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GET IT NOWSimple tutorials are one of my favorite things here at Wholesome Yum, and today I want to show you one I use at least once a week: How to cook bacon in the oven! I’ve been cooking bacon this way for 5+ years, and while it’s super simple, I’ve got a few tips and tricks to help you get those perfectly uniform, crispy results every time. Make this oven baked bacon with me, and you might never cook it another way again!
Why Should You Bake Bacon?
- Crispy bacon every time – It’s wavy, it’s gorgeous, it’s perfect! I love the consistent results of this method.
- Quick and easy – Pop it in the oven and go do something else. Much better than standing at the stove.
- Can make a lot at once – Baking bacon in the oven is a great way to make large batches, and faster than a few slices at a time in a skillet. (I use this method for turkey bacon in the oven, too.) If you want a smaller batch, my methods for microwave bacon and air fryer bacon are your best bet.
- Less mess – The oven cooks more evenly than the stovetop, which means gentle sizzling instead of a splattering mess all over your stove. If you do get a few splatters inside the oven, most ovens have a self-cleaning cycle that makes them easy to wipe away.
How To Cook Bacon In The Oven
I have step-by-step photos here to help you visualize the recipe. For full instructions, including amounts and temperatures, see the recipe card.
- Preheat your oven. This ensures even cooking. (See temp info below!)
- Arrange the bacon strips. Place an oven-safe cooling rack over a rimmed baking sheet, and arrange the strips of bacon on the rack in a single layer. You can line the pan with aluminum foil or parchment paper underneath the rack, for easier clean-up.
- Bake bacon in the oven. Pop the pan into the preheated oven and let it do all the work! Don’t miss my tips below, too.
My Tips For Crispy Results
- My top tip for crispy bacon in the oven: Use a wire rack! I use and love this set. This means it doesn’t sit in the grease as it cooks (so the fat drips down) and there is more air flow, which gets you that perfect crispness. I discovered this method when making bacon wrapped asparagus, but the same concept works for baking bacon all by itself, too.
- But can you do it without a rack? Yes, you can. It’s just more crispy with the rack.
- Should you line the pan? Yes, I recommend lining the pan with aluminum foil underneath the rack, going over the edges of the pan. That way, you can fold it inward at the end for easy cleanup. Sometimes I use parchment paper (pictured above), though that doesn’t clean up as nicely, but looked better for my pictures (lol).
- Make sure the slices are not overlapping. However, they will shrink a little while cooking, so a tiny bit of overlap is okay. If I’m trying to fit in that extra piece and they are a little crowded, I spread them out with tongs halfway through baking once they shrink.
- Do you have to flip the pieces? I usually don’t, but you can if you like. I do recommend flipping if you don’t have a rack.
- Have a particularly sensitive smoke detector? Mine never goes off when I cook bacon in the oven, but if you’re worried about it, you can add a small amount of water to the bottom of the rimmed sheet pan (underneath the rack). You won’t really be able to save the bacon grease that way, though, since it will be mixed with water.
- Drain on a paper towel-lined plate and pat dry. Your baked bacon will crisp up more as it cools, and you can improve its crispness by removing excess grease. Use tongs to transfer to a paper towel-lined plate after cooking, then blot the extra grease away on top.
- How do you know when it’s done? This is partially a matter of preference, but I look for the fatty part to shrink significantly and signs of crispness. It won’t be fully crisp until you blot it and it cools from hot to warm, though, which is the case with any cooking method.
How Long To Cook Bacon in the Oven?
The cooking time for oven baked bacon will vary depending on its thickness. I usually get average bacon and bake it for 18 to 23 minutes at 400 degrees F. Thin bacon will be faster, 15-19 minutes, while thick cut bacon will take longer, 22-26 minutes.
Saving The Bacon Grease
One of the reasons I love cooking bacon in the oven is that the bacon grease drips down, so it’s super easy to reserve for other uses.
- Save it: Tilt the pan over a container or jar, so that the bacon fat collects at the corner and drips down. Do this while the pan is still hot, before the bacon grease becomes solid. I just use an oven mitt to hold the pan.
- Store it: Keep the reserved grease in an airtight container in the fridge. It will last at least 3 months. It will solidify, but will melt if you heat it later. You can also freeze it, pretty much forever.
- What to do with it: Bacon grease can add flavor to savory dishes instead of butter or oil, as long as the heat isn’t too high. I use it to fry eggs, or add it to stir fry vegetables (or simply sauteed veggies) toward the end.
Ways To Use It
I love making a big batch of oven bacon to use in different ways throughout the week. Here are some serving ideas for both now and later:
- Breakfast – My favorite simple breakfast is bacon, fried eggs, and sliced avocado, pictured above, or you can turn them into my breakfast salad if you want something more special. You can also serve it on the side with almond flour pancakes (or banana oat pancakes — my kids’ favorite!), oven baked eggs, my build-your-own omelette recipe, or even a fritatta.
- Casseroles – My most popular ones are chicken bacon ranch casserole and cheesy loaded cauliflower casserole.
- Soups – While you can saute the bacon before adding the liquid, adding it pre-cooked is more convenient if you have some on hand. My fave is bacon cheeseburger soup, but many readers told me they add it to my broccoli cheese soup as well.
- Salads – Cooking bacon in the oven is particularly convenient for salads, since you’re not usually cooking other parts of the dish, and can do it ahead. It’s a classic in my Cobb salad and wedge salad.
- Appetizers – My bacon deviled eggs, jalapeno poppers, and cheese ball are always crowd pleasers when I set them out at a gathering.
- Side Dishes – Amp up crispy pan fried brussels sprouts, fried cabbage, or even rice or cauliflower rice by adding crumbled bacon to the pan.
- Sandwiches – Grab your favorite bread and make a BLT!
My Favorite Pan & Rack Sets
I have and recommend this large rack or this medium rack, depending on the size you need. Both come with the sheet pan included. They are sturdy, oven safe, don’t stick easily, and made in the USA!
How To Cook Bacon In The Oven
Get my fast, easy method and tips for how to cook bacon in the oven! Baking makes it perfectly crispy every time, without the mess.
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Instructions
Tap on the times in the instructions to start a kitchen timer.
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Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
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Line an extra-large baking sheet (at least 14 x 20) with foil for easy cleanup. Place an oven-safe rack that fits inside over the baking sheet. (Get the perfect pan + rack here!)
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Arrange the bacon slices in a single layer on the rack.
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Place bacon in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 18 to 23 minutes for average bacon, 15-19 minutes for thin bacon, or 22-26 minutes for thick cut bacon, until done to your liking.
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Transfer the bacon to a paper towel lined plate to drain and pat the top with more paper towels to help it get crisp. Allow it to cool for a few minutes to get more crispy.
LAST STEP: Leave a rating to help other readers, or tag me @wholesomeyum on Instagram. I’d love to hear from you!
Maya’s Recipe Notes
Serving size: 1 slice, cooked
📖 Want more recipes like this? Find this one and many more in my Keto Freezer Meal System and Keto Cheat Sheet System!
I provide nutrition facts as a courtesy. Have questions about calculations or why you got a different result? Please see my nutrition policy.
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How To Cook Bacon in the Oven
141 Comments
Cathy
0Love making bacon in the oven, so easy and less oily and messy!! Thank you for the full explanation to how to make the bacon perfectly in the oven!
Mike Hultquist
0Yes! This is the perfect way to make bacon in the oven. No fail! Thanks for sharing the info!
Lisa Huff
0You had me at bacon. 🙂 Cooking it in the oven is the best! It’s perfect!
Juli
0Crispy bacon is the best. When my mom cooks bacon she takes her electric skillet outside so she doesn’t make a greasy mess on her stove. I am going to share this tip with her!!! Thank you for sharing!
Anita
0Cannot agree more. This too has been my way of cooking bacon, with oven. Not to mention one whole big batch at once, super helpful.
Pam Forrester
0What about clean up of the rack? I just do mine in the oven on foil. I have some racks but don’t want to have scrub off bacon debris…Thanks
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Pam, Great question! With the non-stick rack, it cleans pretty easily if I clean it when it’s still warm (not scalding hot, of course). There’s usually no need to scrub it if I do that. I definitely think this is worth it and the bacon comes out way crispier than just baking on foil (which I have tested for comparison).
Michelle
0My rack isn’t non-stick but no bacon stuck to it at all when I cooked it per your 400 degree instructions. I don’t waste any time trying to clean the rack — I just lay it down on top of the top rack of the dishwasher right on top of all the dishes up there. Comes out perfectly clean with no effort on my part. Thank GOD for a dishwasher!
Jenna Urben
0I’m definitely going to give this a try next time I have family in town! My mom and I love our bacon extra crispy 🙂
Karla Frazier
0My mommy wont cook it for me. Sigh. It sounds so good.
Lee Haas
0I’m on a low sodium diet. How much salt is in bacon cooked this way?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lee, This will vary based on the bacon you buy, so it’s best to just check the package label.
Sarah
0Cooking bacon in the oven is my favorite way! I haven’t tried cooking it on a rack yet though, I bet that would help it drain better. I’ll try that next time I make bacon!
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0You have to try it, it’s a total game changer!