Crispy Air Fryer Bacon is easier to make, and just as delicious! Cooking your bacon in the air fryer means less grease splatters, with all the crispy salty texture you love and crave!
The Best Crispy Bacon of All Time
Everyone loves bacon in this household, but it can be a pain to make in the pan! It’s messy, and oily. Plus, cooking bacon in its own grease is not particularly heart healthy. The oven is usually my go-to, but even that doesn’t exactly cut down on the mess factor.
That’s why this air fryer bacon is the absolute BEST. Like oven bacon, but a thousand times better. The grease is collected at the bottom of the fryer (for super easy clean up), the bacon crisps up perfectly, and it has that wonderful wavy appearance that you won’t get from an oven or a pan.
All around, this is a faster, healthier way to enjoy our favorite fried breakfast food. This bacon is crispy, it’s delicious, and it’ll have your house smelling incredible. You’re going to love it!
Is it Safe to Air Fry Bacon?
Yes, it is very safe to cook in the air fryer. You’ll just want to take the necessary precautions to reduce smoking (see the section below!).
How do I Prevent Smoke?
As a general rule of thumb, I always make sure that my air fryer is clean of old crumbs and grease before you use it. This is the first step to ensuring smoke-free cooking!
To prevent the air fryer from smoking, temperature is also key. The best temperature to cook bacon in the air fryer is between 320-350 degrees, as the smoke point of bacon fat is 400 degrees. If you’ve struggled with smoking before, it could be that the temperature was set too high!
Another way to ward off burning or smoking is to fill the bottom of the air fryer with a bit of water. Alternatively, you can also use a slice of bread, which will serve to absorb any excess grease.
What You’ll Need
All you need is love – I mean, bacon. Basically the same thing!
- Bacon – As the star ingredient, make sure you select a good quality bacon from the shop or butchery, one that has a nice fat to meat ratio. Any kind of bacon can be cooked in the air fryer, including thick cut, turkey bacon, etc. It may be necessary to adjust the cooking time depending on the thickness and type of bacon you use.
- Water – Optional, but an extra precaution to keep the bacon from smoking.
Can I Air Fry Frozen Bacon?
You can cook frozen bacon in the air fryer following this method, just note that it will take slightly longer. Start at 8 minutes, then separate the bacon and continue to cook for 4-8 minutes, until it reaches your preferred doneness.
How to Make Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
It’s SO easy to make crispy bacon in the air fryer. If you’re making a lot of bacon, it’s a good idea to work in batches and spread the strips out evenly. Here’s what you do:
Preheat the air fryer. Add some water to the bottom of the fryer to help reduce the risk of smoke.
Add the bacon to the basket in a single layer. Fry until it reaches your desired doneness. If you are using thick-cut bacon, you’ll want to cook it for 12-16 minutes, while standard cut takes about 8-10 minutes.
Tips for Success
- If the bacon is too long for the basket, slice the strips in half before placing them in the air fryer, to help them cook evenly.
- Make sure the bacon is in a single layer. While a little overlapping is fine at first, the bacon won’t crisp up well if it’s stuck together. Once the pieces have shrunk a little during the cooking process, spread them out a bit in the basket so that the hot air can really get moving around them.
- Work in batches. Avoid overcrowding your air fryer by working in batches, giving the cooked bacon time to cool (this also helps it crisp up even more!).
Serving Suggestions
We love serving this air fryer bacon with a classic breakfast of eggs and toast! But everyone knows that bacon doesn’t stop at breakfast. Here are just some of the many ways to use your perfect bacon in all kinds of meals:
- Sandwiches: Dress up your homemade BLT with the best bacon around. You can also add it into club sandwiches, chicken Caesar sandwiches, grilled cheeses, and more!
- Pastas: Bacon makes a rocking addition to creamy pastas like this Chicken Bacon Ranch Pasta or homemade spaghetti carbonara.
- Soups: Recipes like this Slow Cooker Bean Soup and Beer Cheese Soup get a boost of flavor with the addition of bacon!
- Salads: Crumble or dice your air fryer bacon and sprinkle it into salads. It goes perfectly in Caesar salad, Broccoli Salad, Creamy Pea Salad, or try this fun and easy BLT Pasta Salad!
- Veggie Dishes: Bacon is great to include with roasted, grilled, or sauteed vegetable dishes, especially Brussel Sprouts With Bacon.
- Appetizers: Use bacon in loads of easy appetizers like these Bacon Jalapeno Deviled Eggs, Bacon Cheddar Smashed Potatoes, and Savory Bacon Swiss Dip.
- Dessert: Believe it or not, there are tons of desserts you can make where bacon makes the flavors shine! Use this air fryer bacon for Maple Bacon Cupcakes, or this Bacon and Chocolate Bundt Cake!
Storing and Reheating Extras
Bacon that is properly stored will last up to 4-5 days in the fridge. To store, seal the cooked bacon strips in an airtight container, then place in the fridge.
When you’re ready to serve it, reheat the bacon in the air fryer at 320 degrees until warmed through. You can also freeze leftover bacon for longer storage, see below.
Can I Freeze Cooked Bacon?
I like to pre-freeze cooked bacon strips in a single layer on a lined baking sheet, to keep them from sticking. Once solid, transfer the bacon to a freezer-safe container or freezer bag. Reheat it straight from frozen.
More Things to Cook in Your Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Pumpkin Cheesecake Egg Rolls
- Strawberry Air Fryer Cheesecake
- Air Fryer Taquitos
- AF Hush Puppies
- Air Fryer Sweet Asian Chili Wings
Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 strips Bacon thick cut
- Water (to reduce smoking)
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer at 320*F for 5 minutes.
- Pour ¼ cup of water into the bottom of the air fryer to minimize smoke. (Alternative – place a layer of bread instead of water).
- Place bacon in a single layer into the preheated air fryer basket.
- Cook for 12-16 minutes for thick cut and 8-10 for standard cut.
Last Step:
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