Air Fryer Bacon is by far the BEST method to make the crispiest and tastiest bacon ever. It’s also easy and mess-free!
Make sure to add this delicious bacon to a hearty croissant egg sandwich or combine it with air fryer asparagus and toss it into a rich quiche Lorraine.
The crispiest bacon made in an air fryer
I wish I knew how amazing bacon can taste in an air fryer. I mean bacon in the oven is cool and all but you have to deal with the fat pooling on the bottom of the baking sheet. An even if you use a wire rack to prevent that from happening, now you have to clean it after. Well, good news, air fryers are super easy to clean and cook your bacon faster than any oven will.
Is bacon healthier in an air fryer?
Well, bacon is bacon no matter what you do to it. But an air fryer helps reduce the amount of fat since a lot of the bacon drippings get left at the bottom of the air fryer. This makes the bacon perfectly crispy and downright delicious! An air fryer is the “healthiest” way of cooking bacon.
How to cook bacon in the air fryer
- lay the bacon flat on the basket of your air fryer. I like to use my oven air fryer since I can line the bottom tray with foil for easy cleanup. Make sure not to overlap the bacon.
- Cook the bacon at 390 degrees F for about 10 minutes, flipping halfway through. If you’re using the basket kind, cook it at 360 degrees F for 6 minutes. Then flip and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
Can I use foil in an air fryer?
If you have the oven type, I recommend lining only the bottom pan with foil for easy cleanup. Do not line the wire basket with foil or the bottom of a basket air fryer with foil. The foil covers up the wholes which will prevent the air from circulating and cooking the food properly.
How to make it extra crispy
- Use thinner slices– I always go for the classic cut since its crisps up better than the thick cut.
- Don’t overcrowd– just like my air fryer steak bites, asparagus, and air fryer Brussels sprouts, you want to avoid overcrowding. Having space around each piece of food will allow enough air to circulate around and cook the food to a fried crisp.
Can I use thick-cut bacon instead?
Yes, you can use a thicker cut of bacon but you will need to cook the meat longer in order for it to give that desired crispy texture.
How to keep the air fryer from smoking up from the grease drippings?
If your air fryer starts smoking up while the meat cooks, lay some paper towels on the bottom of the drip tray to absorb some of that sitting grease.
What to make with leftover bacon?
Bacon is practically a necessity in our home when it comes to breakfast. We always have leftovers so we make sure to sue it up in our frittatas, quiche Loraine, omelets, or even add it into our croissant breakfast sandwich. We also love to add it to our favorite breakfast burritos recipe (VIDEO).
How to reheat the bacon
Place the cooked bacon back into the air fryer and cook for about 4 minutes at 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
More Air fryer recipes to try!
- Air fryer pork chops
- Easy shrimp
- Air fryer zucchini fries
- Crispy french fries
- Air fryer Bacon
- Steak bites
- air fryer asparagus, Brussels sprouts, and broccoli
- Breaded Air fryer chicken tenders
- Air fryer chicken thighs
- Perfect Air fryer salmon
- Air fryer baked potato
Full Recipe Instructions

Crispy Air Fryer Bacon
Ingredients
- 10 strips of bacon
Instructions
- Place the bacon on the bottom of your air fryer basket. Make sure not to overcrowd them stripes of bacon.
For oven air fryer
- Preheat your oven air fryer to 390 degrees Fahrenheit and air fry for about 6 minutes then flip the bacon over and cook for 5 more minutes. Or until the bacon reaches your desired crispiness.
For basket air fryer
- Preheat your basket air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit and air fry for about 5 minutes then flip the bacon over and cook for 5 more minutes. Or until the bacon reaches your desired crispiness.
Notes
Nutrition
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Jen says
if you add a little water on the tray below the bacon basket, it will mix with the grease and not allow it to smoke up (by it cooking the grease on the tray). Its a great easy trick.
Thanks for the great recipes!
simplyhomecooked says
Thank you for the tip, Jen! I really appreciate that! Glad you enjoyed the recipe 🙂