How to Bake Bacon

Cooked bacon on a plate from above with strawberries

Learn how to bake bacon in the oven for the perfectly cooked bacon every time! This simple cooking tutorial is perfect if you need to make a lot of bacon for a gathering, as well as excellent for cooks who don’t want to babysit bacon on the stovetop, get splattered or need to multitask in the kitchen.

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 20

Total Time 25

Servings servings

Calories 265kcal

Ingredients

12 oz. bacon

Instructions

Line a sheet pan with two layers of parchment paper. (This will help the bacon crisp up, as well as prevent bacon grease from spilling onto your sheet pan.)
Place the bacon onto the prepared sheet pan. Give each strip of bacon a little space so it can roast.
Place the bacon in the oven on the middle rack. Turn the oven on to 400°F.
Bake for 15-18 minutes. Check on the bacon at the 15-minute mark to see how it's doing. (If baking turkey bacon, check at the 10-12 minute mark.) We want it to be crisping up, but not to be totally browned.
Remove from the oven, and flip the bacon using a pair of tongs.
Place the sheet pan back in the oven, and bake for another 6-10 minutes, or until desired crispness. This will change based on the thickness of the bacon you have.
Remove from the oven, and transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. Blot to remove any excess grease.
Drain and cool slightly, then enjoy!

Notes

This recipe has been adapted over the years from The Defined Dish's Instagram Stories. (I saw it once, loved the idea of not even having to preheat the oven before starting the bacon, and we've tinkered with it ever since.) I can't find a direct link to it now. :(

Depending on the type of bacon you use, the bacon will need to bake for more or less time. We’ve found that turkey bacon bakes for the least amount of time, about 15-20 minutes tops. Regular cut bacon will roast for 20-25 total and thick cut can go upwards of 28-30 minutes. Again, this will depend on how crispy you like your bacon.

This recipe can be made with more or less bacon. (Oftentimes, we’ll cook up about half a pack of bacon for a weekend morning to pair with pancakes.) Whatever you do, don’t overload your sheet pan because the bacon will cook slower if it doesn’t have enough space to roast.

If you’re baking a double batch, consider using two sheet pans or an extra large one to give the meat enough space.

Nutrition