Crispy Air Fryer Bacon

updated Aug 11, 2022
Post Image
Credit: Meghan Splawn

A quick and easy recipe for crispy air fryer bacon.

Serves4

Prep3 minutes

Cook7 minutes

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Post Image
Credit: Meghan Splawn

Once you’ve air-fried the usual suspects like chicken and frozen fries, you may be in search of another way for the countertop convection oven to earn its keep. If that’s the case, say hello to air fryer bacon, which is about to become a total breakfast game-changer.

The air fryer transforms any type of bacon — from skinny strips to thick-cut slabs — into crispy perfection, and cleanup is minimal. Did I mention it’s quick, too? Most regular or thick-cut bacon will get crispy in seven to 11 minutes, and that’s total time, since there’s no preheating necessary.

Prepping and Cooking Air Fryer Bacon

Depending on the size and configuration of your air fryer basket (some are round, some are square, and some are rectangular), you may need to cut your bacon crosswise to fit more pieces. Then, place the bacon in a single layer.

The cook time will vary depending on the thickness of your bacon, but the air fryer is pretty forgiving when it comes to opening it to test for doneness. If you peek in and it’s not as crispy as you like, let it keep cooking for a few extra minutes.

Preventing the Air Fryer from Smoking

Sometimes the air fryer will get smoky when cooking bacon. To reduce the smoke, you can place a piece of bread under the basket or insert to soak up some of the grease as it drips down. Most often, I just turn on a fan or open the window.

Crispy Air Fryer Bacon

A quick and easy recipe for crispy air fryer bacon.

Prep time 3 minutes

Cook time 7 minutes

Serves 4

Nutritional Info

Ingredients

  • 6 ounces

    regular or thick-cut bacon slices

Instructions

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  1. Place the bacon in an even layer in an air fryer basket, cutting the bacon in half crosswise as needed to fit in more pieces. The bacon will shrink as it cooks, so a little bit of overlap is fine.

  2. Set the air fryer to dual heat for 7 minutes. If you can set the temperature, set to around 390°F. Line a large plate with paper towels. After the fry time is up, check the bacon and see if it is done to your liking. If you prefer it crispier, air fry for 1 to 4 minutes more. Use tongs to transfer the bacon to the plate to drain.

Recipe Notes

Storage: The cooked bacon can be refrigerated in an airtight container up to 4 days or frozen up to 3 months.

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