If you’ve ever stood over a sizzling pan of bacon, dodging hot grease while your bacon pops like a fireworks show, I have good news: there’s a better way! I am so glad that I learned how to make bacon in the oven. It’s a terrific way to feed a crowd, or a house full of teenage boys, with a minimum of effort.
Cooking Bacon in the Oven
Cooking bacon in the oven just might be the best cooking tip I’ve ever been given. Instead of babysitting it over medium heat and flipping strips one by one, now I just lay them out, pop them in, and walk away for a bit. It’s perfect for feeding a crowd or for preparing it ahead of time (because cold, cooked bacon in the fridge is a gift I give myself).
It is so simple to do. The strips don’t need to be perfectly flat either. I let them crumble and fold up just a bit, and they turn out perfectly every single time. I’ve been cooking bacon in the oven for many years now, and I’ll never go back to tending a pan on the stove.
I can lay out a full pound of bacon on a standard full-size baking sheet. When it’s finished, I have no grease splatters across the stove, no splatter burns, no effort at all, really. And, I still get a plate of perfect bacon ready to eat!
This is a game-changer.
Let me be very honest. I burn myself in the kitchen more than I probably should, especially at this point. Your girl is laughably clumsy. So, learning how to cook bacon in the oven was a godsend for me. No exaggeration.
For reference, way back in the days before children were a part of our life, I chose the name Clumsy Designs for my ill-fated jewelry business. Thankfully, some things have been forgotten by the internet. But, I keep burn cream close at hand, in my kitchen, at all times. It’s worth every penny. And thankfully, I no longer need it when cooking bacon.
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
The only caution I have to give for making bacon in the oven, is to watch it very carefully while doing it for the first time. Oven temps vary, and the bacon can go from perfectly cooked to badly burnt in under a minute. Once you know exactly how long to set your timer, you can set it and forget it.
Leftover Bacon
It’s a rare thing to have leftover bacon, at my house. But, if you find yourself in that very fortunate position, I’ve got good news for you. You can use it in all sorts of wonderful ways. I like to add it to potato salad , which gives it incredible flavor and texture.
And, these crispy cheesy potatoes with bacon are a great side dish (or main dish!) for any meal. I even drizzle them with bacon grease. You can also use bacon in fried rice, like this chicken and bacon fried rice . The whole family gives this one two thumbs up.
Warm tortillas are filled with fluffy scrambled eggs, roasted potatoes, crispy bacon, and melting cheese to create these mouthwatering breakfast tacos . And, this BLT Pasta Salad is loaded with all your favorite bacon, lettuce, and tomato flavors in a cold pasta salad with a smoky, homemade bacon dressing.
Ingredients1x2x3x
- ▢ 1 pound bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. (The foil is not required, but it does make cleanup very simple.) Spread the bacon strips out across the sheet and crumble them a bit. As pictured, the crumple helps it cook up a little crispier, and also allows more bacon to fit on the pan.
- Place the tray of bacon on the middle oven rack. Set a timer for 16 minutes to check the bacon. Depending on the thickness of the bacon, it might take as long as 20-22 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven when it is as crisp or crunchy as you like. Use tongs to transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 07/28/2012 – photos updated 11/03/2025}
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven
Ingredients
- 1 pound bacon
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400°F. Line a large baking sheet with foil. (The foil is not required, but it does make cleanup very simple.) Spread the bacon strips out across the sheet and crumble them a bit. As pictured, the crumple helps it cook up a little crispier, and also allows more bacon to fit on the pan.
- Place the tray of bacon on the middle oven rack. Set a timer for 16 minutes to check the bacon. Depending on the thickness of the bacon, it might take as long as 20-22 minutes.
- Remove it from the oven when it is as crisp or crunchy as you like. Use tongs to transfer the bacon to a paper-towel-lined plate.
Nutrition
How to Cook Bacon in the Oven https://barefeetinthekitchen.com/how-to-cook-bacon-in-oven/
