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    Hungry Healthy Happy » Recipes » Air Fryer

    Air Fryer Bacon

    Published: Feb 3, 2022 · Modified: Feb 27, 2023 · Written by Dannii Martin · This post may contain affiliate links · 13 Comments

    32 shares
    Diet: Gluten Free / Low Carb
    Jump to Recipe
    Air fryer bacon with a text title overlay.

    Air Fryer Bacon is so quick and easy to make and it is healthier too because you don't need lots of oil to fry it in. No oil splatter to clean up either and you get perfectly cooked bacon every time. You can use your favourite bacon for this hands-off cooking method and bacon in air fryer takes just 8 minutes.

    A plate of cooked bacon next to a striped towel.

    If you have wondered "can you cook bacon in an air fryer", then the answer is yes! Perfectly crispy bacon, all done in the air fryer. If your family loves bacon for breakfast, then making bacon in the air fryer is going to make your life so much easier!

    No standing over the frying pan, minimal clean up and you can use any bacon.

    If you are looking for other ways to use your air fryer, then why not try our Air Fryer Toast, Air Fryer Cheesy Crumpets, Air Fryer Sausages, Air Fryer Broccoli or The BEST Air Fryer Chips?

    Jump to:
    • Why you will love it
    • Ingredients needed
    • How to cook bacon in an air fryer - Step by step
    • Why use an air fryer?
    • Variations
    • What to serve with air fryer bacon
    • Storage
    • Frequently Asked Questions
    • Extra tips
    • More bacon recipes
    • Recipe
    • Feedback

    Why you will love it

    • Healthier - Unlike frying, you don't need to use loads of oil to cook bacon in the air fryer. This recipe is a much lighter option.
    • Quick - This bacon is ready in just 8 minutes, which is the same time as frying it, but much quicker than cooking it in the oven.
    • Easy - You don't have to stand over the pan to, turning them every couple of minutes to stop them burning. To air fry bacon, you just turn them once and you have perfectly cooked bacon.
    • Minimal clean up - No oily pan and oil splattered walls to clean up. Just the air fryer and that's super easy.

    Ingredients needed

    A plate of uncooked streaky bacon.
    • Bacon - We used streaky smoked pork bacon for this, however that is just our preference. If you use different bacon, then you may need to adjust how many slices you cook at a time, depending on the size of your air fryer. Bacon medallions work and are lighter. Keep it lean by using turkey bacon.
    • Spray oil - This is to stop the bacon sticking to the air fryer.

    A full ingredients list with measurements is in the recipe card below.

    How to cook bacon in an air fryer - Step by step

    One: Spray the inside of the air fryer basket and place the bacon in a single layer. You may need to cut the bacon rashers to make it fit. Set your air fryer to cook at 180°C for 8 minutes.

    An oiled air fryer basket with rashers of uncooked bacon in it.

    Two: After 4 minutes, open the air fryer and turn the bacon.

    Part cooked bacon in an air fryer basket.

    Three: Cook for the remaining 4 minutes.

    Cooked bacon in an air fryer basket.

    Why use an air fryer?

    Our air fryer is one of our favourite kitchen appliances, because it cooks our favourite meals quicker and healthier. They work by cooking food by rapidly circulating hot air around. It gives (most foods) a crispy texture with much less oil than frying or roasting. By cooking this way, the air circulation cooks food evenly and nothing sticks. See below in the FAQs for our recommendation of which air fryer is the best.

    • Air fryers are a healthier way to cook food. You can get crispy food, like chips (fries), sausages and roast chicken with much less oil than frying or baking.
    • They are quick and easy to turn on and they heat up quickly, so you don't have to wait for an oven to heat up.
    • Air fryers usually cook food in less time than it would take to roast it. This bacon would take around 20 minutes in the oven, but it cooks in the air fryer in just 8 minutes. You can fry it in the same amount of time, but there is more chance of burning it and you have to use more oil.
    • They might take up a fair amount of space on your countertop, but they are so versatile that you will use them over and over again. They are very easy to clean too.
    • There is nothing worse than using your oven on a hot day, and heating up the whole kitchen. Using the air fryer stops this from happening.
    • Using an air fryer means more space in the oven. This is especially important if you’re cooking a big meal like Christmas dinner and need your oven space for the meat and potatoes.
    A plate of bacon next to buttered bread, lettuce and sliced tomatoes.

    Variations

    The only ingredient is the bacon, so there isn't much that you can change up. However, you can cook any bacon you want to in the air fryer, band you can cook it to varying degrees of crispiness. Here is our time guide for bacon:

    Cooked bacon: 7 minutes

    Crispy: 8 minutes

    Very crispy: 9-10 minutes

    What to serve with air fryer bacon

    Bacon and eggs are the perfect match. Why not try our Microwave Fried Eggs, Microwave Scrambled Eggs, Microwave Poached Eggs or Oven Baked Eggs?

    Some kind of bread is a must goes well with bacon! We love serving this with our Homemade Easy Bagels. Or if you want to try making your own loaf of bread, then why not try our Easy White Loaf Recipe?

    You could also fold it up in our Homemade Flatbreads with some beans, eggs, salsa and guacamole for a breakfast wrap/burrito.

    Try it on top of our Air Fryer Crumpets. We are a big fan of a classic BLT sandwich though!

    If you are looking for some recipes that use bacon, then why not try our Easy Bacon Pasta, Chopped Blue Cheese Salad or Butterbean Soup?

    A BLT sandwich on a blue plate.

    Storage

    Store: You can store cooked air fryer bacon in an air tight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Freeze: Once it is fully cooled, you can wrap them up in paper towel and put them in a freezer bag and they will keep for up to a month.

    Defrost: Defrost in the fridge overnight.

    Reheat: You can reheat them in the air fryer too. Put them in at 180°C for about 2 minutes until they are heated through.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    What is the best air fryer to use?

    We can't rate highly enough the Power Air Fryer XL. The 5 litre capacity is big enough for cooking for the whole family and it can fry, grill, bake, sauté, roast and steam. There are simple touch screen controls and it heats up quickly and can cook your food up to 70% faster than a conventional oven. Also, it's dishwasher safe.

    Do I need to preheat the air fryer?

    No, there is no need to preheat the air fryer for this recipe. If you want super crispy bacon, then you could preheat it for 5 minutes first.

    Can you put raw bacon in the air fryer?

    It is safe to cook raw bacon in the air fryer, but you need to make sure that you use the proper temperature and that your air fryer is clean before you begin. 

    Can I use turkey bacon?

    Yes, you can use turkey bacon with no changes needed.

    How do I know when the bacon is cooked?

    This will depend on how you like your bacon cooked. We have given a guide above for how long to cook bacon for depending on how you like it.

    Why is my air fryer smoking?

    If you have problems with your air fryer smoking when cooking bacon, then the temperature is too high. You want to cook it at 180C/350F. Also make sure that there is no leftover grease in the air fryer before cooking the bacon.

    heart icon

    Extra tips

    • This recipe is based on the air fryer we have used and mentioned above. Using a different air fryer may mean that cooking times vary. It is best to check the bacon after after 4 minutes.
    • We cut our bacon slices in half to be able to fit them and cooked it in batches. You could curl/fold them up a little, but make sure they are in single layers and not overlapping.
    • Turn the bacon half way through. This makes sure that it doesn't get stuck to the basket and they are cooked evenly.
    • You don't have to add any oil to the air fryer, but we do find that it stops the bacon from sticking. This is important if you are using very lean bacon.
    • Make sure the bacon is in a single layer in the air fryer.
    • Transfer the bacon on to paper towel after cooking to blot off any excess oil.
    • Empty out any grease from your air fryer before cooking another batch.
    • Thick cut bacon will take longer to cook.

    More bacon recipes

    • Easy Bacon Pasta in a ping bowl topped with Parmesan and chopped basil.
      Easy Bacon Pasta
    • Hunter's Chicken in a baking dish.
      Easy Hunter's Chicken
    • A stack of three breakfast wraps next to a bowl of berries, a cup of coffee and a glass of orange juice
      Breakfast Wrap
    • A plate of healthy carbonara next to a bowl of salad.
      Healthy Carbonara

    Now you know how to cook bacon in air fryer, let us know how you got on in the comments below.
    Tag us in your creations on Instagram @hungryhealthyhappy - Use the hashtag #hungryhealthyhappy too.

    Recipe

    Air Fryer bacon on a blue plate.

    Air Fryer Bacon

    By: Dannii Martin
    Air Fryer Bacon is so quick and easy to make and it is healthier too because you don't need lots of oil. And it takes just 8 minutes!
    A circular logo saying GF.
    Gluten Free
    The words low carb in a white circle.
    Low Carb
    5 from 15 votes
    Pin Print Save recipe Recipe saved!
    Course: Breakfast, Lunch
    Cuisine: British
    Prep: 1 minute min
    Cook: 8 minutes mins
    Total: 9 minutes mins
    Servings: 2 servings
    Calories: 287kcal
    Allergens:
    An illustration of a cow's head.
    Meat
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 10 sprays Spray oil
    • 6 rasher Streaky bacon

    Instructions

    • Spray the inside of the air fryer basket and place the bacon in a single layer. You may need to cut the bacon rashers to make it fit.
    • Set your air fryer to cook at 180°C for 8 minutes.
    • After 4 minutes, open the air fryer and turn the bacon. Cook for the remaining 4 minutes.

    Recipe tips

    • This recipe is based on the air fryer we have used and mentioned above. Using a different air fryer may mean that cooking times vary. It is best to check the bacon after after 4 minutes.
    • We cut our bacon slices in half to be able to fit them and cooked it in batches. You could curl/fold them up a little, but make sure they are in single layers and not overlapping.
    • Turn the bacon half way through. This makes sure that it doesn't get stuck to the basket and they are cooked evenly.
    • You don't have to add any oil to the air fryer, but we do find that it stops the bacon from sticking. This is important if you are using very lean bacon.
    • Make sure the bacon is in a single layer in the air fryer.
    • Transfer the bacon on to paper towel after cooking to blot off any excess oil.
    • Empty out any grease from your air fryer before cooking another batch.
    • Thick cut bacon will take longer to cook.

    Nutritional Information

    Serving: 1portion | Calories: 287kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 26g | Saturated Fat: 9g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 44mg | Sodium: 437mg | Potassium: 131mg | Vitamin A: 24IU | Calcium: 3mg | Iron: 1mg

    The nutritional information provided is approximate and is calculated using online tools. Information can vary depending on various factors, but we have endeavoured to be as accurate as possible.

     

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Iryna Bychkiv

      February 11, 2022 at 7:19 pm

      5 stars
      This bacon looks perfectly crispy. I bet it's yummy when crumbled in a salad or pizza.

      Reply
    2. Anjali

      February 11, 2022 at 5:38 pm

      5 stars
      I had no idea it was so easy to make bacon in the air fryer!! It was so much easier than the oven and turned out perfectly crispy!

      Reply
    3. Hailey

      February 11, 2022 at 5:26 pm

      5 stars
      Brilliant! I love oven bacon, but this takes less time and is just as crispy. Thanks for sharing.

      Reply
    4. Jess

      February 11, 2022 at 5:22 pm

      5 stars
      This is life-changing!! Way better than any other method of cooking bacon.

      Reply
    5. Cara

      February 11, 2022 at 5:02 pm

      5 stars
      I'll never go back to cooking bacon any other way! Thanks so much for this insight!

      Reply
    6. Emily

      February 10, 2022 at 5:38 pm

      Bacon in 8 minutes!? I received an air fryer for Christmas and know this recipe will become a regular in our house!

      Reply
    7. Eliza

      February 10, 2022 at 5:15 pm

      5 stars
      Bacon cooked in the air fryer is such a great idea! I love that it's a bit healthier than regular fried bacon, and appreciate your recipe suggestions, too. Another winner from Hungry Healthy Happy!

      Reply
    8. Hayley Dhanecha

      February 10, 2022 at 5:12 pm

      5 stars
      What a great recipe. Absolutely loving my air fryer, a very handy machine in my kitchen.

      Reply
    9. Jacqueline Meldrum

      February 10, 2022 at 4:46 pm

      5 stars
      I recently got an air fryer too and I have to say I am loving it. Super handy in the kitchen.

      Reply
    10. Carrie Robinson

      February 10, 2022 at 3:45 pm

      5 stars
      I had never thought to make bacon in my air fryer before! Totally going to try this soon. :)

      Reply
    11. Michelle

      February 10, 2022 at 3:37 pm

      5 stars
      I had to try this and it turned out great! So crisp and perfect!

      Reply
    12. Ieva

      February 10, 2022 at 3:28 pm

      5 stars
      Great tips! I am a novice at cooking in an air-fryer as only had one since last Christmas, but this turned out great. Very crispy and ridiculously quick to make!

      Reply
    13. Shadi Hasanzadenemati

      February 10, 2022 at 3:28 pm

      5 stars
      This was amazing and such a treat! Thank you!

      Reply

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