Oven-Baked Bacon Recipe (VIDEO) (2024)

Learn how to cook bacon in the oven for perfectly crispy bacon. 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.

Bacon makes everything better from Cobb Salad to Omelettes and Burgers. If you are a bacon lover this Oven-baked bacon recipe is a must-try and it’s perfect for regular or thick-sliced bacon.

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Why you’ll love Baked Bacon

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. This is my favorite method for cooking bacon and here’s why:

• Stays flat – unlike stovetop methods, the bacon will stay relatively flat without curling in the oven.
• Clean – you won’t mess up your stove with oil splatter and 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 till the end to see how you can use those pan drippings. You will be surprised at how easy this is. Now 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. You may not have something available that checks all these boxes, but you can pick better quality bacon. Here’s what to look for:

• Uncured (bacon without sodium nitrate added to it)
• Ingredients – bacon should have a small list of ingredients that you can easily understand.
• Center-cut – has 25-30% less fat at the ends
• Humanely raised or certified humane
• USDA Organic – ensures non-GMO feed

Pro Tip: When looking at the ingredient list, try to avoid bacon containing sodium phosphates (preservatives), sodium nitrite, nitrates, and processed sugar.

How to Cook Bacon in the Oven

1. Preheat the oven to 400˚F. Line a heavy-duty rimmed baking sheet with parchment.
2. Arrange bacon slices so they are touching but not overlapping.
3. Bake Regular cut bacon for 15-20 minutes and thick-cut bacon for 20-30 minutes, or to your desired crispiness
4. 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

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.

To store Baked Bacon

• 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 in an 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

These are our favorite ways to serve crispy baked bacon. Let me know your favorite things to make with oven baked bacon in the comments.

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