Air Fryer Turkey Bacon is fast, easy and less mess than frying it on the stovetop. This recipe includes all the tips you need for making turkey bacon in the air fryer, and you have three ways to try it – unseasoned, candied or peppered!
For all you at-home brunch folks or BLT sandwich lovers, this air fryer bacon recipe is for you!
While pork bacon makes it onto our brunch menu from time to time, we love turkey bacon for a healthier option. I usually prepare some on the weekends to pair with eggs for a quick breakfast during the week, or to add to sandwiches, salads or burgers.
Cooking turkey bacon in the air fryer is also more hands off than frying it on the stovetop, and it’s less mess to clean up, which is always a bonus!
Uncured turkey bacon – it may also be called bacon style turkey. It’s made with natural ingredients and sodium nitrate-free.
Coconut sugar – just a little is sprinkled on the bacon to make the candied version.
Ground black pepper and crushed red pepper flakes – again, just a little sprinkled on the bacon for the peppered version.
Air fryers have become increasingly popular in recent years as a fast, convenient, and healthy way to cook foods that are traditionally fried. With an air fryer, you can now make delicious crispy bacon without the mess and unhealthiness of frying in grease. Turkey bacon in particular cooks up amazingly well in the air fryer, allowing you to enjoy this tasty breakfast meat with a fraction of the fat and calories.
In this comprehensive guide, we will walk through everything you need to know to make perfectly crispy turkey bacon in your air fryer, time and time again.
Benefits of Cooking Turkey Bacon in an Air Fryer
Before jumping into the cooking steps, let’s first go over some of the major benefits of using an air fryer for turkey bacon specifically:
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Lower in fat and calories – With an air fryer, you don’t need to cook the turkey bacon in large amounts of oil or grease like you would in a skillet This significantly cuts down on the fat and calorie content
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Crispy texture – The hot circulating air in the air fryer crisps up the turkey bacon beautifully without drying it out You get that satisfying crunch without the greasiness of pan frying.
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Quick and easy – Cooking turkey bacon in the air fryer takes only about 10 minutes from start to finish. The air fryer does the work for you; no constant monitoring needed!
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Fewer dishes – Air frying creates less splatter and mess than stovetop cooking. Clean-up involves just wiping out the fryer basket when you’re done.
Step-By-Step Cooking Guide
Follow these simple instructions for perfect air fryer turkey bacon every time:
Ingredients Needed
- Turkey bacon (as many slices as desired)
- Cooking spray (optional)
Equipment
- Air fryer (3-5 quart size recommended for bacon)
- Basket for air fryer
- Tongs
- Paper towels
Preparation
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Preheat your air fryer to 380°F. This takes 3-5 minutes.
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While the air fryer preheats, lay your slices of turkey bacon flat on a cutting board or plate.
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If needed, you can trim any excess fat from the bacon or cut longer slices in half so they fit in your air fryer basket.
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Pat the top of the bacon thoroughly with paper towels to soak up any excess moisture.
Cooking
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Lightly coat the air fryer basket with cooking spray (optional).
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Carefully place the turkey bacon slices in the preheated air fryer basket in a single layer without overlapping.
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Cook the bacon for 5 minutes at 380°F.
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After 5 minutes, flip the bacon slices over.
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Cook for an additional 5 minutes, or until the bacon reaches your desired level of crispiness.
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For thicker-cut bacon, you may need to cook for a couple extra minutes. Monitor closely to avoid burning.
Finishing
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When fully cooked, use tongs to transfer the crispy turkey bacon from the air fryer basket to a plate lined with paper towels.
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Let the cooked bacon rest for 1-2 minutes on the paper towels to soak up excess grease.
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Serve the hot crispy turkey bacon and enjoy! Store any uneaten portions in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Tips and Tricks
Follow these tips for the best possible air fryer turkey bacon every time:
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Let the air fryer fully preheat before adding the bacon – this is crucial for crisping.
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Don’t overcrowd the basket with too much bacon. Cook in batches for even crisping.
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Flip the bacon halfway through cooking for crispness on both sides.
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Pat the bacon very dry before air frying to help it get crispy.
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Adjust cook times slightly for thicker vs thinner bacon slices.
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Spray the basket lightly with oil to prevent sticking (optional).
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Air fry uncured turkey bacon for a couple minutes longer than cured.
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Play around with different seasonings on the bacon before air frying!
Serve and Store
The possibilities are endless when it comes to serving crispy air fried turkey bacon! Here are some delicious ways to eat it:
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On a breakfast sandwich with egg and cheese
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Chopped up in salads or soups
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In a BLT sandwich
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Crumble over baked potatoes
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Pair with pancakes or waffles
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Top a burger or pizza with it
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Fold into an omelette or frittata
Leftover cooked turkey bacon will keep in the refrigerator for 4-5 days in an airtight container. You can also freeze it for 1-2 months. Reheat chilled bacon slices in the air fryer or microwave as needed.
Cooking turkey bacon in the air fryer is a quick, easy, and healthy way to enjoy this tasty breakfast meat. With the circulating hot air, you can achieve satisfying crispy bacon without all the fat and mess of pan frying. Follow the steps in this guide for perfect results, then get creative serving your delicious air fried turkey bacon! Enjoy this tasty twist on a breakfast classic.
What type of air fryer was this recipe tested in?
This recipe was tested in a 2.75 quart Philips basket-style air fryer and in a larger capacity Cuisinart air fryer/convection/toaster oven-style.
The Philips is a smaller air fryer so I could only fit 3 slices of turkey bacon (in a single layer) in the basket at a time. The Cuisinart could handle 6 slices per batch.
In the Cuisinart, the bacon was fully cooked in 8 minutes but it took closer to 10 minutes in the Philips.
The turkey bacon also blew around a little in the Philips (even at 350F), so if you have a similar basket-style model, you may want to use a trivet to keep the bacon from blowing around.
Additional recipe tips and substitutions
- Try not to overlap the bacon in the air fryer. It air fries best when it is arranged in a single layer and the air can circulate around it.
- I prefer to rub on the seasoning for the candied and peppered versions so it sticks to the bacon and doesn’t blow around or fall off in the air fryer.
- To cook a full pack of bacon (500 grams), you will need to air fry it in multiple batches. Even with my larger capacity air fryer, I had to air fry the bacon in three separate batches.
- If your bacon is blowing around the air fryer, try using a trivet. This will keep the bacon from blowing around but still allow the air to circulate around it.
- Be careful not to over cook the bacon. It continues to firm up and get crispy around the edges after it’s removed from the air fryer.
- The peppered version has some heat to it, so if you’re not a fan of hot food, just reduce the amount of crushed red pepper flakes you add or go for the unseasoned version instead.
- Turkey bacon usually comes seasoned so for the unseasoned version, I just didn’t add any additional seasoning.
Air Fryer Turkey Bacon – How To Cook Turkey Bacon In The Air Fryer – So Crispy, YUM!
FAQ
How long does turkey bacon need to be in the air fryer?
Add a single layer of turkey bacon to the air fryer basket. Cook for 4-5 minutes, flipping halfway through. Repeat the process until all the bacon is cooked up. If the bacon is a little greasy, you can place them on paper towel to soak up excess grease.
How long does it take to air fry bacon in an air fryer?
Preheat an air fryer to 390 degrees F (200 degrees C) according to manufacturer’s instructions. Lay bacon in the air fryer basket in a single layer; some overlap is okay. Fry for 8 minutes. Flip and continue cooking until bacon is crisp, about 7 minutes more.
How long does it take to fry turkey bacon?
- Heat 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil in a skillet over medium heat.
- Add 4 strips of turkey bacon to the skillet.
- Cook, turning every 2 to 3 minutes, until the bacon is crispy and browned.
- Transfer the bacon to a plate lined with paper towels.
Is it better to cook bacon in the oven or air fryer?
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Speed:Air fryer cooks bacon much faster than an oven due to its rapid heating capabilities.
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Clean up:The air fryer is significantly less messy as the grease collects in the basket, eliminating splatters.
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Batch size:The oven is ideal for cooking large quantities of bacon at once, while an air fryer may require multiple batches for larger servings.
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Evenness:Some users find the oven provides slightly more even cooking across a large batch of bacon when using a baking rack.