Learn how to cook bacon in the oven so it turns out crisp, evenly cooked, and less messy than stovetop bacon. There’s no need to flip the bacon or use a wire rack—just arrange it on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake until it’s done to your liking. This is my favorite hands-off method for cooking a whole pack of bacon for breakfast, brunch, meal prep, or a crowd.
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Oven-Baked Bacon Video
Bacon is always a favorite at our house, and it disappears fast with all the “sampling” before breakfast hits the table. Baking bacon is my favorite hands-off way to cook a big batch.
How Long to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Bake bacon at 400°F on a parchment-lined rimmed baking sheet until it reaches your desired crispness. Start checking a few minutes early since bacon thickness and brand can affect the timing.
- Regular-cut bacon: 15-20 minutes
- Thick-cut bacon: 20-30 minutes
- Extra-crispy bacon: add a few minutes and watch closely at the end.
Here’s Why You’ll Love This Method
- Less mess: No stovetop splatter, and parchment makes cleanup easier.
- No flipping: Arrange the bacon and let the oven do the work.
- Great for a crowd: Cook a full package on one sheet pan, or use two pans for a bigger batch.
What Kind of Bacon Should I Use?
Any sliced bacon will work for this oven method, but the type you buy will affect the flavor, texture, and bake time. Here’s what to look for:
- Regular-cut bacon: Cooks faster and gets crisp more quickly.
- Thick-cut bacon: Takes longer but has a meatier bite and is great for breakfast plates.
- Center-cut bacon: Usually has less fatty ends and can cook a little more evenly.
- Look at the slices: look for a good balance of meat and fat for even browning.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a rimmed baking sheet with parchment. Use a heavy-duty baking sheet that won’t warp in the oven so the rendered bacon fat stays safely contained.
- Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer. They can be touching but not overlapping, or they will stick together and cook unevenly.
- Bake the bacon until it reaches your desired crispness (see the timing chart below). Start checking a few minutes early since bacon can quickly go from crisp to overdone.
- Drain and Serve. Transfer bacon from the baking sheet to a paper-towel-lined plate. It will crisp up slightly as it cools.
Bacon Grease Pro Tip
Don’t toss the bacon grease if you want to use it for cooking. Let it cool slightly, then carefully pour it through a fine mesh strainer into a heat-safe jar. Refrigerate and use a spoonful to cook Hash Browns, or Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Never pour bacon grease down the sink.
Can I use a rack?
Yes, but you don’t need one. We prefer baking bacon directly on parchment because it cooks in its own rendered fat and crisps beautifully. Bacon can also stick to a rack, which makes cleanup harder.
Do I need to flip bacon in the oven?
No. The bacon cooks evenly without flipping, which is one of the best reasons to bake it.
How much bacon fits on a baking sheet?
A half sheet pan usually fits about 12 ounces of regular-cut bacon or 16 ounces of thick-cut bacon. Arrange slices in a single layer, touching but not overlapping. If you’re doubling the recipe, bake on 2 separate baking sheets.
Small Batch Tip
For just a few slices, I love making Air Fryer Bacon because it cooks quickly and gets crisp. For a whole pack of bacon, the oven is easier.
Oven-baked bacon is our favorite way to cook a big batch for breakfast. Serve it with Scrambled Eggs, avocado, pancakes, or tuck it into your favorite sandwiches and salads.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Ingredients
- 12 oz regular sliced bacon, or 16 oz thick-sliced bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper or foil.
- Arrange slices so they are touching but not overlapping.
- Bake regular cut bacon for 15-20 minutes or thick-cut bacon for 20-30 minutes. Timing varies depending on the fat content in the bacon and your desired crispiness. If baking 2 baking sheets at a time, rotate the baking sheets halfway.
- Use tongs to remove bacon from the baking sheet and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and serve.
Notes
- To Refrigerate: Let the bacon drain on paper towels and cool completely. Store in an airtight container or zip-top bag in the refrigerator for 4 to 5 days.
- To Reheat: Re-crisp bacon in a skillet, oven, or air fryer. I don’t recommend microwaving because it can turn chewy.
- To Freeze: For longer storage, freeze cooked bacon between layers of parchment paper in a freezer-safe bag. Reheat from frozen in the oven or air fryer until hot and crisp.
Nutrition Per Serving
Filed Under
Ways to Use Bacon
Once you know how to bake bacon in the oven, you’ll want to use it in everything. Try it in these favorite recipes:
- BLT Sandwich
- Eggs Benedict
- Deviled Eggs with Bacon
- Cheese Ball with Bacon
- BLT Pasta Salad
- Avocado Chicken Salad
- Zuppa Toscana
- Baked Potatoes
- Greek Cobb Salad
This is the way! Great bacon if you like it chewy or crispy. But the best part in my opinion, clean liquid gold bacon drippings. Use them for salad dressing, green beans, thickening pinto beans and much more. Love peace and bacon grease.
I love cooking my bacon in the oven. On foil. The parchment paper gets to “wet” and is a mess to get up with the grease. The foil is so easy peasy! Peel it up…bam. Toss in trash. No leaks and wetness to deal with ☺️
Stupid question, but do you place it on the middle rack of the oven?
Yes, middle of the oven is best.
I’ve been hesitant to try this because I was wondering if the bacon grease spatters in the oven?
Less Mess – you won’t mess up your stove with oil splatter, and what’s more, if you cut your parchment paper to size, you probably can just toss your parchment paper and don’t have to wash your baking sheet either. Hope that helps!
This is the best way to make bacon. No rack is needed, so you don’t have to wash one.
Thanks for the recipe on crispy hashbrowns!! and squeezing out ALL the juice and waiting to put the salt and pepper on till the end because salt does pull out more water. I never thought that always just mixed it all together so now I’m going to try the recipe. I’ve kind of been doing it wrong for a while and wondering why these are not crisping up so appreciate the pointer and take care. Mel
You’re welcome! Glad that was helpful!
Love, all your recipes and you are an amazing teacher and have a lovely personality, I have learnt so much from you and have been following you for many years Thank you Natasha for all your hard work and your amazing recipes they are all delicious
You’re so very welcome, Faye!
So yummy. We cooked at 375… no biggie. I thunk that another good idea is to save the fat for another use since food prices are going up. Stir frys, cooking eggs, whatever you’d need fat for in savory dishes. I freeze mine in serving sizes.
I do this but start with a cold oven, and flip at 20 minutes bake for a bit more, 5 or so for thin, 10 for thick. Does make a mess in the oven, yet, bacon is always cook right.
Hi Natasha
I made this bacon in the oven and it turned out “Fabulous” You are a Genius:)
I also received your cookbook for my birthday this month (March) and I could
not put it down until I read it from cover to cover:) This is the Best Gift I have ever
gotten. Now I’m going to start cooking!!!! You did GOOD:) You’ll Always Be My Number One:)
Thank You So Much
Thank you so much for sharing, Melinda!
The easiest way to make bacon!! I will never make it on the stove again, this is a game changer!
This is such a hit! My new go-to bacon recipe. It is so easy and convenient!
Oven baked bacon is a new favorite at our house! This was so yummy and such a simple clean up!
That’s just awesome! Thank you for sharing your wonderful review!
I have cooking my bacon like this for years. So much easier and less messy and like you said, ‘hands free’ to do other things.
Thanks for sharIng.
It really is the best way to make it!
Whipped up a batch for the family and it’s a hit! Very easy and delicious! The bacon cooks to the right crispiness!
Uncured bacon still contains celery powder which is the exact same thing as sodium nitrate. And it is a myth that sodium nitrate is harmful other than when you burn it. Just like it’s a myth that bacon causes high cholesterol, etc. Bacon is basically a super food and very delicious!
Have seen on internet to dust back slices in flour first. Makes very crisp bacon. Tried it…great
Thank you for sharing, Judy! 🙂
Natasha, I love bacon, but suffer from high BP which sodium is an issue & also on blood thinners. Is there an alternative to bacon? Thanks, and love your recipes…..
Hi Amanda, I haven’t tried any substitutes to advise.
THANK YOU!! My husband said this is the only way we are going to make bacon from now on…all I need to say! : )
That’s wonderful! 🙂
which bacon brand do you use?
i am interested in making this but would like to know which brand you used. it looks really good.
Hi Cindy! I don’t use a specific brand, just uncured (bacon without sodium nitrate added to it).
I’m apologize, I forgot my five star rating for the oven bacon!
Have a wonderful day❤️