Whether you’re a fan of tender, crisp, or extra crispy bacon, this simple method of cooking bacon in the oven is easy. There’s no stovetop mess, and it frees up your stove for cooking other breakfast items!
How to Bake Bacon in Oven
There’s something about the smell of bacon in the morning that just feels right! Baked bacon in the oven is a game-changer for those who love this mouthwatering breakfast staple but want to avoid the mess of stovetop frying. It’s incredibly simple, hands-off, and yields perfect results every time. All you need is a sheet pan, some foil, your oven, and of course, your preferred cut of bacon. Use this to make BLTs, on a burger, for baked potatoes, to serve with eggs or your favorite breakfast casserole.
Making Bacon in the Oven Is So Easy
Whenever I have family or friends spending the night and I have a lot of bacon to cook, I always make bacon in the oven! It’s the best method when you need to cook for a crowd. I like to use center cut bacon because it has less fat and calories than regular bacon. If you’re using thick cut bacon, you will have to adjust the time. Here’s why I love this method:
- Less Mess: No mess on the stove after, no standing over the skillet getting splattered
- Easy: Hands off, so you can prepare the eggs or whatever else you’re cooking alongside the bacon.
Ingredients:
- Bacon: Buy one package of center-cut bacon, which has less fat than regular bacon. If your bacon is thick, add more time.
Tools for Bacon in the Oven:
- A large baking sheet or sheet pan
- Aluminum foil or parchment paper
- Oven mitts
- Tongs
- Paper towels
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Everyone likes their bacon different. In my house, I like crisp bacon, not too crisp and my husband prefers it tender with crisp edges so I tested this out three ways to help you achieve your preferred level of doneness for:
- Preheat your oven to 400°F.
- Prepare your sheet pan: Line a large rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil or parchment for easy cleanup. Arrange the bacon strips in a single layer on the foil. Ensure the strips of bacon don’t overlap so they cook evenly.
- Bake: Place the baking sheet in the center of the oven.
How long do you cook bacon in the oven at 400F?
- For tender bacon with crisp edges, bake it for approximately 20 minutes. This timing should render bacon that is fully cooked but still pliant, with just the right amount of crispy bite at the edges. Of course, all ovens cook differently, so you may want to keep an eye on it as it gets closer to 20 minutes.
- For crisp bacon, extend the cooking time to 22 to 23 minutes. The extra couple of minutes in the oven will render out more fat and leave you with completely crispy bacon, yet not overly so.
- For extra crispy bacon, bake for 25 to 26 minutes. During this time, the bacon will reach a crispiness ideal for those who love a hearty crunch with each bite.
- Drain and Serve: When the bacon has reached your desired level of doneness, carefully remove the pan from the oven using oven mitts. With tongs, transfer the bacon slices to a paper towel-lined plate to drain any excess grease.
Ways to Serve Bacon
Enjoy your oven bacon as part of a complete breakfast or brunch spread, on a BLT sandwich, or as a flavor booster crumbled on a salad or wrapped around meat or veggies. With this simple recipe, you can have perfectly cooked bacon just the way you like it every time. Here are some of my favorite ways to use it:
- Breakfast: Serve a few slices of bacon on the side dish with pancakes, waffles, or french toast.
- Eggs: Serve with scrambled eggs, cottage cheese eggs or hard boiled eggs.
- Sandwiches: Use leftover bacon to make a Bacon Egg and Cheese Sandwich on my bagel recipe, or a Turkey Club, or this Bacon Egg Avocado Breakfast Sandwich
- Vegetables: Spaghetti Squash with Bacon and Parmesan
- Soup: Crumble it over soup as garnish like this Cheddar Corn Chowder or Navy Bean, Bacon and Spinach Soup
- Salads: Add to Chopped Wedge Salad, Chopped Salad with Shrimp, Brussels Sprout Salad with Bacon
Storage
Bacon is best eaten straight out of the oven, but if you have leftovers, store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 4 days. Reheat bacon in the microwave, oven, or stove until warm and crispy.
FAQs
The best way to cook bacon is also the easiest. That’s why I love baking it in the oven. It’s hands-off, frees up your stove, and you don’t have to worry about bacon grease splattering everywhere.
You can save excess bacon grease for cooking. Once it’s cooled, store it in a jar in the refrigerator. You would use it just like olive oil or butter to grease your pan and cook vegetables, eggs, and much more. If you don’t want to save it, let it cool and then throw it in the trash. You should never pour bacon grease down the drain.
More Bacon Recipes You’ll Love
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Onions, Bacon, and Parmesan
- Air Fryer Bacon-Wrapped Scallops
- Sweet ‘n Spicy BBQ Turkey Meatballs with Bacon
- Rosemary Chicken Salad with Avocado and Bacon
- Instant Pot Black Beans
How To Make Bacon In the Oven
Equipment
- A large baking sheet or sheet pan
- Aluminum foil
- Oven mitts
- Paper towels
Ingredients
- 12- ounce package center-cut bacon, or bacon of your choice
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 400F.
- Prepare your sheet pan: Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil. This will make your clean-up process a breeze. Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the foil. Be sure the pieces do not overlap, so they cook evenly.
- For tender bacon with crisp edges, bake for approximately 20 minutes. This timing should render bacon that is fully cooked but still pliant, with just the right amount of crispy bite at the edges. Of course, all ovens cook different so you may want to keep an eye on it as the time gets close.
- For crisp bacon, extend the cooking time to 22-23 minutes. The extra couple of minutes in the oven will render out more fat and leave you with bacon that is completely crispy, yet not overly so.
- For extra crispy bacon, bake for 25-26 minutes. During this time, the bacon will reach a level of crispiness that's ideal for those who love a hearty crunch with each bite.
- Drain and serve: When the bacon has reached your desired level of doneness, carefully remove the pan from the oven using oven mitts. With tongs, transfer the bacon slices to a plate lined with paper towels to drain any excess grease.
