Learn how to make Air Fryer Turkey Bacon, and you'll never even think about cooking turkey bacon on the stove again! It's a quick, easy, and guaranteed way to cook turkey bacon strips to the perfect crispiness every time. Crispy turkey bacon in the air fryer is ready in just 10 minutes with easy cleanup. No more spattered grease!
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Turkey Bacon in Air Fryer
Let's face it: even when we want bacon for breakfast, cooking bacon doesn't always feel worth it. It's messy, and the cooking time can feel too long to justify making bacon first thing in the morning.
The solution is to air fry it. When you air fry turkey bacon, you avoid unnecessary mess and extra dishes. You can fry it up in batches to save for later, or serve it for a quick breakfast or a snack in only 10 minutes. And, you can use any brand of turkey bacon slices you like, so just choose your favorite!
Turkey bacon makes the perfect breakfast side dish, but it's great for plenty of other recipes, too. Make a little extra in the morning and keep the leftover slices of turkey bacon to add to other dishes: it's great for meal prep! Use it for topping for sandwiches like a classic BLT sandwich, or chop it up to make bacon bits for a salad.
You can't go wrong adding it to just about everything!
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Ingredients
- Turkey bacon slices: Use your preferred brand, such as Applegate turkey bacon. We prefer uncured bacon, but you can use cured bacon, too. It's up to your preference.
- Oil spray: We use avocado oil in a spray bottle, but olive oil may also be used. Spraying the air fryer basket helps keep the bacon from sticking to the basket. Just remember not to use an aerosol cooking spray with additives as aerosol sprays could break down the non-stick coating of your air fryer over time. See our comprehensive guide on Air Frying Oils.
How to Air Fry Turkey Bacon
Step 1 - Spray your air fryer basket with oil. Make sure to use a natural oil spray like avocado oil and not an aerosol cooking spray. Or use an air fryer parchment paper liner, but the bacon may not get as crispy if you use a liner.
Step 2 - Place the turkey bacon in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Make sure to not overlap any pieces. If you can't fit all the bacon, cook it in batches. You want the hot air to be able to circulate around the bacon for maximum crispiness, so a single layer is important. See our comprehensive guide on How Air Frying Works.
Step 3 - Air fry at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn each slice over halfway through the cooking time. If your air fryer does not have a timer to remind you to flip the bacon, set one so you don't forget!
Step 4 - Remove the bacon from the air fryer to a paper plate lined with paper towels to drain before serving. Although turkey bacon makes less mess than traditional bacon, you'll still want to blot it off.
Note: Make sure to flip the bacon halfway through the cooking time and check to see if it reaches your preferred crispness within 10 minutes. If it doesn't, add it back for a bit longer.
Using a Toaster Oven Style Air Fryer Oven
We're using an air fryer model with a basket. This method is preferred, as it is much less messy than an air fryer tray. However, if your air fryer oven has a tray, you can still follow this recipe but you may need to add a couple minutes as we have found our toaster oven style air fryers cook a little slower than the basket style.
Tips
- 10 minutes makes bacon that is crisp, but still has a little bend and chew to it. If you prefer extra crisp bacon, cook it for 11 to 12 minutes instead. We recommend checking it at the 10 minute interval and then air fry it in additional 1 minute intervals until it reaches the crispness you prefer.
- For less crisp bacon, check it at around 8 to 9 minutes instead. Remember, bacon will crisp up a little as it cools, so account for that when settling on an air frying time for bacon.
- Cook time may vary based on your specific model of air fryer. Air fryer models differ, so you may have to adjust the cook time.
- Recipe time and temperature is based on a cold air fryer. If cooking in multiple batches, be sure to check on the remaining batches early, as they may cook more quickly.
Storing Instructions
Store leftovers in an airtight container or a zip-lock bag for up to 5 days in the refrigerator.
Reheating Instructions
You can reheat leftover back in the microwave or in the air fryer. You can reheat at 375°F for about 3 minutes, or in 30 second intervals in the microwave.
FAQ
You can, but regular pork bacon may smoke in the air fryer. See our Air Fryer Bacon recipe for a more precise way of cooking regular bacon in the air fryer.
Be careful not to overcrowd the basket when air frying bacon. For properly cooked, crispy bacon, you should be able to fit about 4-5 slices at a time, depending on the size of your model. Make sure the bacon is in a single layer with none of the pieces overlapping.
If your turkey bacon isn't crisping up, it's possible you've either overcrowded the air fryer or didn't flip the bacon. Make sure to flip the bacon halfway through the air frying process, and do not overlap any pieces. You may also need to adjust the time for your model of air fryer. Add an extra minute to see if it crisps up to your liking.
What to Serve with this Air Fryer Turkey Bacon Recipe
- Scrambled eggs: Serve air fryer turkey bacon with our recipe for Air Fryer Scrambled Eggs! (Yes, you read that right - try it out!)
- Toast: Whip up a quick batch of crispy Air Fryer Toast or Air Fryer Egg Toast to serve with this easy bacon.
- Pancakes: We love bacon with pancakes. Try our Air Fryer Pancakes for an easy method!
- Breakfast Sandwich: Add the bacon to our Air Fryer Breakfast Sandwich instead of sausage or traditional pork bacon for a complete, easy breakfast!
Air Fryer Breakfast Recipes
- Air Fryer Breakfast Sausage
- Fried Eggs in Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Breakfast Bacon, Eggs, and Toast
- Air Fryer Breakfast Potatoes
- Air Fryer Jammy Eggs
If you enjoyed this easy air fryer recipe, please leave a comment and a rating below to let us know! And if you have any questions, ask away. We love to help!
Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 5 slices Turkey bacon
- Oil spray we use avocado oil
Instructions
- Spray your air fryer basket with oil. Make sure to use a natural oil spray like avocado oil.Oil spray
- Place the turkey bacon in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Make sure to not overlap any pieces. If you can't fit all the bacon, cook it in batches.5 slices Turkey bacon
- Air fry at 350°F for 10 to 12 minutes. Turn each slice over halfway through the cooking time. If your air fryer does not have a timer to remind you to flip the bacon, set one so you don't forget!
- Remove the bacon from the air fryer to a paper plate lined with paper towels to drain before serving.
Notes
- We prefer uncured turkey bacon, but cured bacon works too, based on your preference.
- If your air fryer model uses a tray and not a basket, see post above for instructions.
- For crisp bacon, air fry for 10 minutes; 11-12 mins for extra crisp. Check at 10 mins and add 1 min intervals for desired crispness.
- Less crisp? Check at 8-9 minutes; bacon crisps further as it cools.
- Use an oil sprayer with natural oil (like avocado oil) to prevent sticking. Avoid cooking sprays with additives as they might damage the non-stick surface of your air fryer.
- Adjust cook time for your specific air fryer model.
- Recipe time based on a cold air fryer; monitor remaining batches when cooking multiples; they may cook faster.
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