Making pig bacon in the air fryer is simply the best that’s why you need to try this crispy air fryer bacon recipe. Ready in less than 10 mins without all the mess that comes with cooking bacon in the oven or stovetop. This way of cooking bacon would soon become your favorite way to enjoy pig bacon or any bacon at all.

Air fryer Bacon Recipe
Bacon is one of our favorite breakfast recipes. Serve it with a side of scrambled eggs or omelette and your morning is made. We love that it’s a great low carb or keto option for when you are on that way if eating and stuck on what to eat.
Though the stove top and oven make great bacon, the air fryer has become my favorite way to cook bacon and here are some of the reasons why we love it
- Crispy: The air fryer makes seriously crispy bacon in less time than you would make it in the oven.
- Less mess: We all know how making bacon can be seriously messy. With the air fryer, you’ve got less mess with a bonus of easy cleanup.
- Frozen bacon? No problem, the air fryer will cook it to perfection too.
- Time saver: Air fryer bacon is a real time saver. No need to baby sit the bacon like you would on the stove top. Ready to make some bacon? Let’s find out what you need!

What you’ll need!
All you need to make pig bacon in the air fryer is pig bacon of course! Then you’ll need the following tools.
- Air fryer: Ninja foodi, Cosori, Gourmia, Vortex plus etc no need to fret! Whichever one you have is fine.
- Kitchen tongs
- Paper towel
How to cook bacon in the air fryer (an overview)
Place bacon in the air fryer basket, or baking rack if using the oven style air fryer. No need to preheat the oven. Set the temperature to 400°F / 200°C till your desired texture, soft or crispy
You may need to flip the bacon half way through cooking time. However if you forget to flip it would still be cooked through.

How long to cook bacon in the air fryer
This will depend on individual preference. Some people love it crispy while others love it soft. It also depends on the thickness of the bacon.
- Regular cut bacon: If you prefer a softer texture, cook at 400°F / 200°C for 6 to 7 minutes and 8 to 10 for crispy.
- Thick cut bacon: Cook at 400°F / 200°C for 9 mins to get a soft texture and 10 to 12 mins for crispy.

How to prevent bacon smoking.
The smoking point for bacon is 400°F / 200°C so most recipes say to cook at 350°F / 177°C However, I have tried making it at both temperatures and I haven’t had any issues with my air fryer smoking and to be honest I prefer cooking bacon at 400°F / 200°C because it gets crispy faster.
If you find some bacon smoke issues while making air fryer bacon, it could be from the grease splashing on the hot surface underneath the basket. Some people have suggested putting a slice of bread underneath the basket to soak up the grease.
If you are making bacon in batches, be sure to drain the grease in between batches as the oil can cause smoking.
Recipes using cooked bacon
Bacon sure makes everything better as we know. Adding it to a variety of recipes adds some extra touch. Salads, sandwiches, fried rice, pasta and lots more.
How to cook frozen bacon in the air fryer
If you didn’t know you could cook frozen bacon in the air fryer, then you would be pleasantly surprised at how easy it is.
First you cook to defrost for about 4 minutes at 380F then you cook to fully cooked for 8 mins at 400F so easy.
Home cooking Tips
- No need to preheat the air fryer. However if you are cooking in batches, you would need to adjust the time downwards. Because the air fryer got preheated while cooking the first batch, subsequent batches will cook faster.
- Discard the grease in between batches
- It’s ok if bacon overlaps when placing in the air fryer because they will shrink as they cook.
FAQs
Do I need to spray the air fryer basket or add oil to air fry bacon?
There is no need to spray the basket or add oil when cooking bacon in the air fryer or with other methods. Bacon naturally releases oil when heated up.
Can I use Turkey bacon instead of pig bacon?
Definitely, you can use Turkey bacon instead of pig bacon. Turkey bacon would cook faster than pig bacon.
Is it safe to cook bacon in the air fryer?
Yes it’s safe to cook it in the air fryer. You can proceed with confidence. It would be the best bacon you have had yet.
More easy air fry recipes
- Air fryer chicken drumsticks
- How to cook chicken wings in the air fryer.
- Air fryer frozen French fries.
Find all our air fryer recipes here.
Thank you for visiting my virtual kitchen! If you found this recipe helpful, please leave below and don’t forget to share this recipe with family and friends.
Happy cooking!
Love it? Pin it!
Looking for more tried and tested Home-cooked recipes? Sign up for our Deliciously Home Cooked Newsletter and Follow along on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Tiktok
If you love Easy recipes Join our Deliciously Home cooked Recipes group on Facebook!

Air fryer Bacon Recipe (Pig Bacon)
Equipment
- Air fryer
- kitchen tongs
- Paper towel
Ingredients
- ½ Pound Bacon (about 8 strips)
- Scrambled eggs (for serving)
Instructions
- Place bacon strips in the air fryer basket, set temperature to 400°F / 200°C.
For regular cut bacon
- Cook bacon for 4 mins flip over and cook for another 4 mins. Add more time if you want it even more crispy
For Thick cut bacon
- Cook thick cut bacon for 5 mins, flip over and cook for another 5 mins or till your desired texture.
- Serve with your favorite side dish
Notes
- Bacon can overlap, it will shrink while cooking.
- Recipe was made in a non preheated air fryer.
- If cooking a lot of bacon, cook in batches and drain the bacon grease in between batches.
NUTRITION DISCLAIMER
Nutritional information is an estimate and may change based on products used. Although we try to provide accurate nutritional information, please note that nutritional data on this website should be considered estimates and used as a guide only. Under no circumstances will www.www.deliciouslyhomecooked.com be responsible for any loss or damage resulting from the use of this nutritional information. You are encouraged to use a nutritional calculator with the exact brands you are using to get the most accurate information for each recipe.
Amanda says
I love crispy bacon. This turned out perfect. Thanks for sharing.
DeliciouslyHomecooked says
Hi Amanda,
That’s awesome, thank you for letting me know.