My favorite food to cook in the air fryer is by far bacon! Not only does Air Fried Bacon turn out perfectly crisp and evenly cooked, but it keeps the mess contained rather than creating a grease covered stovetop and kitchen. I've been cooking bacon this way for years now and will never go back to the stove or oven!
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Cooking bacon in your air fryer is extremely convenient and mess free. There is no greasy stove to clean up and no splattering grease on your skin or clothing. You can make it anywhere your air fryer can travel, whether that be on a camping trip, hotel vacation or an RV road trip.
It's also a hands-off method. There is no flipping the bacon- just put it in your air fryer, let it cook and enjoy when it's done. I have bacon in my air fryer at least 4 times a week, along with sausage patties and roasted potatoes.
But crispy air fried bacon isn't just for breakfast. I cook it this way when it's called for in other recipes, then go about my business making the rest of the meal. Whether that be cooking eggs for a breakfast burrito or breakfast sandwich, or preparing a slow cooker baked potato soup, cheesy pull apart bread or Manhattan clam chowder that calls for crispy bacon. Once the bacon is done air frying it's ready to added to whatever meal I'm using it for- and I never had to fuss with the it as it cooked.
What Type Of Bacon To Use
You can use any brand or type of bacon, including cured and uncured, turkey bacon, thick-cut bacon, streaky bacon, short cut bacon and middle cut bacon. Cook time may need to be adjusted by a few minutes or so depending on the type.
Tips From The Chef
- Cook time is dependent on thickness of bacon, how crispy you like it, air fryer brand and air fryer style, as each air fryer varies.
- The beauty of air fryers is that the air evenly flows around the food so there is no need to flip it when you're using the standard air fryer basket with holes or a rack (for oven style air fryers). If you're using a solid tray, you should flip the bacon halfway through cooking.
How To Cook Bacon In An Air Fryer
- Preheat your air fryer to 400℉ (204℃). Grease the inside of the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. *If your air fryer does not require preheating, skip doing so.
- Place the bacon slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket with space between each slice.
- Cook in the preheated air fryer for 7-9 minutes. *Flipping is optional, but unnecessary when using an air fryer basket or tray with holes.
- Remove bacon from the air fryer and enjoy!
Chef's Tip
If your air fryer is on the smaller side, cut the bacon slices in half.
Recipe FAQs
Unless you are cooking it on a solid tray, there is no need to flip the bacon.
It should take between 7 and 9 minutes, but you may want to cook it for more or less depending on how done you prefer it to be.
400 degrees Fahrenheit, or 204 degrees Celsius.
Before the grease hardens, pour it into a disposable heat-proof jar, such as a leftover glass spaghetti sauce jar. Cover tightly and store in a cabinet or pantry. Everytime you cook something that accumulates grease you can pour it into the jar. Once filled, discard in the garbage can. You should never pour bacon grease down the drain and into your piping system.
To clean the air fryer, use soap and water. Scrub around the heating elements with water and degreasing cleanser or vinegar once they have cooled.
Some people place a piece of bread in the bottom of the air fryer to soak up the falling grease, giving you less to clean up. I prefer not to do this, as I don't like to waste good food. But this is another option to make cleaning up a little easier.
Recipe
Air Fryer Bacon
Equipment
- air fryer
Ingredients
- 6 slices bacon *see notes
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 400℉ (204℃). Grease the inside of the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray. *If your air fryer does not require preheating, skip doing so.
- Place the bacon slices in a single layer in the air fryer basket with space between each slice.
- Cook in the preheated air fryer for 7-9 minutes. *Flipping is optional, but unnecessary when using an air fryer basket or tray with holes.
- Remove bacon from the air fryer, serve hot and enjoy!
Kaylen
I rarely use my air fryer because I have no idea how to use it. This weekend, I'll be trying your recipe to make bacon! So excited!