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How to cook bacon in the Air Fryer! This is the best way to make perfectly crispy bacon – so easy and less mess than on the stove or in the oven.
You might wonder, can you cook bacon in the Air Fryer?! YES, you can, and you definitely should because Air Fryer Bacon is a game-changer! All the excess fat drips into the bottom of the pan, and the bacon is perfectly crispy all-around and just a bit chewy on the inside – the PERFECT bacon.
My family loves bacon, we usually make it on the stove, but since we got the Air Fryer, we use it all the time to fry bacon. It’s just so much easier and less messy! Even kids can do it because there are no hot pans or splattering oil.
Let me show you how easy it is! And if you’re looking for more Air Fryer recipes to try, check out our reader favorite, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, or my personal favorites, Air Fryer Donuts and Air Fryer Churros.
How to cook Bacon in the Air Fryer
I tried different temperatures from high to low, and the result was that the bacon had the best texture and crispiness after it was cooked at a lower temperature.
- Put a piece of bread in the pan of the air fryer that catches the grease to prevent smoking.
- Put bacon in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket.
- Cook bacon for 9 minutes. Check bacon for crispiness, and cook for 1-2 minutes more if needed.
- Transfer bacon to a kitchen paper-lined plate. Empty the grease before making another batch.
Tips and Tricks
- Sometimes fat splatters onto the heating coils of the Air Fryer and produces a bit of smoke. This is not a problem, but to prevent the Air Fryer from smoking, you can use a piece of bread (end pieces are great for this) or a little bit of water into the bottom of the Air Fryer.
- For best results, put bacon in a single layer in the basket. It’s ok if it overlaps slightly and if the ends go up the sides because the bacon will shrink.
- Depending on your Air Fryer, you can make a whole package of bacon in two or three batches. For larger amounts, I recommend making it in the oven, even though I prefer it from the Air Fryer.
- Depending on your Air Fryer model and if it is preheated, cooking time might be longer or shorter. I recommend having an eye on the bacon the first time you make it, to figure out the exact timing.
- The temperature works for any bacon – e.g., turkey bacon. Start with the time the recipe calls for and add a few more minutes as needed.
How to store cooked bacon
Making bacon in the Air Fryer is fast and easy, but if you want it even faster, cook it in advance and store it in the fridge or freezer. The bacon might not be as crispy but is perfect to use in scrambled eggs, as a topping, or on salads.
Fridge: Let cool to room temperature, then put in a ziplock bag and refrigerate for up to a week. Perfect for a quick breakfast sandwich, meal prep, or to crumble over salad!
Freezer: Let bacon cool to room temperature, then place slices on a wax paper-lined baking sheet and freeze for 2-3 hours. Transfer slices to a ziplock bag and freeze for up to 3 months. Thaw in the fridge or microwave for a few seconds.
Air Fryer Bacon
Instructions
- Preheat Air Fryer to 360 F.
- Put a piece of bread or a little bit of water in the pan of the air fryer that catches the grease (not the basket) to prevent smoking.
- Put bacon in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket. Depending on your Air Fryer, you can make about 4 slices at a time. It’s ok if the bacon goes up the sides of the basket because it will shrink.
- Cook at 360 degrees F for 9 minutes. Check bacon for crispiness, and cook for 1-2 minutes more if needed. If you didn’t preheat, the cooking time will be 1-2 minutes longer.
- Empty the grease before making another batch.
