Air fryer bacon is about to be your new favorite way to make crispy, perfectly cooked bacon with no fuss and no mess! No more dodging splattering grease, let the air fryer do all the work for you!
The air fryer makes frying bacon quicker and easy than ever!
Bacon is easily one of the most hunger-inducing smells in the world! I can’t remember a time when I wasn’t immediately craving bacon as soon as the aroma hit my nose.
Most people don’t think about using an air fryer for this classic skillet food. Air fryers are fantastic for making things crispy, so it ends up being a perfect match.
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It takes slightly less time and, better yet, it saves your arms from being hit with hot, popping grease! Plus the end result is absolutely crisp and delicious!
Whether you like thick-cut, hickory-smoked, peppered, or applewood smoked, this recipe will do wonders for your breakfast game. Or lunch. Or dinner. Bacon is good all day long.
❤️ Why You'll Love This Recipe!
Easy Cleanup! No more grease splatters to wipe up around the stove!
Versatile! Bacon is amazing in, on, and wrapped around pretty much everything.·
Family-favorite! Everyone loves bacon! Cook it up to add flavor to any meal!
🥘 Ingredients
This is a simple recipe with only 2 ingredients. Get your favorite bacon, and you’re good to go!
- 3 slices Bacon - Regular or thick-cut both work well in the air fryer.
- Ground Black Pepper (to taste) - This is optional but highly recommended.
*Be sure to see the recipe card below for ingredients, amounts & instructions!*
🔪 Step-By-Step Instructions
It’s easy to do this in the air fryer, but if it’s your first time, carefully read through all the instructions before you begin. Pull out your air fryer (basket style), the manufacturer instructions, a cutting board, and a chef’s knife to get started.
- Arrange the bacon. In a single layer, place 3 slices of bacon in your air fryer basket. I like to cut them in half to better fit, but it’s up to you.
- Season and fry. Sprinkle bacon with ground black pepper to taste, if desired. Then, fry for 7 to 9 minutes at 350℉ (175℃). For thick-cut bacon, cook for 10 to 12 minutes or until desired level of crispiness.
- Drain and serve. When cooked, transfer bacon to a plate lined with a paper towel. This will soak up excess grease. Repeat steps 1 and 2 with additional batches as needed. *Don’t forget to discard any bacon grease in the air fryer between batches. Also, later batches may require shorter cooking times than the first.
Crumble these up to make my fantastic loaded baked potato salad or chop and add on a salad for a little something extra. Serve your air-fried bacon on a western bacon cheeseburger or in cheese and bacon turnovers. Enjoy!
💭 Angela's Tips & Recipe Notes
- Cook it slower and lower. If you’re having trouble with smoke, try cooking bacon for longer at just 300℉ (150℃). It could take up to 20 minutes. Sometimes, higher heat causes grease to drip and smoke up your kitchen.
- If you see smoke, stop cooking! The minute you see smoke coming out of your air fryer, shut it off, and finish cooking on the stove. When it is cool, be sure the heating element is free of drippings.
- Keep it flat! If your bacon ends up curling up while cooking in your air fryer, try setting a small rack over the cooking bacon.
🥡 Storing & Reheating
If you have leftovers, however unlikely that is, you can store them for 4 to 5 days in the fridge in foil or an airtight container. In the freezer, they will last for up to 6 months.
Reheating Air-Fried Bacon
The easiest way to reheat bacon is the pop it back in the air fryer at 350℉ (175℃) for 2 to 3 minutes.
📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Bacon
Ingredients
- 3 slices bacon (regular or thick-cut bacon)
- ground black pepper (optional, to taste)
Instructions
- Place your bacon slices in a single layer in your air fryer basket. I always cut my strips in half to best fit them into the air fryer.3 slices bacon
- Season with freshly ground black pepper if desired, then air fry at 350°F (175°C). Cook regular bacon for 7-9 minutes, and thick-cut bacon for 10-12 minutes or until crisped to your desired level.ground black pepper
- Transfer air fried bacon to a paper towel-lined plate and repeat for additional batches as needed. *Remember to discard bacon grease between batches, and that consecutive cooking times may be quicker than the first.
Equipment You May Need
Notes
Nutrition
Angela is an at home chef that developed a passion for all things cooking and baking at a young age in her Grandma's kitchen. After many years in the food service industry, she now enjoys sharing all of her family favorite recipes and creating tasty dinner and amazing dessert recipes here at Bake It With Love!
Dale says
Directions provided were perfect, made some crispy bacon for my eggs, thanks.
Deli says
Ya lo hice y me salió muy crujiente. I did and it came out very crispy.
Angela @ BakeItWithLove.com says
¡Me alegro de que te haya funcionado! I am glad it worked for you!