How To Cook Bacon in the Oven

If you get tired of frying bacon and dealing with grease splattering on stovetop in the skillet, try making it in the oven. Baking bacon in oven is easy to do and oven safe with simple steps.

Once you learn how to cook bacon in the oven, you will not cook bacon any other way. I actually have been cooking bacon in the oven for years. It is so much easier and a lot less mess to clean up. You can even make Baked Turkey Bacon and Air Fryer Bacon for another option.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe!

• No stovetop mess. The oven cooks the bacon without grease splattering everywhere.
• Cook it your way. Bake it less for softer bacon or longer for crispy bacon.
• Great for meal prep. Make a big batch and reheat it throughout the week.
• Budget Friendly. Save the bacon grease for other recipes.
• Perfect for a crowd. Use two baking sheets to cook more bacon at once.

With over 14 years of developing recipes and 8 kids to feed, I have made a lot of bacon over the years. Baking it in the oven is the easiest way I have found to make a big batch with less mess.

Different Types of Bacon You Can Buy

• Thin Bacon: This is for for ultra-quick cooking and will get you the crispiest bacon. Bake for about 12-15 minutes.
• Medium Bacon: You can still get crispy bacon, but it will take longer and some pieces will be chewier. Bake for about 15-20 minutes.
• Thick Bacon: Buy this bacon, if you like a thicker, chewier bacon. Bake for about 20-25 minutes.

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

Step 1 – First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Do not start with a cold oven. You want the oven preheated for the crispiest bacon.

Step 2 – Second, line a baking sheet with parchment paper or aluminum foil while the oven is preheating. You can also line a baking sheet with foil, but I prefer parchment paper.

Step 3 – Next, put the strips of bacon slices in a single layer on top of the parchment paper in the sheet pan. We recommend not overlapping the bacon.

Step 4 – Bake for 15 to 22 minutes depending on how crispy you prefer bacon. Start checking the bacon after 15 minutes. Along with a deep golden-brown color, look for the fatty parts of the bacon to shrink and sizzling sound to slow down.

Step 5 – The bacon will crisp up slightly more after they have cooled slightly. The time will also vary based on thick cut bacon or regular cut.

Step 6 – I suggest using a paper towel lined plate to put the cooked bacon on or a cooling rack. This will help drain any excess bacon grease once you transfer the bacon.

Expert Tips

• Crispy Bacon – If you prefer perfectly crispy bacon, place the bacon on a wire rack (baking rack) on top of the parchment paper on the rimmed baking sheet. This is optional but another idea.
• Make Ahead – This recipe is great to pre-make bacon for the family for the entire week. I love to make a big batch of bacon and everyone can enjoy all week for a quick breakfast or to make a BLT for lunch.
• Last a Week – Bacon will keep up to a week. Just microwave to reheat. Bacon makes the perfect little snack.
• Drain the Grease – Don’t forget to use a paper towel to help drain the grease. It makes a big difference.
• Crowd Favorite – Need to feed a crowd? You can use 2 large baking sheets to make even more bacon. My baking pans fit a pound of bacon on each and makes it so easy to cook a bunch.
• Brinner – Make breakfast for dinner. I don’t know why but just a simple change in times and my kids go crazy over this dinner idea!
• No need to flip – There is no need to flip the bacon as it cooks. The oven’t heat cooks it evenly on the baking sheet.

Is It Healthier to Bake Bacon?

Here are 2 reasons why it is better to cook bacon in the oven than fry it on the stove:

• My favorite thing about baking bacon is that the grease from the bacon drips off and is collected below the rack if you use a baking rack. That means it stays off the bacon.
• Another step I take to help make my oven baked bacon healthier is placing it on a paper lined plate. This allows any grease to drip off and soak into the paper towel.
• I also like to pat off any remaining grease with a paper towel. This further reduces the amount of fat left on each slice. This also makes the bacon crispier too.

While baked bacon is slightly healthier than fried bacon, it is still bacon. Enjoy it in moderation. Whenever we have bacon, I like to serve it with fresh fruits and whole grains to make a complete meal.

Save the Bacon Grease

Pour cooled bacon grease through a fine mesh strainer into a heatproof jar and refrigerate it. Use it in a place of oil or butter for eggs, vegetables, or gravy for the best flavor.

Cooked Bacon – How to Use it

• Make a BLT – Bacon, lettuce and tomato Sandwich. Have you tried this with fried green tomatoes?
• Bacon goes great with pancakes or waffles. Add a side of fruit for a delicious breakfast as you send them off to school.
• Make Bacon Bits – Crumble the cooked bacon to make homemade bacon bits. Perfect to put on a salad or on a baked potatoes.
• Brunch– Bacon, cheesy potatoes, Lemon Blueberry Muffins, biscuits and fruit. Yum!
• Easy Bacon Biscuits – Homemade biscuits are so easy. Top your biscuit with bacon, egg and cheese as your are heading out the door.
• Casserole – Use the bacon to make Bacon Egg and Cheese Breakfast Casserole
• Bacon and Eggs. It is so good scrambled together.

How to Freeze Cooked Bacon

Freezing cooked bacon is very easy. Allow the baked bacon slices to cool completely.

Then place in an airtight freezer-safe storage container. Freeze. It will stay fresh in the freezer for up to 3 months.

Remove and thaw slices as desired. I like to reheat them in the oven so they become crispy again.

Frequently Asked Questions