Toaster Oven Bacon

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Making crispy bacon is easier than ever with this recipe for Toaster Oven Bacon. The fat renders perfectly leaving you with perfect bacon and the best texture every time!

Slices of bacon cooked in a toaster oven are on a stack of plates with toast and whole fruit to the side.

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I usually cook bacon in a frying pan on the stovetop. Even though I get the best balance between crispy and chewy, I don’t love the popping grease and the mess it leaves behind.

Believe it or not, you can achieve the same thing by cooking bacon in a toaster oven. I don’t have to stand over the stove and wait, I can work on other meal components and the toaster oven will tell me when it’s ready. Trust me, bacon in a toaster oven is a total game-changer. I wish I discovered it sooner!

You can also make Grilled Cheese in the toaster oven as well. It comes out golden and crispy just like the bacon does! If you like sweet and salty, you can also try this recipe for Air Fryer Candied Bacon or this Smoked Maple Bacon. Pair them with the best breakfast finger foods for a satisfying start to the day.

Why You Will Love This Toaster Oven Bacon Recipe

Easy to Make: There are minimal hands-on steps when making bacon in the toaster oven.
Quick and Easy Clean-Up: Since your pan is lined with foil, there’s less mess to clean up afterward.
Perfect Doneness: It only takes 15-18 minutes to achieve perfectly crispy bacon.

Ingredients

There’s only one ingredient needed for this recipe, bacon!

Bacon: This is it! The only ingredient that you need to make bacon in the toaster oven. I use regular-cut pork bacon for this. There are plenty of other varieties to try including hickory smoked, applewood smoked, and cherrywood smoked to name a few types of bacon. Check out your local grocery store and pick your favorite.

Variations

Try a different kind of bacon the next time you use your toaster oven!

Vegan Bacon: Use your favorite variety of vegan bacon. Some of my favorites are tempeh and mushroom. Cook at the same temperature but start at 10-12 minutes and adjust as needed.
Turkey Bacon: For a leaner protein, I love turkey bacon. This will also take less time and produce almost no grease! Cook for 11–13 minutes or until slightly browned.
Thick-Cut Bacon: A thicker-cut bacon can also be used in place of a regular cut. Since there’s more fat, it will take a couple of minutes longer and produce more grease. It still comes out delicious in the toaster oven!
Spicy: Add a sprinkling of chili pepper flakes, our jalapeno powder, smoked jalapeno powder, or chipotle powder to the bacon strips for a bit of heat.

How to Cook Bacon in a Toaster Oven

Here are the quick and simple steps for the best toaster oven bacon ever.

Step 1: Line the tray. Cover the toaster oven pan or a mini baking sheet pan with aluminum foil.
Step 2: Add the bacon. Place pieces of bacon in a single layer on the lined tray. Be sure they don’t overlap.

Slices of bacon are lined on a toaster oven tray wrapped in foil.

Step 3: Set the toaster oven. Preheat your toaster oven to 400 degrees F.
Step 4: Cook. Put the tray in the toaster oven and cook for 15-18 minutes.

Step 5: Drain. Transfer the cooked bacon to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess grease. Serve immediately and enjoy!

⭐️ Hint: Don’t forget to set your toaster oven before cooking the bacon. This ensures even cooking!

If you're a bacon lover you may also enjoy this air fryer sausage wrapped in bacon.

A plate of toaster oven bacon on the table with a plate of eggs and another with toast.

What to Serve with Bacon

There are so many possibilities when it comes to how best to serve bacon! Here are some ideas for you to try.

Serve this crispy, salty bacon with a sweet breakfast item. Try Cream Cheese Stuffed French Toast or Fruity Pebbles Pancakes for your next Sunday breakfast.
Add toaster oven-baked bacon to an Old Fashioned Burger or Ground Pork Burger. Bacon and burgers are soulmates!
Chop it up and incorporate it into your favorite sauce recipe like Alfredo Sauce or even Tartar Sauce.

A plate with bacon, eggs, and toast on the table with a white and blue napkin.

Tips

Check halfway. Your bacon may need to be flipped halfway through to cook evenly so check on it halfway through the cooking time.
Keep a Close Eye. The thickness of the bacon and your toaster oven brand will impact the cooking time so watch it as the bacon cooks so you can adjust as needed.
Save the excess bacon grease. Bacon fat works well in a lot of recipes! Reserve some and store it in the fridge in an airtight container. Just be sure that it is cooled first.
Make only what you need. Cooking bacon in a toaster oven is a great way to only make one or two portions of bacon if that is all you need.
Storing. Place leftover bacon slices in a resealable bag or an airtight container. Store it in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat your bacon for about 5 minutes in the toaster oven at 150 degrees F, or on a paper towel-lined plate in the microwave for about 30 seconds. I do not recommend freezing the cooked bacon.
Cooking a Double Batch? If you wish to cook more bacon be sure to change the foil liner and clean any excess grease before cooking.

FAQ

Can I use frozen bacon?

The bacon will not crisp up properly if you cook it in the toaster oven straight from frozen. Allow it to thaw first, then cook it according to the recipe directions.

Can I use an air fryer?

Yes! It will take about 10 minutes at 400 degrees in an air fryer. Keep an eye on the bacon because it tends to cook fast using this method.

Can I use a wire rack?

I don't recommend it. My experience was that cooking the bacon on a rack was a huge mess. The grease went everywhere and was very smokey.

Cooked bacon slices on a plate with a cup of coffee in the background and some oranges.

More Bacon Recipes

Do you like bacon? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.

Ready to get cooking? Remember that you can print this recipe if you would like.