Air Fryer Bacon | Kathleen's Cravings (2024)

Published: · Modified: by Kathleen Hansen · This post may contain affiliate links · 2 Comments

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Did you know that you can cook bacon in an air fryer? Air Fryer bacon is so easy, hands off, and no splatter mess! Worried about smoke? I include a tip so you can cook bacon without any smoking issues. It takes 10 minutes or less to cook some easy, crispy bacon.

Air Fryer Bacon | Kathleen's Cravings (1)

How to Make Air Fryer Bacon

Cooking bacon in the air fryer only takes ___ minutes. No messy splatter like when you cook it on the stove and the bacon is the perfect balance of crispy and chewy.

  • Air Fryer Bacon | Kathleen's Cravings (2)
  • Air Fryer Bacon | Kathleen's Cravings (3)

Recipe Tips and FAQs!

What is an Air Fryer?

An air fryer is essentially a compact countertop convection oven. A fan circulates the hot air at a quick speed which creates a crispy layer on foods without needing to fry in oil.

Can bacon be cooked in the oven instead of the air fryer?

Yes! I have a post with instructions on how to make bacon in the oven. This is my preferred method if I need to make a very large batch. For smaller batches, the air fryer is perfect.

Air Fryer Bacon | Kathleen's Cravings (4)

How do you keep bacon from smoking in an air fryer?

The beauty of the air fryer is that you don't need to use a lot of fat to cook foods. But cooking high fat foods, such as bacon or even beef, can lead to smoking as the excess fat is circulated and heated in the air fryer?

What's the solution to the smoking? A little bit of water! By adding just a couple tablespoons of water to the bottom of your air fryer basket, it helps dilute the excess fat and limits any smoking.

Of course, like cooking many things, it's still best to stay in the kitchen while your air frying the bacon to make sure no smoking issues happen.

Air Fryer Bacon | Kathleen's Cravings (5)

How long do the leftovers last?

Leftover bacon can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for 4 days. You can reheat in the microwave or in the air fryer to restore crispiness.

Does bacon splatter in an air fryer?

The beauty of cooking bacon in an air fryer or in the oven vs on the stove is that all splatter is contained vs getting all over you and your kitchen. Less mess to clean up!

Can you line the air fryer with aluminum foil?

If you want easier cleanup, you certainly can line your air fryer basket aluminum foil and then place your bacon.

Be aware that the bacon fat will not drain off the bacon and the foil will limit the hot air circulation so it may not get as crispy. I've done it both ways - with and without foil - and both are tasty.

Air Fryer Bacon | Kathleen's Cravings (6)

What type of bacon should be used?

Your favorite choice of regular, pork bacon. You can use standard, thick cut, applewood smoked, your favorite! Depending on thickness, the cook time may vary by a minute or two.

Is cooking bacon in the air fryer healthier?

Nope. There is no nutritional difference between cooking bacon in the air fryer, oven, or skillet.

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Recipe

Air Fryer Bacon

Air Fryer Bacon | Kathleen's Cravings (7)

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★★★★★5 from 1 reviews

Did you know that you can cook bacon in an air fryer? Air Fryer bacon is so easy, hands off, and no splatter mess! Worried about smoke? I include a tip so you can cook bacon without any smoking issues. It takes 10 minutes or less to cook some easy, crispy bacon.

  • Author: Kathleen
  • Prep Time: 5 minutes
  • Cook Time: 10 minutes
  • Total Time: 15 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings
  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Air Fryer
  • Cuisine: American

Ingredients

  • 12oz Bacon slices

Instructions

  1. Arrange Bacon in Air Fryer.Lay the bacon slices in the air fryer. It's okay if they overlap slightly as the bacon will shrink as it cooks. But you don't want to fully stack the bacon on top of each other. I recommend doing multiple batches, if needed. Optional: if you prefer, you can line the air fryer basket with foil for easier cleanup. This will limit the hot air circulation and won't allow the fat to drain off.
  2. Add Water to Basket.Cooking higher fat foods, like bacon, in the air fryer can cause smoking. I like to add a little water - about 2-3 tablespoons to the bottom of the air fryer basket. This will reduce any smoke issues.
  3. Air Fry.Air fry the bacon at 400 degrees F for 8-10 minutes, depending on bacon thickness and air fryer. I recommend flipping or moving the slices around about halfway through so they cook evenly. Drain cooked bacon on paper towels to absorb excess grease.
  4. Repeat.Repeat with remaining bacon. I recommend cleaning the excess grease out of the basket in between batches.
  5. Enjoy!

Notes

The bacon amount is really up to you! You can cook just 2 or 3 slices or make multiple batches.

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 3 slices bacon
  • Calories: 162
  • Sugar: 0 g
  • Sodium: 581 mg
  • Fat: 12.1 g
  • Carbohydrates: 0.6 g
  • Fiber: 0 g
  • Protein: 11.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 34.2 mg

Keywords: Air Fryer Bacon, Cooking Bacon in the Air Fryer, Easy Bacon, Crispy Air Fryer Bacon

Air Fryer Bacon | Kathleen's Cravings (2024)

FAQs

Is it healthier to air fry bacon? ›

Unlike stovetop or oven-cooked bacon, the air fryer allows the bacon grease to drip into the pan, leaving you with crispier, healthier bacon.

Does air frying bacon reduce calories? ›

Using an air fryer — which requires about a tablespoon of oil — may cut calories that you'd normally get from deep frying foods by up to 80%.

Is bacon too greasy for air fryer? ›

And since bacon is already fatty, it doesn't benefit from one of the air fryer's main selling points, which is cooking with less oil. There are plenty of other options for cooking crispy, delicious bacon. Your stovetop, microwave, oven, and even the grill are all better choices.

How many carbs are in air fryer bacon? ›

Nutrition Facts (per serving)
67Calories
5gFat
0gCarbs
5gProtein
Mar 9, 2023

Is there a downside to air fryers? ›

Cons of Air Fryer

These include stews, rice and pasta, batter and more. This means that Air Fryers are not completely versatile and cannot cook as many things as a traditional oven. If you're feeding a large family, you may find that the Air Fryer's capacity just won't do.

Is air fryer worth it for weight loss? ›

Using air fryers can promote weight loss

A higher intake of fried foods has direct links with higher obesity risk. This is because deep fried foods tend to be high in fat and calories. Switching from deep-fried foods to air-fried foods and reducing regular intake of unhealthful oils can promote weight loss.

Should I use foil in an air fryer for bacon? ›

Place bacon in air fryer

If you're using an oven-style air fryer, you'll want to put the bacon on an air-fry basket (basically a mesh rack) with either a solid pan or a piece of aluminum foil folded up on the edges underneath to catch any bacon grease drippings.

How long should bacon go in the air fryer? ›

The size of the air fryer basket will determine how many rashers you can cook at one time. Set the air fryer to 200C and cook streaky bacon rashers for 6-10 mins – just-cooked bacon will take 6 mins, but crispier bacon will take 9-10 mins.

Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer? ›

Foil is safe to use in an air fryer so long as you follow three basic rules: never let foil touch the heating element; make sure the foil is weighted so it doesn't blow around the basket; and avoid contact with acidic ingredients, which can cause the foil to leach onto your food.

Is it better to cook bacon in the oven or air fryer? ›

Air fryer bacon is so crispy, and the grate in the air fryer allows some of the bacon fat to drip off as it cooks. This method is also a littler faster than baking bacon in the oven. The only downside to this method is unless you have a giant air fryer, you can't cook more than a few servings at once.

How many calories are in 2 eggs? ›

Calories in Eggs. Eggs aren't just delicious, they're also incredibly nutritious. Whether you prefer boiled, scrambled, or poached, eggs are a great source of high quality protein. At just 74 calories per egg (310 kJ), they are one of the healthiest foods you can eat.

How many net carbs are in 4 slices of bacon? ›

Silver Mine Subs Meats Bacon 4 Strips (large . 5 Meat) (1 serving) contains 0g total carbs, 0g net carbs, 11g fat, 9g protein, and 130 calories.

What is the healthiest way to cook bacon? ›

How you cook bacon influences how healthy it is in the long run. The healthiest way to cook bacon is to cook it until crispy (but not burned), which allows the most fat to melt off. Then, drain it on a paper towel or brown paper bag to remove even more fat before eating.

What is the healthiest way to fry bacon? ›

Dry frying is a healthier method of frying where only the melted fat from the meat is used. Place streaky or back rashers in a cold non-stick frying pan and cook over a low heat to start with, once some fat starts to run out, increase the heat and cook for 1–2 minutes on each side.

Is an air fryer healthier than frying? ›

Are Air-Fried Foods Better for You? By most measures, air frying is healthier than frying in oil. It cuts calories by 70% to 80% and has a lot less fat. This cooking method might also cut down on some of the other harmful effects of oil frying.

Is it healthier to fry or air fry? ›

In terms of health, air frying generally offers advantages over traditional frying. It allows you to enjoy crispy textures with reduced oil and calorie intake, potentially minimising health risks associated with excessive consumption of fried foods.

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