make cleanup easier and to help manage grease, but make sure it doesn’t cover all the ventilation holes in the basket.
- Post-Cooking Cleanup: Don’t forget to clean your air fryer after each use to prevent grease build-up, which can affect the taste and safety of future meals.
How to Store Leftover Air Fryer Bacon
Got some leftover bacon? Here’s how to keep it crispy and delicious for later:
- Cool Completely: Before storing, let your bacon cool down completely on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Refrigerate or Freeze: Store the bacon in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
- Reheat: When you’re ready to eat it, just pop the bacon back in the air fryer for a few minutes at 350°F to get it nice and crispy again.
- Keep It Dry: If refrigerating, you can place a paper towel in the container to absorb any excess moisture. This keeps your bacon from becoming chewy.
Our Top 3 Money-Saving Tips for This Recipe
Who doesn’t like saving a bit of cash, especially when it comes to delicious bacon? Here are three tips to help you stretch your dollar further with this air fryer bacon recipe:
- Buy in Bulk: Purchase bacon in bulk when it’s on sale and freeze what you don’t use right away.
- Repurpose Grease: Collect and filter the bacon grease for use in other recipes, like frying eggs or making cornbread.
- Limit Paper Towels: Instead of using paper towels for draining, reuse a clean kitchen cloth that can be washed afterward.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Bacon
Crispy air fryer bacon is super versatile and can jazz up a variety of dishes. Here’s how to make the most out of your deliciously cooked bacon:
In Breakfast Dishes
Start your morning right by adding crispy bacon to your breakfast classics. It’s perfect alongside eggs, whether you like them scrambled, poached, or fried. For a hearty breakfast, layer it in a stack of pancakes or waffles drizzled with maple syrup for that irresistible sweet and salty combo, and I know it’s an off the wall choice but I love serving it on toast with a layer of pecan butter – try it!
As a Salad Topper
Crisp up your salads by sprinkling over some chopped bacon. It adds a wonderful crunch and flavor to a simple green salad or a more elaborate one like a Caesar or Cobb salad. The smoky flavor of bacon pairs beautifully with fresh veggies.
In Sandwiches and Wraps
Elevate your sandwiches and wraps by including crispy bacon. A classic BLT sandwich is a crowd-pleaser, or you can wrap bacon in a tortilla with grilled chicken, fresh lettuce, and tomatoes for a quick and satisfying meal. Bacon also works great in burgers as a crunchy, savory layer.
With Soups and Stews
Add a smoky depth to your soups and stews by including some bacon. It works particularly well in potato soup, chowders, or bean stews. Just crumble some cooked bacon into your pot for an extra layer of flavor that really makes the dish stand out.
More Air Fryer Recipes You Will Love
- Air Fryer Tuna Sandwich Recipe
- Air Fryer Homemade Fries
- Air Fryer BBQ Chicken Drumsticks
- Air Fryer Whole Chicken Recipe
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
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Crispy Air Fryer Bacon Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for about 3 minutes.
- While the air fryer is preheating, arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the air fryer basket. You may need to cook the bacon in batches depending on the size of your air fryer.1 pound bacon
- Place the basket into the air fryer and cook the bacon for 8 to 10 minutes, or until it reaches your desired level of crispiness.
- Halfway through cooking, flip the bacon slices using tongs to ensure even cooking on both sides.
- Once cooked, use tongs to carefully transfer the bacon onto a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess grease.
- Allow the bacon to cool for a minute or two before serving to avoid any burns.
Notes
- Thick Bacon: Keep in mind that thick-cut bacon will need a bit more time to get crispy, so adjust your cooking time if needed.
- Frozen Bacon: You can cook frozen bacon in the air fryer. Just add a couple of extra minutes to the cooking time, and make sure it’s separated into individual slices.
- Turkey Bacon: You can cook turkey bacon in the air fryer, but it might cook faster than regular pork bacon, so adjust the time accordingly.
- Avoid Overcrowding: Cook in batches if necessary to ensure that air can circulate freely around each slice, promoting even cooking and crispiness.
- Monitor Closely: Since all air fryers are a bit different, start checking your bacon around the 8-minute mark to prevent burning.
- Safety First: Use tongs to handle the bacon as it can get quite hot, and be careful of hot grease.
- What should I do if the bacon smokes in the air fryer? If the bacon starts to smoke, check for excess grease buildup in the drip tray. Clearing it out should help reduce smoking. Also, try lowering the cooking temperature slightly.
- Parchment Paper in the Air Fryer: You can use parchment paper to make cleanup easier and to help manage grease, but make sure it doesn’t cover all the ventilation holes in the basket.
- Post-Cooking Cleanup: Don’t forget to clean your air fryer after each use to prevent grease build-up, which can affect the taste and safety of future meals.
Storage and Reheating Instructions
- Cool Completely: Before storing, let your bacon cool down completely on a paper towel-lined plate.
- Refrigerate or Freeze: Store the bacon in an airtight container or wrap it tightly in aluminum foil. It will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to a month.
- Reheat: When you’re ready to eat it, just pop the bacon back in the air fryer for a few minutes at 350°F to get it nice and crispy again.
- Keep It Dry: If refrigerating, you can place a paper towel in the container to absorb any excess moisture. This keeps your bacon from becoming chewy.
