How to Cook Bacon in the Air Fryer

The air fryer is a quick and easy way to make crisp bacon that can be used in so many ways. It only takes 6 minutes and just might become your new favorite way to make it!

Bacon is perhaps the perfect food. It has that ideal balance of crispy and salty, with just enough fat to make it completely irresistible. It transforms a plate of fluffy scrambled eggs into a hearty American breakfast, and adds incredible flavor to a classic BLT sandwich. You can even crumble it up and sprinkle it on salads.

And yet, I'm often too busy to wait for my oven to preheat. And I'm not a fan of standing in front of the stove to cook up some bacon. Which is where the air fryer comes in. I'm telling you, it will revolutionize your bacon game! When you cook bacon in the air fryer the edges are crisp and brittle, snapping easily with each bite, while the center retains a slight tenderness. So good.

Why You'll Love Air Fryer Bacon

• Quick & easy. Just heat your air fryer, add some bacon, and cook for 6 minutes. That's it!
• No grease or smoke. No need to fuss with hot grease or smoke filling up your kitchen. 
• Crispy and flavorful. The air fryer gives a more consistent cook to bacon, ensuring that it’s evenly cooked and crispy all over. Add in the simplicity of cleaning the air fryer basket, and cooking bacon in an air fryer becomes a no-brainer. 

You Only Need One Ingredient

As you're about to see, there aren't very many ingredients in air fryer bacon. Here they are:

• Bacon

That's it! But there are a lot of different types of bacon you can use. In addition to traditional bacon, you can cook thin-slice and thick-cut bacon in the air fryer. You can also cook beef bacon, turkey bacon, meatless bacon, or any other kind of bacon that you like! It will all work in the air fryer.

How to Make Air Fryer Bacon

This is an incredibly easy way to make bacon. Here’s how to do it.

• Preheat. Set the air fryer to 350F and let it come to temperature. 
• Place the bacon in the basket. Lay slices of bacon in the basket without any overlap.

• Cook. Cook the bacon for 6 minutes, or until it’s crispy all over (or however you like your bacon). Flip the bacon halfway through the cooking. 
• Remove. Take the bacon out of the basket and place it on a paper towel-lined plate. 

Tips for Success

• Give it space. When you put it in the basket, make sure to leave a decent amount of space between each slice of bacon. This ensures that each piece can get sufficiently crispy, and cook evenly. If you can’t fit all your bacon in the basket without a few pieces overlapping, just cook the bacon in a few batches.
• Keep the bacon warm. If you’re making multiple batches of bacon, keep it warm in the oven. Set your oven to the lowest temperature, and place the bacon on an oven-safe plate or dish on the middle rack. The bacon won’t dry out, but it will stay warm until you’re ready to eat it. 
• Adjust based on size. Different bacon comes in different sizes. It takes 6 minutes to cook standard bacon to a crispy state. If your bacon is extra thick, you’ll need to cook it a few more minutes. If it’s especially thin, start with 4 minutes. 

Ways to use Bacon

You can use this bacon the same way you would use any other kind of bacon. Put it next to your eggs for breakfast, stick it in a Bloody Mary, throw it in a sandwich, or stuff it into a breakfast burrito. Or you can eat it my favorite way: by itself, as a snack!