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Crispy Air Fryer Bacon

Making Air Fryer Bacon is so EASY! Enjoy crisp and evenly cooked bacon in under 10 minutes with the easiest cleanup.

Crispy air fryer bacon on a white plate stacked on top of each other.

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Air Fryer Bacon

We love Air Fryer Recipes like Air Fryer Chicken Wings, not only because they cook faster, but they turn out extra crispy with little to no extra oil. If you crave crispy bacon, then this recipe is for you!

The air fryer method is so much easier to make than stovetop or baking in the oven because it’s quick, less messy and there’s no need to pre-heat the oven. You can make that epic BLT Sandwich in half the time.

Crispy cooked bacon laid out on a cutting board.

How Long to Cook Bacon in the Air Fryer

The cook time for this recipe can vary depending on the doneness of your bacon, the thickness of the bacon, and the style of your air fryer. Also, we do not preheat the air fryer for bacon.

  • Regular Cut Bacon – for softer bacon, air fry at 350˚F for 7 minutes, and for crispy bacon, cook 8 to 9 minutes
  • Thick-Cut Bacon – for softer bacon, air fry at 350˚F for 9-10 minutes, and for crispy bacon, cook 10-12 minutes.
Crunchy bacon strips laid out in an air fryer basket.

Which Air Fryer is Best?

We have 2 air fryers so we can thoroughly test air fryer recipes, but it depends on your needs. Not all air fryers are created equal so get to know your air fryer, peek in on your food to check progress, and adjust recipe timings as needed.

  • Basket Style Air Fryer – we have the 5.8 Qt Cosori Air Fryer which takes up slightly less counter space, works well for our family of 4, and has the easiest cleanup because the air fryer basket and liner are dishwasher-safe.
  • Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer – takes up a little more space, but is great for bigger families and you can cook most recipes in one batch. Depending on your particular model, it can cook faster. I cooked the bacon in the toaster oven style for 8 minutes, while it took 9 minutes in the basket style.
Uncooked bacon in air fryer baskets

Common Questions

Can I use turkey bacon?

Yes, if you want to use turkey bacon, this recipe works great. Just cook the turkey bacon as you would regular bacon with no changes.

Do I have to preheat the air fryer?

This depends on your air fryer. Some air fryers recommend preheating, but it is not necessary for bacon.

Should I add oil to the bacon?

The bacon will release grease so you don’t need to spray the bacon or tray of the air fryer for cooking.

How to prevent bacon smoking?

Since the smoke point of bacon fat is 400˚F, we air fry at 350˚F to avoid any smokiness while cooking bacon. Also, if cooking in batches, be sure to drain the drip pan of any oil and wipe clean with a paper towel.

Oil in air fryer drip pan

You only have to try cooking bacon in the Air Fryer once for it to become your new favorite way to cook bacon. It’s perfectly crisp every time and since the air circulates, there’s no need to flip the bacon halfway.

Three slices of crispy cooked bacon laid out on a cutting board.

Use Cooked Bacon for

Crispy Air Fryer Bacon

4.99 from 227 votes
Author: Valentina Ablaev
Air Fryer bacon on serving plate
Making Air Fryer Bacon is so EASY! Have this ready for breakfast in under 10 minutes. The bacon air-fried is crispy and crunchy and the cleanup is so easy.
Prep Time: 1 minute
Cook Time: 9 minutes
Total Time: 10 minutes

Ingredients 

Servings: 5 slices of bacon
  • 5 slices bacon , (6 oz regular bacon, or 8-12 oz thick-cut bacon)

Instructions

  • Place the bacon strips in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cut strips in half if needed to fit more.
  • Air fry regular cut bacon at 350˚F for 7-9 minutes, or until bacon is browned and reaches desired crispiness. Air fry thick-cut bacon for 10-12 minutes.
  • Transfer bacon to a paper towel-lined plate then serve. If cooking bacon in batches, be sure to discard any oil in the drip pan before repeating the process.

Notes

The nutrition label is per slice of bacon so you can easily calculate depending on how many slices you eat. 

Nutrition Per Serving

38kcal Calories1g Carbs3g Protein3g Fat1g Saturated Fat1g Trans Fat8mg Cholesterol137mg Sodium40mg Potassium3IU Vitamin A1mg Calcium1mg Iron
Nutrition Facts
Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
Amount per Serving
Calories
38
% Daily Value*
Fat
 
3
g
5
%
Saturated Fat
 
1
g
6
%
Trans Fat
 
1
g
Cholesterol
 
8
mg
3
%
Sodium
 
137
mg
6
%
Potassium
 
40
mg
1
%
Carbohydrates
 
1
g
0
%
Protein
 
3
g
6
%
Vitamin A
 
3
IU
0
%
Calcium
 
1
mg
0
%
Iron
 
1
mg
6
%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Course: Breakfast
Cuisine: American
Keyword: air fryer bacon
Skill Level: Easy
Cost to Make: $
Calories: 38
Natasha's Kitchen Cookbook

Valentina Ablaev

I am Valentina, the creator behind the food blog Valentina’s Corner where I share our family’s favorite recipes. When I am not in the kitchen, I enjoy spending quality time with my husband and 5 children. We invite you to join us on our blogging journey!

Read more posts by Valentina

4.99 from 227 votes (197 ratings without comment)

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Recipe Rating




Comments

  • Erin R Keith
    September 30, 2024

    I love this method of cooking bacon! Thank u. I put a slice of bread in the bottom of my air fryer for even easier clean up!

    Reply

    • NatashasKitchen.com
      October 1, 2024

      So much easier! You’re very welcome, Erin!

      Reply

  • Rachel Deuhr
    August 25, 2024

    This may be bc my air fryer requires a higher temp but I had to cook at 400 for like 15 mins :/ not ideal but again it could be my air fryer

    Reply

  • Gail
    July 31, 2024

    I made this bacon and loved it. At the half way point I turned the bacon over and his stopped it from curling.

    Reply

    • Natashas Kitchen
      July 31, 2024

      Thank you so much for sharing that with me, Gail. I’m so glad you enjoyed it!

      Reply

  • Richard McMasters
    July 8, 2024

    Bacon was perfect at 9 mins. Crisp, no burn, not greasy this is now my goto method.

    Reply

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