Oven-Baked Bacon Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

Learn how to bake bacon in just a few simple steps! Oven-baked bacon is so easy since there’s no need to flip it, and you don’t need a wire rack. Using a baking sheet allows you to make a big batch for a crowd, and it’s hands-free so you can work on the rest of your breakfast menu while the bacon sizzles in the oven.

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Easy Baked Bacon Recipe

Bacon is at the top of our family’s favorite foods list and half of the bacon is eaten before it ever gets to the table with all the ‘sampling’ going on. That’s why I love to bake bacon in the oven because it’s a great way to get our breakfast on the table.

Bacon makes everything better! For example, we love bacon in Baked Potatoes, Cobb Salad, Omelettes, Burgers, Zuppa Toscana, Tortilla Breakfast Wrap, and Grilled Cheese. If you are a bacon lover this oven-baked bacon recipe is a must-try, and it’s also perfect for regular or thick-sliced bacon.

Here’s Why You’ll Love Oven-Baked Bacon

Stays flat – unlike stovetop methods, the bacon will stay relatively flat without curling in the oven.
Less Mess – you won’t mess up your stove with oil splatter, and what’s more, if you cut your parchment paper to size, you probably can just toss your parchment paper and don’t have to wash your baking sheet either.
Convenient -You don’t need to flip or babysit the bacon, so you are free to multi-task
Big Batch – perfect for cooking bacon for a crowd

Baked Bacon Video

Watch Natasha bake bacon in the oven and stay tuned until the end to see how you can use those pan drippings. You will be surprised at how easy this is, so go forth and bake some bacon.

How to Buy the Best Bacon

There are so many options and types of bacon, it can be overwhelming! Any package of bacon will work in the oven, but you can pick better-quality bacon for saltiness, flavor, and texture. Here’s what to look for:

Ingredients – bacon should have a simple list of ingredients.
Center-cut – has 25-30% less fat at the ends
Consider the cut – thick-cut bacon has a different texture and cooking time than the regular cut, so see our notes on how long to bake bacon depending on the cut you’ve purchased

How to Bake Bacon in the Oven

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
Arrange bacon slices so they are touching but not overlapping.
Bake regular cut bacon for 15-20 minutes and thick-cut bacon for 20-30 minutes, or to your desired crispiness
Transfer bacon from the baking sheet to a paper-towel-lined plate and serve.

Pro Tip: Keep the rendered pork fat (especially if you have high-quality bacon). Use it for making Hash Browns or Roasted Brussels Sprouts. Let the bacon grease cool for 10 minutes then pour it into a container and refrigerate until ready to use.

Common Questions

Can I use a rack?

A rack is not necessary and we prefer not to use a rack. Bacon can stick to a rack even if it’s non-stick and it doesn’t brown and crisp as well since it isn’t cooking in its own fat. You’ll have prettier bacon without a rack.

Can I line it with foil?

We prefer using parchment paper, but you can use foil if that is what you have on hand.

Can I double the recipe?

You can double the amount of bacon and bake 2 baking sheets at a time on 2 separate racks, just be sure to rotate the baking sheets halfway for even baking.

Can I make this in the Air Fryer?

Absolutely! We have a tutorial for Air Fryer Bacon and it’s faster, but you will have to air fry in smaller batches.

How much bacon fits on a baking sheet?

A half sheet will fit 12 ounces of thin-sliced bacon or 16 ounces of thick-sliced bacon. Make sure you don’t overlap your bacon slices or they will stick together. They can be touching, but not overlapping.

Pro Tip:

Use a heavy-duty baking sheet that won’t warp in the oven. These are extra-thick aluminum pans and the types used in a commercial kitchen.

Make-Ahead

IF you have anything left over after you bake bacon in the oven, leftovers will keep well for several days. If only a few strips remain, crumble and use to top soups or salads like our BLT Salad.

To Refrigerate: Let bacon drain on paper towels then cool completely to room temperature. Transfer to a zip-top bag, remove excess air, and refrigerate for 4-5 days.
To Reheat: You can re-crisp bacon on a skillet, in the oven, or air fryer. I don’t recommend reheating in the microwave because it gets chewy and rubbery.

Oven-baked bacon is the most efficient way to cook up a bigger batch of bacon. We love this method for a lazy Saturday morning, paired with our fluffy Scrambled Eggs and sliced avocado for the perfect breakfast.

Recipes with Bacon

Now that you know how to bake bacon in the oven, let me know your favorite things to serve with it in the comments. These are our favorite ways to serve crispy baked bacon.

BLT Sandwich
Eggs Benedict
Deviled Eggs with Bacon
Cheese Ball with Bacon
BLT Pasta Salad
Avocado Chicken Salad

Oven Baked Bacon Recipe

5 from 23 votes

Author: Natasha Kravchuk

Oven baked bacon is easy and convenient. You don’t need a wire rack and you don’t need to flip them. It’s our favorite method because it’s effortless, and mess-free. You can also bake a big batch of bacon for a crowd, even baking 2 baking sheets at a time.

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Prep Time: 5 minutes mins

Ingredients

Servings: 6 people

12 oz regular sliced bacon, or 16 oz thick-sliced bacon

Instructions

Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a half sheet rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper.
Arrange slices so they are touching but not overlapping.
Bake regular cut bacon for 15-20 minutes or thick-cut bacon for 20-28 minutes. Timing varies depending on the fat content in the bacon and your desired crispiness. If baking 2 baking sheets at a time, rotate the baking sheets halfway.
Use tongs to remove bacon from the baking sheet and transfer to a paper-towel-lined plate and serve.

Nutrition Per Serving

236kcal Calories1g Carbs7g Protein23g Fat8g Saturated Fat4g Polyunsaturated Fat10g Monounsaturated Fat1g Trans Fat37mg Cholesterol375mg Sodium112mg Potassium21IU Vitamin A3mg Calcium1mg Iron

Full Nutrition Label
Nutrition Disclosure

Nutrition Facts

Oven Baked Bacon Recipe

Amount per Serving

Calories

236

% Daily Value*

Fat

Saturated Fat

Trans Fat

Natasha Kravchuk

Welcome to my kitchen! I am Natasha, the blogger behind Natasha's Kitchen (since 2009). My husband and I run this blog together and share only our best, family approved and tested recipes with YOU. Thanks for stopping by! We are so happy you're here.

FAQs

Is it better to bake bacon at 350 or 400? ›

Bacon should be cooked at 400°F. Medium-thick bacon slices will need 18 to 20 minutes to reach the perfect level of crispiness. But check the bacon at 10 minutes, and adjust your cooking time to your preferred degree of doneness.

What is the best temperature to cook bacon in the oven? ›

Bake at 400 Degrees F.

Some recipes recommend baking bacon at other temperatures or starting the bacon in a cold oven, but I found that a preheated 400 degrees F is the best temperature for baking bacon. It cooks the bacon evenly no matter its thickness and the bacon won't splatter.

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Why do you have to use parchment paper when cooking bacon in the oven? ›

A baking sheet or parchment paper? The best way to cook bacon in the oven is on parchment paper because it allows for an easy cleanup. Once you're done and it's cooled down, simply roll all that grease up into the center of the parchment paper and throw it away!

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How does Martha Stewart cook bacon in the oven? ›

Bake the bacon in a 400°F oven until well-browned and crisp, this should take between 15 and 18 minutes depending on the thickness of your bacon. To follow Martha's method to a T, you'll need to rotate the sheet pan halfway through.

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Do you need to flip bacon in the oven? ›

But oven-cooked bacon allows you to live your life for 18 minutes or so while the pork does its thing. You don't have to flip it, press it, or shield your kitchen from grease. And if you play your cards right, cleanup will take two minutes, flat.

Keep Reading ›

Why do chefs cook bacon in the oven? ›

And it's why you might have some bacon slices that accidentally charcoal a bit too much while other slices are still undercooked. Cooking bacon in the oven cooks all of your bacon slices evenly as the heat surrounds them. They slowly sizzle, don't splatter and end up evenly cooked. It's a beautiful thing.

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What temperature does Rachael Ray cook bacon in the oven? ›

It's so incredibly simple! Just preheat oven to 375°F, and arrange your bacon on a slotted pan (like Rach's!) and bake to crisp for 15 to 18 minutes. (Again, if you don't have a slotted pan, Rach says you can make your own by putting a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet with a rim.)

Learn More ›

Is it messy to cook bacon in the oven? ›

Cooking bacon in the oven doesn't take any longer than in a pan. Oven bacon gets just as crispy, if not crispier, and there's very little mess to clean up after. Making a batch of bacon in the oven also means you can do other things while it's cooking.

How long to cook bacon at 400? ›

Once you place the bacon in the oven, heat it to 400 degrees F and bake the bacon to your desired crispness. It should be done in about 20 minutes (note that this time is slightly longer than other recipes, because the bacon will be in the oven while the oven pre-heats.

Keep Reading ›

Should I put foil under bacon in the oven? ›

Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil, making sure the pan is completely covered. Check that the foil extends up the sides of the pan so it captures all the bacon grease and cleanup is easier. Arrange the bacon strips on the prepared baking sheet, or on the rack if you're using one.

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Do you bake bacon in foil or parchment paper? ›

use parchment paper for easy clean up; I don't recommend aluminum foil as the bacon tends to stick to it; the thicker the bacon, the longer the cooking time; adjust accordingly; save the bacon grease and use it in place of oil in other dishes.

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How does Paula Deen cook bacon in the oven? ›

directions

1) preheat oven to 400 degrees.
2) put aluminum foil on bottom of baking sheet and put cooling racks on top.
2) mix brown sugar and chili powder together in a shallow dish.
3) dredge bacon through brown sugar mixture and lay on racks.
4) bake in oven for 20 minutes or more until crisp.
5) enjoy!

Learn More Now ›

How does Rachael Ray cook bacon in the oven? ›

THE Best Way to Make Bacon, According to Rachael

Just preheat oven to 375°F, and arrange your bacon on a slotted pan (like Rach's!) and bake to crisp for 15 to 18 minutes. (Again, if you don't have a slotted pan, Rach says you can make your own by putting a wire cooling rack on top of a baking sheet with a rim.)

Learn More ›

How does Trisha Yearwood cook bacon in the oven? ›

Directions

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line a rimmed baking pan with 3 layers of foil.
Arrange the bacon on the prepared baking pan in a single layer, then sprinkle evenly with the sugar and pepper. Bake until well browned, 35 to 40 minutes. Drain on paper towels and serve.

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Is it better to cook bacon low and slow or high and fast? ›

Even if you're in a hurry, we really don't recommend this method. Stovetop (medium-low heat): We started with a cold pan, put the bacon in, and turned the heat to medium-low. It took 18 minutes to cook and the result was bacon with a great bite, good color, and rich flavor. This one's definitely a winner.

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Is it better to cook bacon hot and fast or low and slow? ›

Bacon cooks best slowly over low heat, so turn your burner on low. Soon the bacon will begin to release some of its fat. When it starts to buckle and curl, use the tongs to loosen the strips and turn each slice to cook on the other side. Keep flipping and turning the bacon so that it browns evenly.

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How to bake bacon 400? ›

Always cook bacon on foil or parchment paper at 400°F. Cook regular sliced bacon for 14 minutes; thick-cut bacon for 18 minutes. If you cook less than a full sheet of bacon, check after 12 minutes. For extra-crispy bacon, bake it on top of a metal cooling rack set over the baking sheet.

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