Air Fryer bacon is so easy to make and comes out perfectly crisp every time!
All of the flavor without the greasy splatter of frying bacon and clean-up is a total breeze. Perfect for serving for breakfast, or adding to salads, or casseroles! Bacon is the best.
10 Minute Air Fryer Bacon
- One of the best things to cook in the air fryer is bacon. It comes out perfect every time and it takes only a few minutes to make it!
- Bacon in the air fryer always turns out extra crispy and delicious and has no grease splatter.
- Freeze cooked bacon in strips or crumbled and have it ready to add to all kinds of salads, casseroles, or soups.
Ingredients and Variations
BACON: Canadian bacon, back bacon, turkey or pork bacon, fresh or frozen, pre-cooked, thick or thin. There are so many kinds of bacon to choose from. The air fryer will cook them all to perfection. Just remember to cook precooked and thinly sliced bacon for a little less time.
VARIATIONS: Make sweet bacon by drizzling it with maple syrup or brown sugar glaze.
How to Cook Bacon in the Air Fryer
Bacon in the air fryer is the easiest method of all! This works in a basket-type air fryer or a Vortex oven-style air fryer as well.
- Place bacon in a single layer in the basket (or in single layers on the racks if using a Vortex oven style).
- Cook bacon for 4 minutes. Flip bacon over (and if using a Vortex oven, switch the racks).
- Cook 4 minutes more or until crisp (as per the recipe below).
Tips for the Perfect Bacon
- For crisper bacon cook it longer.
- Thicker bacon will need about 2 minutes longer, if it’s soft then add an extra couple of minutes.
- If you are cooking pre-cooked bacon, it will need about 3 minutes as it’s quite thin and already cooked.
- When cooking bacon in the air fryer, it drips a bit of fat in the bottom. The drippings can sometimes smoke a little bit, especially if you are cooking more than one batch. Here are some ways to keep the air fryer from becoming extra hot and smoky.
- For a basket style air fryer, place a piece of bread under the basket. It will soak up the grease.
- Or add a little bit of water to the bottom of the air fryer.
- For an oven style air fryer, move the racks to the middle, this will keep grease from splattering on the element.
Recipes For All That Bacon!
Perfect Air Fryer Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ pound bacon
- water optional
Instructions
- Preheat an air fryer to 390°F.
- Once preheated, pour a small amount of water into the bottom of the air fryer.
- Lay bacon in a single layer in the basket.
- Cook for 4 minutes and flip. Cook for another 3-4 minutes or until bacon reaches desired crispness.
Notes
- Air Fryers can vary so make sure you check the bacon early so it doesn’t burn.
- If you like bacon crisper, cook it longer. If you prefer it softer, take it out early.
- Thicker bacon will need about 2 minutes longer.
- Precooked bacon will need about 3 minutes as it’s quite thin and already cooked.
- To keep the air fryer from smoking place a piece of bread under the basket. It will soak up the grease or add a little bit of water to the bottom of the air fryer.
- For an oven style air fryer, move the racks to the middle, this will keep grease from splattering on the element.
- Leftovers will keep in the freezer for up to 4 months.
Nutrition Information
Nutrition information provided is an estimate and will vary based on cooking methods and brands of ingredients used.
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With the cost of bacon Skyrocketing, we bought a package of “ends & pieces.” My husband cooked some in the basket of our New Instant Vortex — perfection! He likes his almost still oinking, but I like super crispy. He cooked the bacon as he likes it, then I can pop a few pieces in the microwave for 2 minutes. We both get the bacon we love!!! :0)
Sounds perfect Margaret!
How to keep bacon from curling up in my vortex 3 quart air fryer
Hi Linda, if it’s curling because the bacon slices are too long for your air fryer you could try cutting them in half or to size to prevent them from curling up.
I bought a larger InstaVortex and although I cut my bacon in half it still curls up. Any suggestions?
Sorry to hear that, Sheila. We haven’t had that issue, but maybe another reader can offer some insight.
In my experience, some bacon curls due to a line of fat along the side of the strip. But it depends on the batch you get in the package. You can either cut it away, leaving meat on the outside or cut incisions along the length. Or just let it be. Cooks great regardless of shape.
these recipes do not work on my airfryer only have i level to cook on
You can still cook most items, it will just take longer. Bacon can be cooked in any air fryer!
I did mine for the first time on 400 degrees for 10 minutes on the middle rack. Perfect bacon!
Nice & crispy, exactly to my taste. I covered the tray with foil and easy-breezy cleanup.
My bacon turned out great. Crisp but not hard. The clean up was very easy.
Mine smoked up the whole house!
It can, especially with really fatty bacon. It pops up and smokes on the fan. Move the rack down lower to the middle or even the bottom.
Put a bit of water into the drip pan and it will help with this
Your picture shows the rack, not the basket…which one did you use?
You can cook bacon in any air fryer. Before I had the Vortex I had a Bella and it still made great bacon. For the Vortex I use a rack.
PERFECTION! Best bacon I’ve ever cooked and clean up is so EASY.
Glad you like it! Air Fryer bacon is the only way I cook it now!
This is so much easier and I don’t get splattered with greace. I added a little water per Amanda’s suggestion. Aluminum foil work’s great and easy to clean up.
Are you putting foil on the pan the bacon cooks on, or the bottom catch pan with water in it?
No I just use the drip pan. Discard (or keep!!!) the bacon grease. Rinse after use and throw in the dishwasher. Easy clean-up!