Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer (2024)

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Cooking frozen bacon in air fryer is super easy and will get breakfast on the table in no time! Air fryer bacon is super delicious, crispy and avoids the oily mess from cooking bacon in a frying pan.

Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer (1)

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Do you love a good air fryer breakfast? Frozen bacon in air fryer is about to become your new best friend! Crispy, crunchy and without all the mess!

Best part is, you don’t have to wait hours for your bacon to defrost. You can use your air fryer for the defrosting process too!

Speaking of delicious air fryer breakfast recipes, be sure to check out Breakfast Sausage in Air Fryer, Air Fryer Cinnamon Rolls and Air Fryer Nectarines (so delicious on yogurt!).

Why this recipe works

Frozen bacon in air fryer is the quickest and easiest way to get super crispy bacon without all the mess!

Using your air fryer to defrost frozen bacon is a quick way to get breakfast on the table. You know those days where you forgot to pull the bacon out to defrost. Yup! This air fryer frozen bacon recipe is a life saver! Plus, you can use your defrosted bacon to make these air fryer bacon wrapped jalapeno poppers!

You can use your air fryer to cook your bacon at the same time you are cooking your eggs and toast so you don’t have to juggle multiple breakfast dishes at one time. It basically cooks itself!

Ingredients

Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer (2)

Bacon: You can use any type offrozen baconfor this recipe including regular cut, center cut or thick cut bacon (note: you will cook longer for thick cut).

Center cut is a great size that fits well in your air fryer basket.

This recipe works for most any brand of frozen bacon including Oscar Meyer, Hormel Black Label, Smithfield, Farmland, Wright, Great Value, Applegate, Signature Farms, Kroger, Boar’s Head, Pederson’s, Jimmy Dean, Sunnyvalley and Bar S.

How to cook frozen bacon in air fryer

Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer (3)

Defrost frozen bacon in air fryer

  • Placefrozen bacon in air fryer (place entire frozen bacon block inside).
  • Cook on 350°F (no-preheat) for 4 minutes.
  • Using kitchen tongs to avoid burns, flip bacon and cook for an additional 3 minutes.
  • This should defrost your bacon enough so you can comfortably separate the bacon without it tearing.

Separate thawed bacon

  • Remove bacon from air fryer and set aside on plate.
  • Using kitchen tongs to avoid burns, carefully separate each strip of bacon and place the bacon strips on a separate plate.
  • You will divide strips of bacon into batches based on the amount that will comfortably fit in your air fryer with no overlap in bacon slices.

Cook bacon in air fryer

  • Place strips of bacon in air fryer basket. There should be no overlap in bacon strips.
  • Cook on400°F (no-preheat) for 8-10 minutes, flipping half-way.
  • Repeat cooking process for remaining batches of bacon.
  • Depending on yourair fryer, the size of your fryer basket and amount of bacon in the basket, you flip the bacon and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until you reach your desired level of crispiness as needed.

Thick Cut Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer:Cook for an additional 3 minutes above recipe time and add additional 1-2 minutes cook time as necessary.

Pre-Heating Air Fryer:You do not need to preheat your air fryer for this recipe.

This recipe works well with any brand of air fryer including Ninja Foodi, Gourmia, Vortex, Nuwave, Cuisinart, Cosori, Power XL and Power Air.

Can you cook frozen bacon in air fryer?

Yes! It is a common misconception that you cannot cook frozen bacon in your air fryer and that it won’t come out crispy. This couldn’t be further from the truth!

The key to cooking frozen bacon in the air fryer is to use the power of your air fryer to defrost the bacon first.

The air fryer is super quick when it comes to defrosting and will save you a ton of time.

Once the bacon is defrosted in the air fryer, you can separate the bacon strips and continue with the cooking process.

I guarantee you will end up with perfect super crispy air fried bacon!

How to separate frozen bacon

Separating frozen bacon is super easy. The trick is to use your air fryer to get the defrosting process started.

Once, the bacon is defrosted you can separate the bacon strips easily.

Frozen turkey bacon in air fryer

Cooking frozen turkey bacon in your air fryer is super easy! Follow the initial recipe steps to defrost your frozen turkey bacon and then separate the strips using kitchen tongs.

Turkey bacon is typically pre-cooked. Double check to make sure.

If your turkey bacon is precooked, cook at 400°F for 4-5 minutes. Check for crispiness and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes as needed.

Ninja Foodie frozen bacon

Frozen bacon in the Ninja Foodi is super easy! Just follow this air fryer frozen bacon recipe and your bacon will turn out super crispy and delicious!

FAQ and expert tips

Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer (4)

How long to cook frozen bacon in air fryer

Once you defrost your frozen bacon in the air fryer, you will continue to cooking process for an additional 8-10 minutes or so. It is important to follow the different cooking temperatures for the defrost time vs the cooking time so you don’t overcook your air fryer bacon.

What temp to cook bacon in air fryer

The best temperature to cook bacon in the air fryer is 400 degrees F. Cooking at a high temperature will yield crispy crunchy bacon!

Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer (5)

Looking for other air fryer tips and tricks?

  • Reheat Pizza in Air Fryer
  • Reheat Ribs in Air Fryer
  • Reheat Wings in Air Fryer

Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer (6)

Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer

Cooking frozen bacon in air fryer is super easy and will get breakfast on the table in no time! Air fryer bacon is super delicious, crispy and avoids the oily mess from cooking bacon in a frying pan.

5 from 9 votes

Print Pin Rate

Course: Breakfast

Cuisine: American

Prep Time: 7 minutes

Cook Time: 10 minutes

Total Time: 17 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Calories: 355kcal

Cost: $5

Ingredients

Instructions

Defrost Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer

  • Placefrozen bacon in air fryer (place entire frozen bacon block inside).

  • Cook on 350°F (no-preheat) for 4 minutes.

  • Using kitchen tongs to avoid burns, flip bacon and cook for an additional 3 minutes.

  • This should defrost your bacon enough so you can comfortably separate the bacon without it tearing.

Separate Thawed Bacon

  • Remove bacon from air fryer and set aside on plate.

  • Using kitchen tongs to avoid burns, carefully separate each strip of bacon and place the bacon strips on a separate plate.

  • You will divide strips of bacon into batches based on the amount that will comfortably fit in your air fryer with no overlap in bacon slices.

Cook Bacon in Air Fryer

  • Place strips of bacon in air fryer basket. There should be no overlap in bacon strips.

  • Cook on 400°F (no-preheat) for 8-10 minutes, flipping half-way.

  • Repeat cooking process for remaining batches of bacon.

  • Depending on yourair fryer, the size of your fryer basket and amount of bacon in the basket, you flip the bacon and cook for an additional 1-2 minutes until you reach your desired level of crispiness as needed.

Notes

Pre-Heating Air Fryer: You do not need to preheat your air fryer for this recipe.

This recipe works well with any brand of air fryer including Ninja Foodi, Gourmia, Vortex, Nuwave, Cuisinart, Cosori, Power XL and Power Air.

This recipe works for most any brand of frozen bacon including Oscar Meyer, Hormel Black Label, Smithfield, Farmland, Wright, Great Value, Applegate, Signature Farms, Kroger, Boar’s Head, Pederson’s, Jimmy Dean, Sunnyvalley and Bar S.

This recipe works for both regular cut and center cut bacon. Center cut bacon will fit a little better in your air fryer.

Thick Cut Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer: Cook for an additional 3 minutes above recipe time and add additional 1-2 minutes cook time as necessary.

Nutrition

Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 11g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 15g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 56mg | Sodium: 563mg | Potassium: 168mg | Vitamin A: 31IU | Calcium: 4mg | Iron: 1mg

Frozen Bacon in Air Fryer (2024)

FAQs

How long does it take to cook frozen bacon in an air fryer? ›

You can expect cooking frozen bacon in the air fryer to take 12 to 14 minutes. There are so many great recipes to try in the air fryer – like these bacon-wrapped sweet potatoes!

Do you have to defrost bacon before air frying? ›

Cook bacon in your air fryer * straight from frozen, it's all done with just 8 minutes of cooking! Cook frozen bacon in air fryer * for super crispy bacon, that's so easy to make.

How do you cook frozen bacon? ›

Simply cook the bacon as you normally would, allowing a little extra cooking time to compensate for the fact that they are frozen. Some meats take an extra 50% of their original cooking time to cook from frozen, but bacon slices are so thin that they'll usually only take an extra minute or two at most.

What temperature should I set my air fryer for bacon? ›

Air fry the bacon at 350 degrees F for 5 to 9 minutes depending upon the thickness of your bacon.

Can you cook bacon straight from frozen? ›

Q: Can I Cook Bacon From Frozen? A: Yes, bacon can be cooked from frozen – fry the bacon on a low heat until the rashers begin to separate. Gradually increase the heat and fry the separated pieces of bacon until cooked through.

Can you cook straight from frozen in air fryer? ›

Yes! Frozen food in the air fryer comes out crispy and cook more quickly than if cooked in an oven. You can cook everything from frozen meat to frozen snacks to frozen appetizers!

Is it better to air fry frozen or thawed? ›

Do I need to defrost my food before air frying? No, you should generally never thaw frozen pre-cooked food you want to cook in an air fryer. Cook itstraight from frozen for best results.

Do you put foil in the air fryer when cooking bacon? ›

Yes! Aluminum foil can be used in the air fryer. Sometimes I like to line the outer basket in foil to catch the drippings.

Is cooking bacon in an air fryer messy? ›

The air fryer cooks the bacon up really quickly and nice and crisp. It also it much less messy than frying it on the stove top. And I've found that air fryers are really easy to wipe or rinse clean and move on.

What temperature do you cook frozen bacon? ›

Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Cover baking sheet with aluminum foil and wire rack goes on the top. Thawing frozen bacon is easy; Unwrap and place bacon in the microwave for 30 seconds, flip the bacon over, and again cook for 30 seconds.

Why does frozen bacon taste different? ›

When bacon is stored in the freezer, water is drawn out of it causing it to become saltier. So, yes, thawed bacon may taste a little saltier.

How do you defrost bacon in 5 minutes? ›

Preheat your oven to 300 degrees. Remove the frozen bacon from any packaging, and place the bacon on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. It should only take about five minutes to defrost in the oven.

Is bacon better in air fryer or stove? ›

Since food is suspended in the air fryer basket, most of the excess fat from the bacon will be rendered off during cooking. This makes air-fried bacon significantly healthier than bacon cooked in the oven or on the stovetop, because it isn't cooking in its own grease.

Can I put aluminum foil in an air fryer? ›

An air fryer is simply a small oven that runs on convection heat. The heat is circulated around a tight space by a powerful fan that lies just below or behind the heating element. Just as in a standard oven, it is perfectly safe to use aluminum foil in the air fryer.

Can you air fry eggs? ›

Place cold eggs into the air fryer basket. Air fry the fresh eggs at 270 degrees Fahrenheit for 17 minutes of cook time. Carefully remove the cooked eggs from the basket of the air fryer and place them into a bowl of ice water.

Why can't you cook bacon from frozen? ›

Although it isn't the ideal way to cook it, bacon can be cooked from frozen. As the bacon is frozen, it will take slightly longer to cook if it's straight from the freezer rather than the fridge. As a result, you should allocate extra cooking time and ensure the bacon is cooked through before serving.

Does frozen cooked bacon taste good? ›

If you have more leftovers than you can use within the week, you can extend the shelf life of cooked meat by freezing it. With your bacon in the freezer, you can expect the same delicious flavor, texture and all-around quality for about two to three months.

Is bacon good when frozen? ›

Cured meats have a short shelf life, even in the freezer, because of the high fat content and the development of rancid flavors. Rancidity develops even in the freezer and the presence of the curing salts hastens its development. The Food Marketing Institute recommends that opened bacon not be frozen.

What cannot be cooked in air fryer? ›

8 Things You Probably Shouldn't Cook in an Air Fryer
  1. Battered foods. Avoid placing wet batter in the air fryer. ...
  2. Fresh greens. Leafy greens like spinach will cook unevenly because the machine uses high-speed air. ...
  3. Whole roasts. ...
  4. Cheese. ...
  5. Raw grains. ...
  6. Hamburgers. ...
  7. Toast. ...
  8. Popcorn.
Feb 23, 2023

Should you put frozen meat in air fryer? ›

As long as you have an air fryer, frozen steak is no problem. In fact, can be delicious. You can't always fire up the grill, but air frying can be a surprisingly simple way to prepare mouthwatering fresh steak. And some experts recommend cooking steak from frozen, as thawing can produce tougher meat.

What frozen foods are good in an air fryer? ›

Favorite Frozen Foods for Air Frying
  • Air Fryer Frozen French Fries. ...
  • Air fryer frozen steak fries. ...
  • Frozen sweet potato fries in the air fryer. ...
  • Frozen hashbrowns in air fryer. ...
  • Air fryer tater tots. ...
  • Air fryer frozen potato skins. ...
  • Air fryer frozen falafel. ...
  • Air fryer frozen samosas.
Aug 6, 2022

Why are my frozen French fries soggy in the air fryer? ›

Your air fryer French fries could come out mushy or soggy if you don't air fry them at the right temperature. Follow my directions and you should be fine! Another thing to look out for is an overcrowded basket. If the hot air is unable to pass between the potatoes, they won't get crispy.

Why is my frozen food soggy in the air fryer? ›

Preheat Your Air Fryer

Frozen food is naturally more prone to becoming mushy as it thaws because it will release water. Though the good news is, jumping this hurdle isn't difficult. Simply preheat your air fryer beforehand because the high heat will more quickly evaporate the water in your frozen food.

Do I need to defrost frozen French fries before air frying? ›

No need to thaw or defrost your bag of frozen French fries. Simply take it out and place the frozen fries in the air fryer tray or basket. Spread them out so they're evenly spread out in a single layer.

How do you make bacon crispy in an air fryer? ›

Arrange the bacon slices in the bottom of your air fryer basket, trying to avoid overlapping them. More space around your food means better crisping and faster cooking. Cook the bacon in the air fryer at 350°F/177°C for 6-8 minutes. The final cook time will depend on how crispy you like your bacon.

Where does the grease go when you air fry bacon? ›

The fat drips down in the bottom of the tray so your bacon isn't fat-logged, just perfectly cooked.

Is bacon better on parchment or foil? ›

If you line your baking sheet with foil, the grease gathers in the bottom of the pan for easy clean up. We like to add a sheet of parchment paper on top of the foil, which keeps the bacon from sticking and helps it cook more evenly.

Does bacon taste good in air fryer? ›

Bacon tastes amazing, as always, but it's so easy to get it perfect in an air fryer. They're evenly cooked, tender or crisp. You can control how done they get. If you like it a bit on the tender side or the crisp side, either way it's going to be scrumptious.

Is bacon better in microwave or air fryer? ›

Air fryers specialize in crisping up fries, vegetables and the like. Microwaves agitate water molecules, so are better suited to high-water content foods, excelling at steaming vegetables or reheating leftovers. If you need to make a decision between the two, you're in the right place.

What not to do when cooking bacon? ›

Instructions
  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F*.
  2. Line a rimmed baking sheet with foil (for easier clean up). ...
  3. Lay bacon slices in a single layer on the foil.
  4. Bake in the oven for 12-20 minutes, until bacon is cooked how you like it. ...
  5. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper-towel lined plate to absorb excess grease.
Sep 3, 2021

Is it OK to bake frozen bacon? ›

Yes, you sure can. There's so much fat in a bacon that it can thaw in just a few minutes. Just make sure you cook frozen bacon in individual slices and not in a one big rock of frozen bacon. (Here are otherfoods that you can cook straight from the freezer.)

What is the best temp and time for bacon? ›

400 degrees fahrenheit works well for both regular and thick cut bacon. Heat your oven and cook the bacon for 10 to 20 minutes or until it's reached your desired level of crispiness. I do rotate the pan halfway through, just to ensure even cooking, but that's it.

What is the best temperature for bacon? ›

Bake at 400 Degrees F.

Some recipes recommend baking bacon at other temperatures or starting the bacon in a cold oven, but I found that a preheated 400 degrees F is the best temperature for baking bacon. It cooks the bacon evenly no matter its thickness and the bacon won't splatter.

Why is restaurant bacon so much better? ›

The secret is pre-cooking your bacon

Regardless of the perfect meat-to-fat ratio and peak freshness, the real secret to diner-worthy bacon is the cooking method. According to Epicurious, par-cooking it in the oven is the preferred method of many restaurant owners.

Is 3 year old frozen bacon still good? ›

Editor: According to the USDA, fresh or thawed bacon should be used within 7 days. Technically, frozen food will stay safe to eat nearly indefinitely, but for the sake of quality and taste we tend to freeze bacon no more than a few months.

Is 2 year old frozen bacon still good? ›

Yes, you can eat 2-year-old frozen bacon. Frozen meat is fine for cooking and safe to eat. However, remember that food quality tends to deteriorate over time so fresh is always best.

Is it OK to thaw bacon in cold water? ›

They recommend thawing bacon in the refrigerator as a best practice, but, of course, that requires planning ahead. Unless you have time to stop for a fresh package from the store, it's okay to use COLD water, not warm.

Is it OK to defrost bacon in hot water? ›

Take the package of bacon out of the freezer and place in a large bowl or container of cold water. Do not use warm water or hot water or it will start to cook it at an unsafe temperature. This process takes about 30 minutes.

How do you defrost bacon in 30 minutes? ›

package of frozen bacon will usually defrost in tap water in under 30 minutes. Simply fill your sink with cold water. Add the bacon in its original packaging or in a sealed zip top bag. Allow bacon to sit in the water until it is defrosted, flipping it over every now and then so that the defrosting is even.

Why not to cook bacon in an air fryer? ›

With bacon, that's a bad idea. Because bacon is so fatty, cooking it at high temps in your air fryer will typically cause all the fat to drip off, shrinking the strips down to just the lean parts, and also potentially causing all that dripping hot fat to fill your kitchen with smoke.

Why is everything better in an air fryer? ›

Air fryers use less oil than deep fryers

It uses heat and air to cook food evenly. Air fryers are healthier than regular frying because they don't use as much oil as a deep fryer does, but they give your food an equally satisfying taste.

Why is food better in an air fryer? ›

Air fryers use significantly less oil than deep fat fryers, and a 2015 study demonstrated that food cooked using an air fryer were as a result substantially lower in fat. An air fryer does this by heating the food in hot air which contains fine oil droplets.

Can you put a glass dish in an air fryer? ›

Any glass you use in an air fryer should be tempered and oven-safe. The best options for air fryer cooking are those glasses made of borosilicate glass, like the well-known brand Pyrex. This particular type of glass is made in a 1000 degree F oven, making it super durable!

Is it better to use parchment paper or aluminum foil in an air fryer? ›

Laurence says she always chooses parchment paper over aluminum foil in the air fryer. Parchment paper is more versatile because it is non-reactive, whereas aluminum foil is reactive. "Whatever food you're putting on that aluminum foil is going to react with aluminum," Laurence says.

Are steaks good in an air fryer? ›

High heat is the best for cooking steak, because the less time it spends cooking, the more tender it will be. That makes the air fryer GREAT for cooking steak. The air fryer cooks food by blowing intensely hot air down and around it—an ideal way to make juicy, tender steak that will have your family oohing and ahhing.

Can you toast bread in an air fryer? ›

Toasting bread in the air fryer is about as easy as it gets. Add the bread to the air fryer and cook at 390ºF until toasted to your liking. For me, this is around 4-5 minutes. Don't forget to flip halfway through for even toasting!

What happens when you put a whole egg in the air fryer? ›

Air fryer eggs are easy to peel and ready in 15 minutes or less! Making hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs has never been easier! If you want to make quick and easy-to-peel hard-boiled or soft-boiled eggs, you have to try them in the air fryer! You don't need to wait for water to boil or worry about dirtying a pot.

Can you make a cooked breakfast in an air fryer? ›

Did you know you can cook a whole English breakfast in your air fryer? We didn't, but it can be a much quicker and healthier way than frying in a pan with lots of oil. Plus - there's less washing up too, win-win! This recipe includes an air fryer fried egg, crispy bacon, sausages, hash browns and baked beans.

What is the best way to cook bacon in an air fryer? ›

Step 1Lay bacon inside air fryer basket in a single layer. Step 2Set air fryer to 400° and cook until crispy, about 10 minutes. (You can check halfway through and rearrange slices with tongs.)

Is it better to cook bacon in the air fryer or the oven? ›

Is it healthier to cook bacon in the air fryer? Since food is suspended in the air fryer basket, most of the excess fat from the bacon will be rendered off during cooking. This makes air-fried bacon significantly healthier than bacon cooked in the oven or on the stovetop, because it isn't cooking in its own grease.

What should you not cook in an air fryer? ›

8 Things You Probably Shouldn't Cook in an Air Fryer
  • Battered foods. Avoid placing wet batter in the air fryer. ...
  • Fresh greens. Leafy greens like spinach will cook unevenly because the machine uses high-speed air. ...
  • Whole roasts. ...
  • Cheese. ...
  • Raw grains. ...
  • Hamburgers. ...
  • Toast. ...
  • Popcorn.
Feb 23, 2023

Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer? ›

An air fryer is simply a small oven that runs on convection heat. The heat is circulated around a tight space by a powerful fan that lies just below or behind the heating element. Just as in a standard oven, it is perfectly safe to use aluminum foil in the air fryer.

Can you put parchment paper in an air fryer? ›

With holes to help the hot air circulate and cook your food to perfection, our air fryer liners suit the job perfectly. Parchment paper can handle the heat inside your air fryer - up to 428°F (220°C). To get the best results, add the parchment paper to the air fryer basket at the same time as you add your ingredients.

Is aluminum foil better than parchment paper for bacon? ›

A baking sheet or parchment paper? The best way to cook bacon in the oven is on parchment paper because it allows for an easy cleanup. Once you're done and it's cooled down, simply roll all that grease up into the center of the parchment paper and throw it away!

Do you need to spray on the aluminum foil for bacon? ›

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil (up the edges), and then lightly spray foil with non-stick baking spray. Lay strips of uncooked bacon onto the foil in a single layer, leaving a bit of space between each slice. IMPORTANT: Place baking sheet into oven, and THEN turn the oven on to 400°F. THAT'S RIGHT!

Does bacon in the air fryer taste good? ›

Bacon tastes amazing, as always, but it's so easy to get it perfect in an air fryer. They're evenly cooked, tender or crisp. You can control how done they get. If you like it a bit on the tender side or the crisp side, either way it's going to be scrumptious.

Is it better to cook bacon on high or low? ›

Bacon cooks best low and slow. Whether on the stove or in the oven, don't cook it at a temperature that's too high or you risk uneven cooking, or worse, burned bacon.

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