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Air fryer turkey bacon is hands down the easiest way to get perfectly crispy, evenly cooked bacon with zero grease splatter and almost no cleanup. The hot circulating air crisps every strip in under 10 minutes, no flipping a hot skillet or babysitting the stove required. It has become our go-to busy-morning protein next to a batch of our easy banana nut muffins, and the kids actually ask for seconds.
If you have been stuck with limp, unevenly cooked turkey bacon, the air fryer is about to completely change your breakfast game.
Air Fryer Turkey Bacon Quick Look
- đź•’ Prep Time: 1 minute
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 10 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 11 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 1 serving (easily scaled)
- ⚡ Calories: 866kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Savory, smoky, and salty with shatter-crisp edges
- âś‹ Difficulty: Beginner easy, even simpler than our air fryer baked potatoes
Quick Answer
Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees for 5 minutes. Lay the turkey bacon strips in a single layer in the basket without overlapping, cooking in batches if needed, and no oil or spray is required. Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping halfway through, until the bacon is cooked and crispy to your liking. Serve immediately. That is all it takes for perfectly crisp turkey bacon with no grease and no mess.
Jump to:
- Air Fryer Turkey Bacon Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Air Fryer Turkey Bacon FAQs
- Other Recommended Easy Breakfast Recipes
- Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Circulating air crisps every strip evenly. Unlike a skillet with hot and cool spots, the air fryer surrounds each piece so they all cook at the same rate.
- No oil needed. Turkey bacon renders just enough of its own fat to crisp up, so you skip the added grease entirely.
- Almost zero cleanup. The drippings collect in the basket instead of splattering your stovetop, so cleanup is a quick rinse.
- You control the crispiness. Check it a minute or two early for chewy bacon, or leave it the full time for shatter-crisp edges.
- It is hands-off. Set the timer, flip once, and walk away to make the rest of breakfast while it cooks.
- It reheats like a dream. Leftover strips crisp right back up in the air fryer for 1 to 2 minutes, perfect for meal prep.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- It is ready in about 10 minutes with one ingredient and basically no cleanup.
- It is a leaner, hands-off protein that pairs perfectly with our overnight breakfast casserole.
- The air fryer gives you consistently crispy results that beat the stovetop every single time.
Key Ingredients
You only need one simple ingredient for crispy air fryer turkey bacon.
- Turkey bacon: The star and only ingredient. Any brand works, so grab your favorite from the refrigerated section.
- Uncured vs cured: Uncured turkey bacon skips synthetic nitrates for a cleaner label, but both cook up the same way in the air fryer.
- Thickness matters: Thicker-cut strips take a minute or two longer, while thin strips crisp up fast, so adjust the time to your brand.
- No oil required: There is no need for cooking spray or extra oil. The turkey bacon renders enough of its own fat to get crispy.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
This easy air fryer turkey bacon is simple to tweak to your taste.
- Sweet and smoky: Brush the strips with a little maple syrup or sprinkle on brown sugar in the last two minutes for candied turkey bacon.
- Peppered: Crack fresh black pepper over the strips before cooking for a peppered bacon flavor.
- Spicy: Dust with a pinch of cayenne or chili powder for a little kick.
- Crumbled topping: Cook it extra crispy, then crumble it over salads, baked potatoes, or soups.
- Build a breakfast: Serve it alongside our overnight breakfast casserole or lemon blueberry coffee cake for a full spread.
How to Make Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees for 5 minutes. Arrange the turkey bacon strips in a single layer in the basket without overlapping, working in batches as needed. No oil or spray is required.
- Air fry for 8 to 10 minutes, flipping the strips halfway through, until the turkey bacon is cooked and crispy to your liking. Serve immediately. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Do not overlap the strips. A single layer with a little space lets the air circulate so every piece crisps evenly.
- Cook in batches if needed. It is worth the extra few minutes to avoid crowding the basket and ending up with soft, steamy bacon.
- Flip halfway through. One quick flip ensures both sides get golden and crisp.
- Watch your first batch closely. Air fryer wattage and bacon thickness vary, so check around the 8 minute mark to dial in your perfect time.
- Preheat for the best results. Starting with a hot basket helps the bacon crisp instead of slowly drying out.
- Empty the drippings between batches. Pouring off the rendered fat keeps the next batch from smoking and helps it crisp faster.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
Crispy air fryer turkey bacon is a breakfast all-star next to scrambled or fried eggs, fresh fruit, and a glass of orange juice. It is also the perfect protein to round out a sweet spread, so serve it with our lemon blueberry coffee cake or a batch of banana nut muffins.
Do not save it just for breakfast. Crispy turkey bacon makes a fantastic addition to sandwiches, wraps, and BLTs, or crumble it over salads, soups, and air fryer baked potatoes for a smoky, salty crunch.
It is also great for meal prep. Cook a big batch on the weekend, store it in the fridge, and crisp up a few strips in the air fryer whenever you need them. Pair it with our overnight breakfast casserole for an easy holiday morning.
Air Fryer Turkey Bacon FAQs
Most turkey bacon cooks in 8 to 10 minutes at 360 degrees, flipping halfway through. Thicker-cut strips may need an extra minute or two, while thin strips can be done closer to 8 minutes. Check your first batch around the 8 minute mark and adjust the time to match your preferred crispiness.
No. Turkey bacon renders enough of its own fat to crisp up beautifully without any added oil or spray. Skipping the oil also keeps the cleanup quick and the bacon from getting greasy.
The most common reason is overcrowding the basket. When the strips touch or overlap, they steam instead of crisp. Arrange them in a single layer with a little space, cook in batches if needed, and add a minute or two of cook time if you like it extra crispy.
Yes. Add a couple of extra minutes and separate the strips as soon as they thaw enough to pull apart, then arrange them in a single layer and continue cooking until crisp. Cooking from thawed gives the most even results, but frozen works in a pinch.
Store cooled leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to four days. To reheat, pop the strips back in the air fryer at 360 degrees for 1 to 2 minutes until hot and crispy again. This makes turkey bacon great for weekly meal prep.
Turkey bacon is generally lower in fat and calories than traditional pork bacon, and cooking it in the air fryer means you do not add any extra oil. It is a lean, protein-rich option, though it can still be high in sodium, so check the label if you are watching your salt intake.
Building the perfect breakfast spread? Make our easy overnight breakfast casserole to go with your crispy turkey bacon.
Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
Equipment
Ingredients
- 8 ounces uncured turkey bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360*F for 5 minutes.
- Arrange strips of turkey bacon sliced in a single layer, not touching into the preheated air fryer basket —no need for cooking spray or extra oil. You will have to cook in batches.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, flipping the turkey bacon slices halfway through until cooked and crispy. Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
- No cooking spray needed, the turkey bacon will not stick to the basket.
- Make sure you use uncured bacon.
- This freezes well, see my tips above on how to store.
Nutrition
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