Air fryer turkey bacon is an easy recipe that takes less than 10 minutes to cook! The air fryer makes the bacon perfectly crispy and you don’t have to worry about oil splattering from the skillet.
If you’ve never cooked turkey bacon in the air fryer, I highly encourage you to try it! One of the biggest benefits of cooking bacon in the air fryer is there’s less mess. The oil stays in the bottom of the air fryer and can be wiped out after cooking.
Air fried turkey bacon pairs perfectly with my healthy spinachy and mushroom quiche. It would also be the perfect side dish at a brunch. Pair it with blueberry crumble bars (GF) or banana zucchini muffins as a sweeter option!
I've made this recipe on repeat for many years now! As a dietitian, I highly recommend cooking turkey bacon using the air fryer method. There is less grease involved and depending on the type of bacon used, (and amount eaten) this can serve as a healthy protein option for breakfast!
Reasons to Love This
- This is a mess-free way to cook bacon! You don’t worry about grease splattering as you do with a frying pan. The air fryer is very easy to clean and most can be put in the dishwasher.
- The air fryer makes the bacon super crispy! The purpose of an air fryer is to fry your food without adding extra grease. The bacon becomes perfectly crisp when using the air fryer.
- The kids can help with this recipe- you don’t have to worry about grease drops, so the kids can help make this recipe!
Ingredients Needed
- Turkey Bacon: this is the only ingredient! Select any brand of turkey bacon. You can also substitute this with regular pork bacon.
Step by Step Instructions
Here's step by step instructions on how to cook turkey bacon in the air fryer! Scroll to the bottom of the page for the full recipe.
- Preheat to air fryer to 400F.
- Once preheated, layer the turkey bacon in the bottom of the air fryer. The bacon pieces should lay flat and should not be stacked on top of each other. You may have to break a couple of pieces of turkey bacon if it does not fit.
- Cook for 8 minutes, flipping halfway through. Use a pair of tongs to flip.
- Note: you will have to work in several batches to cook all of the bacon.
Serving Suggestions
- Serve as a breakfast meal with a side of fresh fruit such as strawberries, scrambled eggs and toast.
- Make a turkey BLT: turkey bacon, lettuce, and tomato.
- Crumble the bacon and sprinkle over your salad.
- Make a wrap: add chicken, turkey bacon, ranch, and cheese to a tortilla. Wrap and serve warm.
Expert Tips
- Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may have to cook this in several batches. My air fryer is 5 quarts, and it holds 3 slices of bacon.
- Make sure the bacon is not stacked on top of each other. Leave a small amount of space between each piece for maximum crispness.
- If you only need 1 or 2 slices, place a couple pieces in half of the air fryer and a slice of toast in the other half (just remove the toast early). You will have a one-pan meal!
Frequently Asked Questions
How to Make the Bacon Crispy?
The bacon will become crispy if you follow the recipe instructions! To make the bacon even more crispy, continue to cook at 1-minute intervals.
What type of Bacon to Use?
This recipe works with any brand! Popular choices are Jenni-O, Oscar Meyer, or Butterball. This will work with uncured bacon as well. Uncured simply means it does not contain sodium nitrites. I love the brand Applegate uncured turkey bacon.
Some brands of turkey bacon are precooked, which works perfectly fine with this recipe!
What to Do with the Bacon Grease?
There’s a couple options as to what can be done for the bacon grease. Place a piece of paper towel in the bottom of the air fryer to catch grease.
You can also place parchment paper in the bottom of the air fryer. Make sure to put this underneath the air fryer rack, as the rack must have holes in it to allow air to circulate through and make the bacon crispy.
How to Know When the Bacon is Done?
I recommend 8 minutes, yet the cooking time will vary based on your brand of air fryer and desired level of crispiness. If you prefer less crisp bacon, cook for 7 minutes.
If you prefer crispy bacon, start at 8 minutes and continue to cook, checking every one minute.
Turkey Bacon Nutrition
Turkey bacon is lower in calories, fat, and sodium than regular bacon. It does have less protein, however. The difference in numbers is small, however, if you eat multiple servings of bacon, this can add up to make a difference.
One thing to note is that some turkey bacon does contain sodium nitrite. This is a preservative added to meats. There are some studies showing controversy over the health effects. Uncured bacon does not have nitrite, however it does contain celery powder and a higher amount of sodium.
Comparison Chart of Regular Bacon vs. Turkey Bacon
What is the Best Brand of Air Fryer to Use?
Gourmia Air Fryer- I use this brand and love it! They have different sizes that range from 5-7 quarts. I personally love this air fryer and have never had a problem with it. I use it every weekend! It is decently priced, cooks food evenly and it’s easy to use!
Cosori Air Fryer Oven Combo- the basket is 5.8 quarts, and it comes with over 100 recipes! The basket is dishwasher safe and it has 13 preset cooking buttons.
Ninja AF101 Air Fryer- I know many people who have this air fryer and love it. The basket is 4 quarts, which is a decent size. It has over 32000 google reviews
Ninja Dual Zone Air Fryer- this air fryer has 2 baskets- which makes it perfect if you want to cook two items at different temperatures!
Serving Suggestions
- Serve as a breakfast entree. Pair with a carb, such as these healthy baked french toast cups and a glass of plum juice.
- Serve with some healthy hash browns and a side of gluten free quiche.
- Make a wrap: add turkey bacon, lettuce and tomato. Use these egg white wraps for a low carb option!
- Serve with a side of turmeric oatmeal for a really health breakfast!
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Almond Flour Chicken Tenders
- Air Fryer French Toast
- Buffalo Chicken Tenders in the Air Fryer
- Butternut Squash in the Air Fryer
Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound turkey bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400F.
- Once preheated, layer the turkey bacon in the bottom of the air fryer. The bacon should lay flat and should not be stack on top of each other. You may have to break a couple pieces of turkey bacon if it does not fit.
- Cook for 8 minutes, flipping half way through. Use a pair of tongs to flip it.
- Remove from air fryer and serve immediately.
- Repeat with the rest of the bacon.
Jenna says
Turned out great. My family loved it