Air Fryer Bacon could not be easier, and this recipe works for any type of bacon. The air fryer produces crispy bacon quickly without the hassle of frying it on the stove top and battling sputtering grease. I love that cooking bacon with this method frees me up to prepare other food while not worrying about the bacon burning. One of the best things is that you can make just a couple of slices for a sandwich or salad or air fry a whole package in batches for weekend brunch!
The air fryer circulates the hot air and perfectly renders the fat if you want to collect it for other cooking needs. Make this recipe with any cut of bacon, thick or thin, and adjust the cooking time for your ideal crunch. It will quickly become your new favorite way to cook up crispy bacon! For more air fryer recipes, try my air fryer chicken tenders, air fryer french fries, or air fryer Brussels sprouts.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Bacon – make this recipe with regular-cut or thick-cut bacon. Use an applewood smoked or flavored variety if you prefer. Turkey bacon also works for this recipe but may have a shorter cook time.
How to Make Air Fryer Bacon
1. Cut the bacon strips in half, crosswise, if needed to fit in the basket. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
2. Place half of the bacon slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket. It’s okay if the edges of the bacon touch or overlap slightly.
3. For regular bacon: Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until the desired level of crispiness has been reached. For thick cut bacon: Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until the desired level of crispiness has been reached.
4. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain any grease that has been collected in the base of the basket. Repeat with the remaining pieces of bacon.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
- Cut the bacon if needed to fit inside your air fryer basket. Compare the size of the bacon to your air fryer basket, and cut the bacon in half if the strips are too long to fit without curling up the sides.
- Overlap the bacon slightly to fit more pieces. The bacon shrinks almost immediately in the heat of the air fryer, so it is okay to let the pieces touch or overlap slightly as long as they are in a single layer and not stacked.
- Skip the basket liner. If you typically use a disposable parchment paper liner in your air fryer, skip it for this recipe. It is important to allow the bacon fat to drain through the grate in the basket.
- Air fry longer for the crispiest bacon. Pause the cooking and take a peek inside the air fryer at the shorter cooking time to check on the crispiness of the bacon. Add additional cooking time until the desired crispiness is reached. Remember that the cooking time will vary based on your air fryer and the cut of bacon used.
- Remove the rendered fat from the air fryer between batches. It is important to drain the excess grease that renders between batches, as the circulating air of the air fryer could create smoke and a strong burnt smell. Drain off any standing grease, then, fold up a paper towel, and pinch it with a pair of tongs. Rub in the bottom of the air fryer basket to remove any remaining grease, and discard the paper towels.
- Use this method when you need to render bacon fat. This is a great method to render excess fat from the bacon for other cooking needs, as it can drain through the basket holes. Each batch of 2-3 bacon pieces renders at least 1 tablespoon of fat!
Frequently Asked Questions
Leftovers keep in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The best way to reheat is to air fry bacon at 350 degrees F for 2-3 minutes. You can also place the bacon between two paper towels on a microwave-safe plate and microwave for 20-second intervals until the bacon is warm.
This easy air fryer bacon recipe makes the best bacon to add to sandwiches and salads because it’s quick. You can easily make just a few slices, and clean up is simple. Serve bacon slices with lettuce and tomato on a piece of bread, like my sourdough bread, for the perfect BLT. Crispy air fryer bacon crumbles are a great addition to my chicken salad recipe, pimento cheese, or potato soup. For breakfast or brunch, serve air-fried bacon with breakfast casserole, french toast, and a side of sliced fruit.
When air frying bacon, the grease naturally drains to the base of the basket. The perforations or holes in the basket grate allow the grease to drip off as it renders, making this a great cooking method if you like crisp bacon or when you want to quickly and easily render bacon fat to use for other recipes.
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If you’ve tried this air fryer bacon recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you
Air Fryer Bacon
Ingredients
- 6 slices of bacon
Instructions
- Cut the bacon pieces in half, crosswise, if needed to fit in the basket.
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F.
- Place half of the bacon slices in a single layer in the basket of the air fryer. (It’s ok if the edges of the bacon touch or overlap slightly.)
- For regular bacon: Cook for 8 to 10 minutes, until desired level of crispiness has been reached.
- For thick cut bacon: Cook for 10 to 12 minutes, until desired level of crispiness has been reached.
- Transfer the bacon to a paper towel-lined plate. Drain any grease that has collected in the base of the basket. Repeat with the remaining pieces of bacon.
Notes
- Cut the bacon if needed to fit inside your air fryer basket. Compare the size of the bacon to your air fryer basket, and cut the bacon in half if the strips are too long to fit without curling up the sides.
- Overlap the bacon slightly to fit more pieces. The bacon shrinks almost immediately in the heat of the air fryer, so it is okay to let the pieces touch or overlap slightly as long as they are in a single layer and not stacked.
- Skip the basket liner. If you typically use a disposable parchment paper liner in your air fryer, skip it for this recipe. It is important to allow the bacon fat to drain through the grate in the basket.
- Air fry longer for the crispiest bacon. Pause the cooking and take a peek inside the air fryer at the shorter cooking time to check on the crispiness of the bacon. Add additional cooking time until the desired crispiness is reached. Remember that the cooking time will vary based on your air fryer and the cut of bacon used.
- Remove the rendered fat from the air fryer between batches. It is important to drain the excess grease that renders between batches, as the circulating air of the air fryer could create smoke and a strong burnt smell. Drain off any standing grease, then, fold up a paper towel, and pinch it with a pair of tongs. Rub in the bottom of the air fryer basket to remove any remaining grease, and discard the paper towels.
- Use this method when you need to render bacon fat. This is a great method to render excess fat from the bacon for other cooking needs, as it can drain through the basket holes. Each batch of 2-3 bacon pieces renders at least 1 tablespoon of fat!
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