Air Fryer Bacon
Air Fryer Bacon is extra crispy and so easy to make – no flipping required!
My family loves crispy bacon, and I am addicted to cooking with my air fryer. Needless to say, it was only a matter of time before I tried air frying this breakfast classic.
I usually cook bacon in the oven, so I was interested to compare air fryer bacon with oven bacon.
The verdict? Air fryer bacon has a bit of an edge if you’re looking for the crispiest bacon recipe. And you’ll love the way the edges get all wavy (think: extra crispy).
But if you’re feeding a crowd, oven bacon is the winner. I just love how I can fit enough bacon for my whole family on a sheet pan, without having to air fry in batches.
Cooking Bacon in the Air Fryer
An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks by circulating hot air around the food, similar to a convection oven. Because of the air circulation, air frying is an ideal cooking method when you want to make crispy foods, such as bacon.
Cooking bacon in the air fryer is really simple, but there is one issue that can come up: smoking. To prevent bacon from burning or smoking in the air fryer, it’s best to cook it at a temperature lower than the smoke point of bacon grease. I’ve experimented with different cooking temperatures and found 350° F to be the best temperature for air fryer bacon. Some recipes also call for adding a bit of water or a piece of bread to the bottom of the air fryer to help prevent smoking, but I find that cooking bacon at a lower temperature is sufficient to prevent smoking.
How to Cook Bacon in an Air Fryer
Cooking bacon in the air fryer is so simple!
First, lay the bacon slices in the air fryer basket. If the slices are too long to fit in the basket, you can cut them in half to make them fit better. It is ok if the bacon slices are touching each other in the basket, but they shouldn’t be overlapping or layered on top of each other.
Then, air fry at 350° F for 8-15 minutes, or until the bacon is cooked how you like it. Finally, transfer the cooked bacon to a plate lined with paper towels to soak up any excess bacon grease. Then enjoy!
How Long to Cook Bacon in the Air Fryer
The cook time for air fryer bacon can range any where from 8 minutes to 15 minutes at 350° F. Why such a large time range? There are a number of factors that play into how long bacon will take to cook in an air fryer:
- The thickness of the bacon. Thick cut bacon will take longer to cook than thin slices.
- Your air fryer model. Different air fryers can cook differently, so it’s important to check on your food and adjust the cook time as needed.
- Your preferences. You’ll want to cook your bacon longer if you like it extra crispy and well done. If you prefer it softer and more chewy, you’ll want to air fry it for fewer minutes.
Recipe Tips
- Cook bacon in a single layer in the air fryer basket. I usually have to cook the bacon in a few batches to feed my family. Be sure to pour out the grease from the bottom of the air fryer in between batches.
- Air fry bacon at 350° F. Cooking at a higher temperature may cause the bacon grease to smoke.
- To clean your air fryer after cooking bacon, first pour out the grease that will have collected in the bottom of the air fryer. Then wash out the basket with warm soapy water. After the air fryer cools, you may want to wipe down the inside with a damp cloth to clean off any grease spatters.
How to Store & Reheat Bacon
Cooked bacon can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 5 days. Reheat bacon in the air fryer at 350° F for a few minutes, until hot and crispy. Or, reheat in the microwave.
Serving Suggestions
Bacon is such a versatile ingredient! Here are a few of our favorite ways to enjoy it:
- For breakfast. Bacon is a classic breakfast favorite. Nothing gets my kids out of their beds in the morning like the smell of bacon cooking in the kitchen! We love to serve bacon with scrambled eggs, French toast, buttermilk pancakes or waffles.
- A crispy flavor booster. Bacon also makes a perfect topping for an Air Fryer Baked Potato or Potato Soup. Crispy crumbled bacon adds a salty pop of flavor to Deviled Eggs, Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Instant Pot Mac and Cheese.
- A recipe ingredient. Or, use air fryer bacon in recipes with cooked bacon as an ingredient. Try this Breakfast Casserole or Spinach Salad with Bacon. Add it to a crustless quiche or use it to make a classic BLT sandwich.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
I love using my air fryer to cook our favorite mealtime staples, such as Air Fryer Chicken Breast and Air Fryer Brussels Sprouts. Time and again I’ve been impressed at the air fryer’s ability to crisp foods without using a lot of oil (see these Air Fryer Chicken Tenders and Air Fryer Fried Chicken, for example).
Here are a few more of my favorites:
View all of my Air Fryer Recipes.
Air Fryer Bacon
Ingredients
- 8 slices bacon
Instructions
- Lay bacon slices in air fryer basket. They can be touching each other but shouldn't be overlapping or on top of each other. (If your air fryer is small, you may need to cut the bacon in half to make it fit. Cook bacon in batches as needed.)
- Air fry at 350° F for 8-15 minutes, until bacon is cooked how you like it. Thicker bacon will take longer to cook and thinner bacon will cook faster.
- Remove bacon to a paper towel lined plate to absorb extra grease. If cooking a second batch of bacon in the air fryer, pour the grease out of the bottom of the air fryer before adding the second batch of bacon.
I have just started using an air fryer. I purchased a Cosori. For the bacon, do you have to preheat first?
No, for this recipe you don’t need to preheat. Enjoy!
My first time cooking bacon in airfryer. It was super easy. Thank You!
Air fryer is new to me, recipe made it so easy! Bacon turned out perfect!
How do you keep bacon from flying around when air frying?
I have never had a problem with it flying around. It just stays where it is – the hot air circulation isn’t that powerful that it makes it fly around. 🙂
where does the grease go when cooking bacon in the vented air fryer basket?
The grease goes in the bottom basket and is easy to clean out after air frying.