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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
Clare
0OMG! This is the best way to cook bacon! Crispy, heavenly-tasting, much easier to keep from burning it than in the pan. The only problem is I want to eat it all!
Thank you for the recipe. It’s really helping me stick with Keto.
Here’s how my keto journey has gone so far:
Day 1: I miss fruit! And bread! And rice! I don’t know if I can do this.
Day 2: So tired and hungry. This sucks.
Day 3: Meh. I might live after all. Dinner was yummy.
Day 4: While eating your delicious bacon for breakfast: “Keto forever! I am never going back!”
Thank you. 🙂
Niecey
0Thanks for the great directions!
I like to pour bacon grease into a rectangle dish that I line with aluminum foil and then baking paper. I put the whole contraption in the freezer. Once the bacon grease is solidified, I wrap it with the baking paper and aluminum foil. I keep the little bricks in the freezer for longest-lasting grease. I shave off a little to add to SOUPS, STEWS, and any baking done in a pan! It adds a NICE richness to all of my dishes!
Lynne
0Can you use turkey bacon?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Lynne, Yes, but the cook time may vary. Be sure to keep an eye on it.
Lisa
0This is one of our favorite ways to make bacon! Enjoyed reading the tips!
cjsbabygirl
0I have never tried oven-baked bacon before, but I’m going to tonight (we’re having “breakfast for dinner”). Also, another great way to use bacon grease is to add it to your green beans when cooking (along with some garlic), and also to cook your pancakes in!
cjsbabygirl
0Update: Just made these and PERFECTION! in MY oven I was able to bake thick-cut bacon at 400 degrees for exactly 25 minutes. I did spray my cooling rack with cooking spray first (the PAM grilling high-heat one) and line the pan with foil because it does make clean-up easier!
Laura
0This recipe is delicious. I add some brown sugar on top and it comes out divine. I find that if I spray the racks with cooking spray before putting the bacon on, it doesn’t stick.
Annise’
0Thank you so much for this awesome way to cook bacon!! I am so happy I happened upon your site! I’ve always cooked bacon the traditional way, the way my mom and grandmother showed me! I grew up in a farm and the only correct way to cook it was in a cast iron skillet! So happy times have changed and I’m ready and willing to change with them! Thank you again and you had me at “no splatter”! Take care!
Carolina Camargo
0Hi… If we can’t find the bacon you recommend, which other brand option we can have?
Sherrie
0We have a low sodium bacon at our grocery store…. and for some reason the low sodium bacon has 0 sugar in it. We always welcome lower salt and not too much sugar in our home. 🙂
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Carolina, There are many brands of bacon that are very low sugar! Read the nutrition labels and try to find bacon that is either sugar-free or 1g or less.
Terry J
0Thank you for such amazing tips! Always prefer cooking bacon in the oven using the oven racks. It is way much cleaner and bacon turns out crispy and perfectly cooked. I love bacon cooked this way and it turns out to be delicious!
Mike in France
0Cooking bacon in the oven was very good. I wish the rack as easy to clean, that was hard, laborious work! after soaking over night I had to use a brush and steel wool. That is the only reason I won’t do it again. Find me a disposable one time use rack and I’m back.
Pete
0How do you know if a rack is oven-safe?
Angela
0Did the bacon at 400 degrees for 15-18 minutes and they came out nice and crispy! I peaked in around the 8 minute mark to check on how fast it was cooking. Some pieces I removed at 15 minutes. I would definitely recommend checking periodically since it could go from crispy to burnt quickly. First time doing it in the oven and the clean up was easy (had parchment under the rack) and there were no splatters while it cooked. I’ll only be cooking bacon this way from now on. Thank you!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Pete, An oven-safe rack should be metal and fit into a walled sheet pan as shown in the images. Please don’t use a flat cookie sheet, the grease will spill off the sides and make a huge mess.
Deb
0So easy and nice and crispy.
Gary Mcclintock
0I love bacon cooked this way. The first time I tried it the bacon perfect but the rack was difficult to clean.
Now when the bacon is done and removed I drain the grease from the pan, remove the foil liner and set the pan (mine is almost 1 inch deep) across the sink , place a kitchen sponge under one end to level pan, set rack in pan upside down.run hot water into pan adding a little dish soap and let it soak a bit. The rack is easy to clean with just a sponge and warm soapy water.
Mimi
0Too much wok to clean up the rack and pan. I line the pan with foil or parchment, bake at 400 until my preferred crispiness, drain the grease for later (yasss!) and throw the foil away. No cleaning needed!
Ruth Cooper
0I’ll try it but I get perfectly flat bacon by sandwiching it between two cookie trays and baking in the oven. Then I drain off the fat to use for cooking and let the bacon sit on paper towels until cool enough to store in the fridge.
Damion
0You should mention that thicknesses heavily vary the time it takes. In my oven at 400 degrees, even thick cut bacon is crispy in less than 10 minutes. Any more and I’m eating charcoal.
Laura
0I think it depends on your oven. Thick bacon takes well over 20 minutes in mine as well as thinner bacon.
Deb Grossheim
0Quick method – place bacon the rack of a parchment lined baking sheet.
Place in a cold oven, set temp to 400′ and set the timer 10 minutes. My oven usually takes 12 minutes, but I don’t like burned bacon.
Katy Gammons
0Bacon grease is also great for popping popcorn on the stove! Just use bacon grease instead of oil- Best popcorn you’ll ever eat! My husband’s grandmother used to fry slices of hog jowl(which tastes just like bacon), pop popcorn in the grease, and then mixed the pieces of crispy fried hog jowl in with the popcorn. Not heart healthy but it tasted great! Lol
Kevin
0I don’t know how I could have gone wrong here. I used a pan with a rack on it and cook the bacon at 400° for 18 minutes. Bacon came out black and way over cooked to the point it’s not edible.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Kevin, Sorry to hear that happened. I’d guess that either your oven runs hot or your bacon was very thinly sliced – the thickness affects the cook time. So with the bacon you used, I’d recommend checking on it sooner next time.
Michelle
0Prefect bacon at 400 degrees for about 22 to 23 minutes! My husband made bacon in the microwave for at least 30 years. Now that he’s having some health problems, I decided to try making it in the oven on my half-sheet pan with a rack, as making it in the microwave was messy and always required my cleaning the microwave afterwards. Your directions on wholesomeyum came up first and I followed your 400 degree directions to the T. The bacon was not only delicious but perfectly crisped and picture-perfect pretty, too. My husband said we’re never doing it any other way from now on. I’m just checking in this morning to refresh my memory as we’re heading downstairs in a bit to have some bacon with my famous blueberry pancakes!
JR
0Never again. Oven was grease splattered. Whole house smells.
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Sorry you had issues with it. I’ve made this about 100 times and never had it splatter in my oven. Did you do anything differently from the recipe? The bacon smell is expected and will happen when cooking bacon, even if you cook it using a different method. 🙂
Cathy Bjornberg
0If you put aluminum foil on the bottom of the pan, it aids with greasy clean-up. It also makes collecting your bacon fat easier.
Arthur Morgan
0Thick sliced is best for me. I like to go a couple more minutes longer at 400 deg than the 23 minutes in the recipe. I also like adding a sprinkle of brown sugar to the bacon and a little shake or two of liquid smoke over the sugar.
Michelle in New Orleans
0Right before I made blueberry pancakes this morning, I looked up how most people make bacon in the oven and found your instructions. My husband normally makes it in the microwave but he’s going through chemo and is on a walker so I figured I’d try making it in the oven. He wrapped the sheet pan in foil and I put the rack on and 8 pieces of bacon fit on it with just a smidge of space between pieces. I preheated my oven to 400F and started out at 20 minutes because the bacon, while not being thick-cut, was a little thicker than the normal brand we use. After checking it and both of us thinking it needed a bit more cooking, I put it back in for 2-1/2 minutes. Took it out, patted the bacon with a paper towel and let it sit for a couple of minutes until the pancakes were ready. Even my husband said it’s too easy not to do it this way all the time. Delicious! Thanks for helping me out!
G. Poon
0Recipe works very well. Five stars. Blog entry is too wordy…just get to the recipe and facts.
Sherrie
0Ummm…. it’s a blog. LOL! Skip to “RECIPE” if you don’t want to hear of her interesting blog.
Virginia
0Air Fryer Oven, would it work in it?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Virginia, Yes, and air fryer will do the job just as well!
Barbara blumer
0If cooking ahead of time (day before) how would you reheat it?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Barbara, You can reheat it either in the oven again at 350 degrees F or in a frying pan.
Jeanette Duval
0We all need to remember that all ovens vary in temperature, evenness of cooking, and speed with which it heats up. Experiment and watch like a hawk the first few times you use this method… it is well worth it. I line my pan with foil and let the bacon cook in its grease, I remove it it immediately from the sheet and my bacon does not absorb too much of the rendered fat… my oven runs hot, so I tried 375 fir 20 minutes… way overcooked, not burnt just very well done… I will try 16 minutes next time. Thank you for sharing this with us!
Linda Axon
0What if I don’t like my bacon crispy? I don’t want it uncooked or too limp, but prefer a little “bend- ability.” Should i cook it shorter, at a lower temp or what?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Linda, you can just cook it for slightly less time.
Diane
0Wow, no kidding? It doesn’t make a mess in your oven, really?
I’ve known about this method for a couple of years but have not done it in the oven because I was sure I’d be having to do a big ol’ major oven clean right after! You almost have me considering it. I may try it.
Shea Wiley
0I cook my bacon this way, but I rub brown sugar on it before I put it in the oven. My family loves it.
Adina
0Try brushing bacon with a bit of chili paste or spicy ketchup. Gives it a nice little kick but won’t be quite as crispy. There are plenty of low carb options. Almost always cook my bacon in the oven, way less mess. Thanks for the temps/times. I usually have to guess.
Diana
0It needed about 29 minutes at 400 degrees to be done. 90% of the bacon was so stuck on the rack that the only way I could remove it was to break it to tiny bits. Maybe if I had taken it out earlier when it still wet and translucent in parts, maybe that would have helped the sticking problem.
Wholesome Yum
0Hi Diana, did you line your pan and/or use a rack? Both go a long way to prevent sticking.
Lynn Shipley
0You don’t need to flip the bacon?
Maya | Wholesome Yum
0Hi Lynn, Nope, no need to flip it. It cooks evenly due to the air flow using the rack.
Shay L.
0I only make bacon in the oven, it really IS the best way to make it!
J.R.
0My family has been cooking bacon this way for years. If you don’t have a rack, no problem. We’ve cooked bacon with and without a rack and it does still get perfectly crispy.
Leslie
0I totally agree! This is absolutely the best way to cook bacon! I’ve been doing this forever since culinary school!
Anne Lawton
0I used to cook my bacon on the microwave because on top of the stove was too messy! And then I discovered the oven method, which is the best way and it smells so good! Thanks for the tips they are very helpful!
Katie
0I’ve found this to be the easiest and least messy way to make bacon! I love this! Great tutorial as well 🙂
Jennifer
0Definitely a life skill everyone should know!!!! Thanks for sharing
Zuzana
0I just love this full proper instruction. Now I really have to try it.
Hope
0Totally the best way to cook bacon! It gets so lovely and crispy and love that it is minus all the splatter!
Jean
0So easy without all the splatter! This is the only way I do it when I’m cooking for a group.
Joni Gomes
0This is for sure the best way to cook bacon!
Raia Todd
0I love bacon in the oven so much better than from a pan!
Irena Macri
0Once you go oven-baked, you never go back! Thanks for sharing the magic because someone needs to. Yum!
Kelly
0I definitely need to do this. So much less mess!
Erica D.
0We love doing bacon in the oven, even the toaster oven (after all, it’s just a tiny convection oven!).
Erin Dee
0So quick and easy! This is bacon perfection!
Wilhelmina
0I will never make bacon any other way!
Alyssa
0Perfect bacon! Cooking it in the oven is a game-changer.