Crispy, juicy air fryer bacon is my easiest keto breakfast — 0g net carbs. Cooking it at 360 degrees means no smoke, no mess, and perfectly done bacon every single time.
I switched to making all my bacon in the air fryer about three years ago and I haven't gone back to the stovetop since. It takes under 10 minutes and cleanup is about 30 seconds.
The reason I love this method is almost zero smoke. I keep the temperature at 360 degrees, which stays under the smoke point of bacon grease. No grease splatter on the stove, no opening windows, no smoke alarm going off at 7am. If you want extra insurance against smoke, lay a piece of bread in the bottom tray to absorb drippings (I learned this trick after a particularly smoky batch of thick-cut).
On keto, bacon is a staple, not a guilty pleasure. Zero carbs, high fat, and enough protein to anchor a real breakfast. I eat it almost every morning alongside sheet pan eggs or keto egg cups.
I crumble this bacon into salads, soups, and serve it alongside green beans or roasted vegetables. Everything cooks while the bacon is in the air fryer, so I have a full meal ready in under 15 minutes.
Regular slices take about 8 minutes. Thick-cut needs 10-12. Either way, you get bacon that's crispy all over and still has that slight chew in the center.
How long to cook bacon in the air fryer
I cook regular bacon for 8 minutes at 360 degrees. That’s my sweet spot for crispy edges with a little chew in the middle. If you want it shatteringly crispy, go 9-10 minutes. I always start checking at 6 minutes because every air fryer runs a little different.
Thick-cut slices need 10-12 minutes in my experience. I buy the Costco thick-cut most weeks, and 11 minutes is where those land for me. You can overlap a few slices, but don’t pack the tray tight or the pieces in the center stay limp. My trick for fitting more: cut the strips in half widthwise. They crisp more evenly that way too.
What temperature to cook bacon in the air fryer
I always set mine to 360 degrees. This is the temperature I’ve landed on after testing everything from 320 to 400.
Above 374 degrees, bacon fat hits its smoke point and you’ll get white smoke pouring out. I learned this the hard way at 400 degrees (my kitchen smelled like a campfire for two days). 360 gives you crispy bacon without any smoke, which is the whole reason I switched to the air fryer in the first place.
Prevent air fryer smoking
Bacon’s fat content can cause smoke, but I’ve figured out a few fixes that work every time.
First, I keep the temperature at 360 degrees or below. Second, I dump the grease from the bottom tray between batches so it doesn’t oxidize and start smoking. The bread trick works too: lay a slice of white bread in the drip tray to absorb the grease. I do this when I’m cooking more than two batches back to back. And always have ventilation, either crack a window or turn on the exhaust fan.
Cleaning your air fryer after cooking bacon
I clean mine right after cooking while it’s still warm. The grease pours right out. I save it in a jar for cooking eggs later (seriously, eggs fried in bacon grease are incredible on keto).
Once the air fryer cools, I wipe the sides with a damp paper towel. This keeps grease from going down the drain and clogging anything up. Then I wash the basket by hand or toss it in the dishwasher. Most baskets are dishwasher safe, but check yours first. The whole process takes me about 30 seconds.
Tips for perfectly cooked bacon
Cook longer for thick-cut bacon or if you want it extra crispy. I add 2-3 minutes for thick-cut.
Cut your strips in half to fit more in the basket. I do this every time.
Keep it at 360 degrees to prevent smoking.
Every air fryer runs different. I check my bacon at 6 minutes the first time with a new brand.
Save the bacon grease. I use it for cooking eggs and roasting vegetables all week.
Is bacon keto friendly
Bacon is one of my go-to keto staples. High fat, solid protein, and virtually zero carbs. I eat it almost every day and it fits perfectly into my macros.
The one thing I watch for is sugar in the curing process. Some brands sneak it in, so I always check labels. I buy Pederson Farms when I can find it online (sugar-free) or the Costco brand for everyday cooking. Two medium slices give you about 6.7g of fat and 5.9g of protein with basically no carbs.
How to cook bacon in the air fryer
Three steps, under 10 minutes start to finish.
Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees if yours does not preheat on its own.
Lay the bacon in the basket. Cutting strips in half fits more slices and they crisp more evenly.
Air fry at 360 degrees for 8 minutes. Go 6 minutes for chewy, 9-10 for extra crispy, and add 2 minutes for thick cut. I start checking at 6 minutes with a new brand or a new machine.
If your air fryer doesn’t preheat on its own, preheat it at 360 degrees for 5 minutes.
2
Add bacon in the air fryer basket
Add bacon to your air fryer basket or tray. It’s okay to cut your bacon or lay the bacon strips on top of each other in order to fit more into the air fryer basket.
3
Air fryer instructions
Air fry the bacon at 360 degrees for 6-8 minutes. For chewy bacon, air fry for 6 minutes. For perfect bacon, air fry for 8 minutes. For crispy bacon, air fry for 9-10 minutes. For thick cut bacon, add an additional 2 minutes.
Nutrition
Per serving: 1 slice
Calories
40
Fat
3.5g
Protein
3g
Total carbs
0g
Net carbs
0g
Nutrition is an estimate calculated from the ingredients listed. Brands vary, so check labels if you track closely.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can I cook bacon from frozen in the air fryer?
I do this all the time when I forget to thaw. Just place frozen strips in the basket at 360 degrees and add about 2-3 extra minutes. I pull them apart with tongs around the 4 minute mark once they've loosened up. Works perfectly, no thawing needed.
How do I store and reheat leftover bacon?
I store mine in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. To reheat, I pop it back in the air fryer at 350 degrees for 1-2 minutes. It crisps right back up. I also freeze cooked bacon flat on a sheet pan, then transfer to a freezer bag. It keeps for up to 6 months and I just reheat from frozen.
What temperature should I set my air fryer to for bacon?
I set mine to 360 degrees every time. I've tested everything from 320 to 400, and 360 is where I get crispy bacon with zero smoke. Going above 374 degrees pushes past the smoke point of bacon grease, and your kitchen will smell like a campfire. Trust me on this one.
Can I cook more than 6 slices at once?
I regularly cook 8-10 slices by cutting them in half and overlapping slightly. The key is not packing them so tight that the center pieces stay floppy. If I need a big batch (weekend breakfast for the family), I just run two rounds. The second batch cooks faster since the air fryer is already hot.
How do I prevent my air fryer from smoking when cooking bacon?
I keep the temperature at 360 degrees, never higher. That alone fixes most smoking. Between batches, I dump the grease from the drip tray so it doesn't oxidize. My other trick is laying a piece of bread in the bottom tray to absorb grease. I started doing this for big batches and it makes a real difference.
Is air fryer bacon healthier than pan-fried bacon?
I notice way less grease when I cook in the air fryer versus the skillet. The fat drips away while it cooks, so you're not sitting in a pool of grease. No added oil needed either. I still save the drippings for cooking eggs, but the bacon itself comes out leaner than pan-fried.
Can I use turkey bacon in the air fryer?
I've made turkey bacon in mine and it works, but the timing is different. It cooks about 2-3 minutes faster than regular bacon since it's thinner and leaner. I check it around the 5 minute mark. The texture won't be quite the same as pork bacon, but I crisp it up nicely at 360 degrees.
Can I make twisted bacon in the air fryer?
I twist my bacon strips before laying them in the basket when I want extra crunch. Just twist each strip 3-4 times and lay it down. The twisted parts get these ridges that crisp up more than flat strips. I add about 1-2 extra minutes since the twisted shape is thicker in spots. My kids love these, they eat them like bacon candy.
How long does it take for bacon to cook in an air fryer?
Eight minutes at 360 degrees is my standard for regular sliced bacon, which gives crispy edges with a little chew. Six minutes lands chewy bacon, 9-10 minutes gets it extra crispy, and thick cut needs 10-12 minutes. Every machine runs a little different, so I start checking at the 6 minute mark the first time I cook a new brand.
Why not cook bacon in an air fryer?
The two complaints I hear are smoke and grease, and both come down to method. Bacon fat smokes past 374 degrees, so cooking at 400 fills your kitchen. I stay at 360 and get zero smoke. Grease pooling in the drip tray can also smoke on repeat batches if you never empty it, so I dump the tray between rounds. Done that way, the air fryer beats my stovetop on splatter, cleanup, and consistency every time.
How do I cook bacon in the air fryer without a mess?
Three habits keep mine clean. I cook at 360 degrees so the grease never smokes, I lay a slice of bread in the drip tray to soak up drippings when I run more than two batches, and I pour the warm grease straight into a jar I keep for frying eggs. After that, a quick wipe with a damp paper towel and the whole cleanup takes about 30 seconds.
Lay them flat and don’t overlap if you want true crunch on every piece, learned that the hard way. My aunt made Sunday breakfast bacon this crispy and I’d convinced myself for years it was just her cast iron and her patience, not the temperature.
Skillet bacon has exactly one advantage: the drippings. Everything else, air fryer wins. Fat renders more completely at 360 than on a stovetop where you’re fiddling with the burner every couple minutes, and you don’t get those uneven spots from the pan running hotter in the center. Regular-cut at 7 minutes comes out evenly crispy the whole way across, not just the pieces sitting in the middle. The no-babysitting part I expected. What I didn’t expect was how much more evenly it’d cook vs. what I’d been getting out of my cast iron. Now the skillet only comes out when I actually need the fat.
Drippings are the one thing I tip off the air fryer tray into a jar while it’s still hot. Mostly closes the gap. The cast iron running-hotter-in-center problem took me embarrassingly long to actually solve.
Two minutes is right. What surprised me the first time I reheated from the fridge was how close it gets to fresh out of the basket. From frozen, closer to 3-4 minutes, but I batch cook a pound at a time now that’s exactly why. Day-three bacon still beats most fresh pan bacon. The texture doesn’t go chewy the way I always assumed it would.
Oven bacon was my go-to for a long time because at least it’s hands-off, but it always comes out pale and a little flabby unless you crank the temp. Six minutes at 360 gets crispy and juicy in a way the oven just doesn’t. The gap was genuinely surprising. Four stars because thick-cut will need a couple extra minutes, good to know upfront.
The 360 degree tip is legit, zero smoke in my kitchen and that alone is why I’ll keep making bacon this way. Only note I’d add is that thick-cut needs more time than the recipe says. I pulled mine at 7 minutes and it was still chewy in the middle (not in a good way), went to 9 and it crisped up the way I wanted. Worth adding a note for anyone grabbing the thicker stuff.
Used to throw bacon in a pan and live with the grease smell for two hours. Tried this at 360 and the no-smoke thing is completely real. Was honestly skeptical until it happened. Tip if you’re new to this: pat the bacon dry before it goes in the basket. Tested it both ways and the dry batch came out noticeably crispier, less of that soft floppy middle I kept getting. I pull mine at 6 minutes for the chewier side, which is exactly right for me. Doing a full batch every Sunday now and storing it in the fridge. Reheats in about 45 seconds and still has that crisp. Didn’t think that part would work.
Made this a couple times now and both times at the full 8 minutes it’s coming out chewy rather than crispy. My air fryer is basket-style (not a tray type), so I’m not sure if that’s it or if I just need to push past 8 minutes. Does the basket vs tray setup actually change the cook time much?
Tried thick-cut at 360 for the full 8 minutes and the edges came out almost candied without any added sugar, just from the fat rendering longer at that temp. My regular oven bacon never pulled that off. Not going back.
Thick-cut does that. More fat to render before the strip crisps, so you get that caramel-edge thing without any sugar or glaze. Oven just can’t pull it off the same way.
I gave up making bacon at home two years into keto because the mess and smoke never felt worth it. Never thought I’d say the air fryer fixed that. 360 degrees, 8 minutes, zero smoke, and I’m eating it every single morning now.
Two years is a long time to go without bacon. If you’re making it every morning, cook 8-10 strips at once and just reheat at 350 for a minute through the week. Crisps right back up.
Foil in the drawer under the basket and cleanup is 10 seconds. Already running at 360 fixed the smoke, but no more grease scrubbing is what made this a weekday thing instead of weekend-only.
I’ve been making bacon in the oven for years and was convinced the air fryer was just a fad for people who don’t know how to use a sheet pan. Wrong. The 360 degree temp sounds too low but that’s exactly what keeps the smoke down, and the crispiness I got was better than anything I’ve pulled out of the oven. I’m genuinely annoyed I waited this long to try it.
I love the bacon by Pederson Farms, but I can only find it on line – it is sugar free. I usually get Costco bacon, but I will also just use Smithfield too.
Annie, I am new to your keto cooking?was recently was diagnosed with prediabetes. Your recipes make it so easy to stay off carbs and mostly sugar. I am enjoying your easy recipes and I love how you explain everything so well and where to buy the products you use. Just wanted to let you know?thanks for all of your hard work, I know how busy you are?
