How to cook Turkey Bacon in an Air Fryer

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Healthy and cooked to perfection, making the best Air Fryer Turkey Bacon is so easy! It requires no extra oil, and the bacon itself is crispy and half the calories of regular bacon. Perfect for a light weekend fry-up breakfast for a weeknight dinner!

This post was originally published on November 9th, 2021.

❤️ Why you will love Air Fryer Turkey Bacon

• Fewer calories! There are only 32 calories per turkey bacon rasher, with no extra oil needed. This number does vary from brand to brand, and I found that the brand I use (Mattessons) has higher calories than most. Nevertheless, it is still a healthier alternative and leaner option to normal bacon which means you can have 3 slices of bacon without worrying about fitting in an extra workout =]
• It’s so easy! All I had to do was place the turkey bacon in the air fryer in a single layer and cook it, flipping halfway. This is definitely the easiest way to cook turkey bacon slices.
• It’s quick! This is one of my favorite recipes for busy mornings. The cook time was just under 10 minutes to make this turkey bacon air fryer recipe for my breakfast. Perfect for busy families!
• You can eat it anytime! Crispy turkey bacon is a great option for a breakfast side dish, brunch, a sandwich at lunch, or even just to snack on during the day.
• The crunch! Nothing beats crispy bacon for me, and this air fryer turkey bacon recipe is certainly crunchy. If you like it crispy like me, the crunch makes it a great alternative to potato chips when you’re on a low-carb diet, with extra protein to fill you up. This is the best turkey bacon!

🗝️ Key Ingredients & Substitutions

• Turkey Bacon: Either cured or uncured turkey bacon is perfect for this recipe. Any brand of turkey bacon will be great in this recipe. I used Mattessons as it’s the only one my local grocery store had, but this cooking process works well for all brands of turkey bacon.
• Spray oil: I didn’t use oil spray this time, but next time I’ll use my refillable olive oil spray to make it a little easier to remove the bacon, and to make the air fryer bacon a little juicier.

🥣 How to make Turkey Bacon in an Air Fryer

1. Turn on the air fryer: Turn the air fryer on to 200 degrees C/400 degrees F and turn the timer dial to 12-15 minutes. 

2. Preheat the air fryer: Allow the air fryer to heat up for 2 minutes, or until it indicates that it has reached the desired temperature.

3. Add the turkey bacon: Open the air fryer basket, spray the air fryer tray with olive oil (optional) and carefully place the slices of turkey bacon in a single layer, taking care not to overlap the rashers. You can use tongs here if needed. 

4. Air fry: Air fry turkey bacon strips for 5 minutes.

5. Flip: Using a pair of tongs, flip the turkey bacon rashers over and cook for a further 4-5 minutes. Feel free to leave it a little bit longer until it reaches your desired consistency.

6. Serve this crunchy bacon along with other breakfast food or in a turkey bacon sandwich!

🥓 Does turkey bacon taste like bacon?

It is surprisingly similar to traditional pork bacon! As it doesn’t have as much fat it isn’t as greasy, and the texture is a little denser like Canadian bacon, but the smoky and salty flavors are there, and it certainly smells like the real deal while it’s cooking.

❓ Does turkey bacon need to be cooked?

As it is cured like deli meat, most smoked turkey bacon can be eaten as it is. Eating “undercooked” turkey bacon has no ill side effects, as it is not raw.

I’ve only found one exception to this rule, and that is Applegate turkey bacon. On their website, they say “…Applegate turkey bacon is never considered “fully cooked” and should be treated as any other raw cut of meat.” All other common brands I’ve researched using cured turkey meat for their product.

🪄 Recipe Notes and Tips

• What can I do if my turkey bacon sticks to the air fryer basket? If you find that this happens to you, place the next batch on baking paper, greaseproof paper, or parchment paper inside the air fryer basket. This leaves less mess to clean as well! You can also spray a little oil on the basket before cooking if needed.
• Store any leftover turkey bacon in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
• Reheat in the microwave, or eat it as is.

🍽️ What can I serve with turkey bacon?

• Eggs
• Sausage
• Fried tomatoes
• Baked beans
• Hash browns
• Sweet potato hash
• Toast
• English muffins
• French Toast
• Pancakes
• Waffles

😋 More Quick Recipes

• How to make Carrots in the Air Fryer
• Instant Pot Basmati Rice
• Easy Pickled Beet Salad
• Keto Frittata Recipe
• Greek Crustless Quiche – Sfougato

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