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Home » Cooking Bacon in the Oven

Cooking Bacon in the Oven

By Kristina LaRue, RDN 10 Comments

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Cooking bacon in the oven is one of my absolute favorite ways to make bacon! How to cook bacon in the oven is as easy as 1,2,3! 

 

crispy bacon from the oven

Cooking bacon in the oven

Cooking bacon in the oven is my absolute favorite way to make crispy bacon! Sheet pan bacon for the win!

I’m all about easy when it comes to cooking in my kitchen. And I don’t know about you but bacon grease popping all over the stovetop from cooking bacon in the fry pan is not my definition of pleasant. Plus, who wants smelly bacon fat seeping to all areas of the house?

Not me!

When it comes to baking bacon, a large baking sheet and aluminum foil is all you really need. Well and of course some bacon strips!

Although, my mom swears by using laying the bacon on a wire rack on top of the rimmed baking sheet, before cooking bacon in the oven. It does help to get perfect bacon that’s crispy, especially if you’re cooking thick cut bacon.

plate of bacon on paper towels after cooking bacon in the oven

 

How to cook bacon in the oven

First, preheat the oven to 400 degrees for thick bacon (or 375 degrees if using regular bacon) line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil, all the way around the rims.

I often double coat the foil to keep as much bacon grease trapped into the foil in the name of less effort with clean up.

uncooked bacon on baking sheet about to go in oven

 

 

how to cook bacon in the oven

Do you need oil to cook bacon?

Nope! Please no. Lay the bacon on the sheet pan– you can put them close together to fit a bunch of bacon pieces on one pan. I can generally fit 8-12 ounces of bacon on one sheet pan.

How long to bake bacon?

Bake in the oven for 15 minutes to 25 minutes depending on how thick the bacon is and how crispy you like your bacon!

Once the bacon is cooked, place bacon on a paper towel lined platter to sop up any excess fat.

Other good ways to cook bacon?

  • Air Fryer Bacon

  • Cooking bacon on the grill

  • Bacon in toaster oven

  • Cooking bacon in microwave

  • Bacon on a griddle

bacon grease on crispy baked bacon

Bacon Nutrition

  • Protein in bacon: bacon is a tasty source of protein! Yielding 3g per slice, on average, bacon is a great way to step up your protein game at breakfast. Or dinner, because breakfast for dinner is just the best! So yes, protein in bacon is something I can get on board with.

  • Carbs in bacon: if you are low carb for specific dietary reasons, bacon is a solid choice because there are basically zero carbs in bacon! A slice of bacon yields 0.1 grams of carbs per slice – see, basically zero carbs in bacon, just be sure to choose bacon with zero added sugar.

  • Sugar in bacon: when reading the bacon ingredient label you’ll notice that, more often than not, bacon contains cane sugar. This is what gives certain brands of bacon a little sweetness, however, the cane sugar is not absolutely necessary for bacon to taste good! Yes, often times there is sugar in bacon. If you’re looking for no sugar added bacon, check out brands such as “Applegate Organics No Sugar Bacon,” “Pederson’s” and “Jones Dairy Farm.”

  • Is bacon gluten free?: the good news is that bacon is naturally gluten free! But one thing to note here is cross contamination. If you’re gluten free, take precautions when it comes to your bacon of choice. Yes, bacon is naturally gluten free but there are chances that it can be processed in a facility that shares space or equipment with gluten containing ingredients.

overhead shot of plate of bacon after baking in the oven

Is center cut bacon better for you?

Center cut bacon is going to be a good choice if you’re looking for less fat per slice. Simply put, center cut bacon has the same great flavor as any other bacon minus the fatty end pieces – hence the reason why center cut bacon is less fat per slice!

Center cut bacon vs. turkey bacon

Calorie wise, there’s only about a 25 caloric difference between center cut bacon and turkey bacon. Turkey is much leaner than pork, so turkey bacon is fewer calories than center cut bacon. Turkey bacon also provides less protein per slice than regular or center cut bacon.

This is definitely going to be a personal choice – if you want fewer calories, go for turkey bacon. And if you want more protein and fat, choose center cut bacon. Simple as that!

protein in bacon after baking in the oven

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Print

Cooking Bacon in the Oven


★★★★★

5 from 4 reviews

  • Author: Kristina LaRue
  • Prep Time: 5 mins
  • Cook Time: 25 mins
  • Total Time: 30 mins
  • Yield: 13 slices 1x
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Description

Cooking bacon in the oven is my absolute favorite way to make crispy bacon – sheet pan bacon for the win! How to cook bacon in the oven is as easy as 1,2,3!


Scale

Ingredients

  • 13 slices bacon

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F for thick bacon (or 375 degrees if using regular bacon)
  2. Line a large baking sheet with aluminum foil, all the way around the rims (I double up the foil so no bacon grease seeps through)
  3. Arrange bacon strips on foil, you can place them side by side to fit more on the pan.
  4. Bake in the oven for 15 minutes to 25 minutes depending on how thick the bacon is and how crispy you like your bacon!
  5. Once the bacon is cooked, place bacon on a paper towel lined platter to sop up any excess fat.

Notes

Nutrition information is based on No Sugar Added Uncured Smoked Bacon.

  • Category: Breakfast
  • Method: Oven
  • Cuisine: American

Nutrition

  • Serving Size: 1 slice
  • Calories: 30
  • Sugar: 0g
  • Sodium: 230mg
  • Fat: 2g
  • Saturated Fat: 1g
  • Trans Fat: 0g
  • Carbohydrates: 0g
  • Fiber: 0g
  • Protein: 2g
  • Cholesterol: <5mg

Keywords: cooking bacon

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Kristina LaRue, RDN

Hi I’m Kristina LaRue, RD (registered dietitian nutritionist), Peloton addict and mama to two active and hungry boys. On Love & Zest, you’ll find healthy-ish recipes that fuel the whole family. I’m all about veggie-filled breakfast, meal prep recipes, healthier sweets, and easy weeknight dinners made in the Instant Pot or sheet pan.

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Comments

  1. Tawnie Kroll says

    February 20, 2019 at 1:02 pm

    Can’t wait to try this method!!

    Reply
  2. Helen of Fuss Free Flavours says

    February 20, 2019 at 12:47 pm

    Such an easy way of cooking bacon and makes it lovely and crisp too. The perfect way to enjoy.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD says

      February 25, 2019 at 10:28 am

      YEP! Can’t beat oven bacon 🙂

      Reply
  3. Stephanie says

    February 20, 2019 at 12:45 pm

    This sounds like a good idea since cooking it on the stove can get messy. And it looks like it cooked up evenly and perfect.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD says

      February 25, 2019 at 10:29 am

      I’m so not about the bacon grease all over the stove/in the air. Baking it in the oven is more my speed. 🙂

      Reply
  4. Tracy says

    February 20, 2019 at 12:19 pm

    Oh my gosh, yes! I love love love bacon on the stove top but hate hate hate the clean up after! Thank you!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Kristina LaRue, RD, CSSD says

      February 25, 2019 at 10:29 am

      Thanks Tracy! It’s easy to make a big pan of bacon in the oven… and less clean up.

      Reply
  5. rebecca says

    February 20, 2019 at 12:13 pm

    what a great idea, it looks sooo easy! This would be perfect for brunch or when cooking for a crowd

    ★★★★★

    Reply

Trackbacks

  1. Bacon Avocado Chicken Salad | Healthy, Easy Lunch Recipe says:
    April 18, 2019 at 2:04 pm

    […] TIP: for the bacon in this recipe, I suggest using crispy bacon 🙂 for an easy and cleaner way to cook bacon, check out this post on How to Cook Bacon in the Oven! […]

    Reply
  2. Healthy Cobb Salad Recipe | keto friendly, gluten free says:
    February 25, 2019 at 1:09 pm

    […] To start this recipe off, preheat your oven to 400 degrees. Toss the chicken breast, bacon, and shrimp with some Italian seasoning, salt, and pepper. Then, add the chicken and bacon to a sheet pan and set the timer for 30 minutes. If you want to cook your bacon separate, check out this easy bacon in the oven recipe! […]

    Reply

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Thanks for stopping by Love & Zest. I’m Kristina LaRue, RDN (registered dietitian nutritionist), Peloton addict and mama to two active and hungry boys. Here on L&Z, I share healthy-ish recipes that fuel the whole family. I'm a fan of adding veggies to everything and recipes that make mom life easier.
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