How to Air Fry Bacon
Air frying bacon gets you an even, crisp result without standing over a spitting skillet, but crowding the basket or skipping the preheat leaves strips pale and floppy in the middle.
Steps
- 1Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3-4 minutes.
- 2Lay bacon strips in a single layer in the basket, overlapping as little as possible.
- 3Cook for 8 minutes for thin-cut bacon or 10-12 minutes for thick-cut, checking at the halfway point.
- 4Flip the strips with tongs halfway through cooking for even browning.
- 5Check doneness in the last 2 minutes since bacon can go from perfect to burnt quickly once it's rendered most of its fat.
- 6Transfer cooked strips to a paper-towel-lined plate to drain excess grease.
- 7Pour off the fat from the basket drawer between batches so it doesn't smoke on the next round.
Common mistakes
- Stacking or overlapping strips: this steams the bacon in spots instead of crisping it, leaving pale, chewy patches.
- Skipping the preheat: bacon dropped into a cold air fryer renders slower and cooks unevenly.
- Not draining the fat drawer between batches: leftover grease starts smoking and can trigger the air fryer's smoke alarm or leave food tasting burnt.
- Walking away in the last few minutes: bacon fat has mostly rendered out by then, and the sugar in cured bacon can burn fast.
Equipment
- Air fryer
- Tongs
- Paper towels
- Plate
FAQ
Do I need to flip bacon in the air fryer?
Flipping halfway through gives more even color, but thin strips in a single layer often crisp fine without it since hot air circulates around them.
How do I keep bacon from curling up too much?
Cut strips in half before cooking, or use a flat rack accessory if the air fryer basket has one, to reduce the surface tension that causes curling.
Can I cook bacon and other food in the air fryer at the same time?
Not in the same basket layer, since rendered bacon fat will drip onto and flavor whatever else is cooking. Cook bacon first, then reuse the still-warm basket for other food.
Why does my air fryer smoke when cooking bacon?
Fat pooling in the bottom drawer starts to smoke once it hits around 400°F. Use lower-fat bacon, cook shorter batches, or pour off the drawer between rounds.
Is air-fried bacon crispier than pan-fried?
It's generally more evenly crisp because hot air circulates on all sides, while pan-fried bacon can stay softer on the side not touching the pan.
Need exact temperatures or timing? Check our Time & Temperature Guide →