Air Fryer Bacon

Metal tongs holding a piece of crispy bacon

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5 from 6 votes

Crispy, delicious bacon made in your Air Fryer.

Prep Time5

Cook Time10

Total Time15

Course: Breakfast, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings:

Calories: 158kcal

Author: Julie Evink

Ingredients

16 oz thick cut bacon

Instructions

Place a layer of bacon in the air fryer basket making sure not to overlap.
Set the Air Fryer to 390 degrees.
Cook bacon for 10 minutes. Check at the 7-8 minute mark for doneness. Depending on the thickness of bacon and how crispy you like your bacon will vary the cooking time.
When time is done and bacon is cooked to desired doneness remove from the Air Fryer and place on a plate lined with paper towels to drain grease.
Repeat with remaining bacon.

Video

Notes

How many slices can you cook at one time?

This will depend on the size of your air fryer. You can cook as many as you can fit in a single layer. Avoid overlapping the strips too much otherwise they won’t cook evenly. A little overlap is okay since the bacon will shrink as it cooks.

You can make as much or as little as you like. I can cook 16 ounces in two to three batches. You can keep cooked bacon warm in the oven while you finish the rest.

Do you have to flip it while it cooks?

You don’t have to flip it while it’s cooking. Just leave it until it’s nice and crispy!

Can I use frozen bacon?

I haven’t tested frozen bacon and cannot say for sure how it will turn out. The nice thing about using unfrozen bacon is that you don’t have to do much while it cooks (except check on it). The cooking time will also vary if you use frozen.

Is there a lot of smoke while it cooks?

I have not experienced this issue, but it may depend on the kind of air fryer you are using. The smoke is caused by the excess grease that drips to the bottom of the air fryer, so placing a piece of bread underneath the basket will absorb it and can help reduce the smoke.

If you have a lot of grease after the first batch, it’s a good idea to drain it off before you cook the next batch. Don’t pour it down the sink, though. You should collect it in a jar or other safe container.

I have also lined the basket with a paper towel to soak up the grease and that helps too!

Should I cut the slices into smaller pieces to cook it?

This will depend on how big your air fryer basket is. I’m able to lay whole strips in mine, but you can cut your strips into smaller pieces to fit more in a single layer.

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