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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, a simple egg scramble, 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.
Instructions
[ See step photos See my tips ]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
146 Comments
Kristyn
0I love cooking bacon this way!! I rarely fry it on the stove top!
Natalie
0Love all the benefits from cooking bacon in the oven! I would cook bacon more often, since it’s quicker & easier clean up! Turns out so crisp!
Jacqueline Debono
0I agree with you oven baked bacon is the best, especially if you want it crispy! I love adding it to salads and soups!
Jeannette
0What a fantastic way to evenly cook bacon! I love how you can have so many in the oven at once instead of just a few in the airfryer.
Dannii
0I have never seen bacon get this crispy in the oven. I can’t wait to try it.
Beth
0Yum! My daughter is going to love this recipe! So excited to show her!
Gail Montero
0Looks crispy-licious! I should try this in my oven soon!
Mary Ann
0I always use Thick cut bacon. What temperature and length of time would I bake this thickness of bacon?
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Mary Ann, Thick cut bacon will require a longer cook time. Depending on the thickness, it may take up to 26 minutes in the oven. Be sure to keep an eye on your bacon the first time you do this, so you’ll get a good idea of how long it will take for your preferred brand.
BB
0Those is easy and easy clean up-a huge time saver! I cook a batch and save it to use all week. Just heat it up when cooking eggs or whatever. It’s one of my fav go to recipes!
Diane
0tytyty
Sherrie
0You are a genius! My husband loves bacon and I can’t stand making it, cuz it splatters grease all over the top stove. Hence making a laborous cleaning of the stove grates and the stove itself, let alone where it pops grease out onto the floor and I can\t tell you how many little grease burns I’ve gotten on my hands from slotting bacon grease. So, I came across this recipe for baked bacon. I have to admit, I was a bit hesitant…. IE: bacon grease all over the oven…I tried it with your “almost-promise” LOL, that it won’t sput grease. ALAS! I tried it and no grease in the oven and the most MARVELOUS crispy bacon. And it certainly tied down my cooking dilemna, and freed more time for me to cook other things, while the bacon was baking. THANK YOU SO MUCH! You have made an impact in my chef endeavors!
I adore your recipes, by the way… So much great inspiring cooking. Thank you always, Sherrie
Thee3
0The bacon and grease did splatter everywhere it touched metal; be it the pan or the wire rack! I tried this method years ago and got the same result! Stick with the skillet method!
Wholesome Yum M
0Hi Thee3, I’m sorry you didn’t care for this method. It is very helpful when preparing a large amount of bacon at once.
Lorenza
0thank you for this interesting post!
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!