We love quick breakfasts around here, well we love all breakfasts, but quick ones make life a little easier. One I make on the regular is our Omelet in a Mug, ready in literally minutes! Or try out this recipe for the most moist Mini Banana Muffins, make in advance for a quick, poppable bite.
Turkey Bacon in Air Fryer
Well, the kids are back to school once again. Can someone please tell me where the summer break went?
School mornings are always hectic around here, it’s a whirlwind of chaos. Of course, breakfast needs to be whipped up. Snacks and lunches need to be packed. Someone can’t find their shoes or their favorite sweater. Hair is in knots and needs to be tamed. There is always bickering and I always seem to find a puddle of cat puke to step in. You know, the usual stuff. But maybe not, if you don’t have children (or cats) at your house.
Make your mornings easier (at least the breakfast part, I can’t help you with the rest of the stuff). Air fried turkey bacon to the rescue! It will totally simplify your life..well, mostly. You no longer have to sit at the stove getting splattered with grease. No time wasted watching bacon and no grease burns. There is an easier way, thanks to the air fryer.
Is Turkey Bacon Healthier Than Regular Bacon?
Turkey bacon is definitely a healthier option to pork bacon, it is lower in calories and fat. But I wouldn’t really consider it healthy. It is still high in salt and saturated fat.
Turkey bacon is great if you don’t eat a lot of red meat or if you have a diet that doesn’t allow you to eat cow or pork. Or if you are trying to eat a little bit healthier and trying to cut back on some unhealthier foods.
What is the Difference Between Cured and Uncured Bacon
All bacon (even the ones labeled as “uncured”) are all cured. But there are a few different methods of curing that make for different outcomes. There is dry curing, wet curing, and uncured.
- Dry cured bacon has been preserved with seasonings, salt, sugar, and nitrates.
- Wet cured bacon is the most common way to cure because it’s quicker. It is also processed with seasonings, sodium, sugar, and nitrates but also contains chemicals that the bacon soaks in.
- Uncured bacon is still technically cured. But instead of unnatural nitrates, uncured bacon is preserved with nitrates that are derived from natural sources and is free of chemicals.
How Long to Cook Turkey Bacon in the Air Fryer
Each air fryer is different so the cooking time may vary slightly. I find that my bacon comes out perfectly crisp after cooking for just about 10 minutes.
Recipe Ingredients
All you need to make one of the most popular breakfast foods is one ingredient (well, and an air fryer, of course).
- Bacon: One package of turkey bacon.
How to Cook Turkey Bacon in Air Fryer
- Prep Air Fryer. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
- Add the bacon. Place the bacon slices in a single layer across the bottom of the air fryer basket. They can overlap slightly but don’t over crowd the slices.
- Cook it. Cook bacon for 5 minutes.
- Flip bacon. Open air fryer and flip bacon over.
- Cook again. Put the basket back in the air fryer and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
- Check for crispness. If your bacon is not as crisp as you like it, put it back in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes.
How do you know Turkey Bacon is Done
The turkey bacon will be done when it is crisp enough for your liking. If it is still a little to limp, you can put it back into the air fryer for a couple more minutes. Just be careful not to cook it for too long because it can burn very easily.
What is the Best Turkey Bacon?
There are a lot of great turkey bacon brands out there. Go with your favorite brand. These are some of my favorites (not sponsored).
- Trader Joes Uncured Turkey Bacon
- Applegate Organics Uncured Turkey Bacon
- Simple Truth Uncured Hardwood Smoked Turkey Bacon
How to Make Turkey Bacon Crispy?
You can actually get really crispy turkey bacon when you make it in the air fryer. I never thought that I could get such crispiness from turkey bacon. You may surprised, too! Try it out and see for yourself.
What to Make With Turkey Bacon
Bacon is kind of a morning food, but it can definitely be eaten at any time of the day. Turkey bacon can be used in so many ways and in lots of recipes. Here are a few ideas!
- Add the turkey bacon into breakfast burritos.
- Chop up the bacon and put on baked potatoes.
- Make bacon bits and sprinkle on a salad.
- Put full slices of bacon on sandwiches for a delicious BLT (bacon, lettuce, and tomato).
- Mix it into macaroni and cheese.
- Add to club sandwiches, burgers, or breakfast sandwiches.
- Bacon wrapped jalapeño poppers.
- Eat it all by itself.
Air Fryer Turkey Bacon Recipe Tips
- Want chewy bacon. If you want chewy turkey bacon, cook the bacon at 360° F for 5 minutes, flip over and cook for 5 minutes longer.
- Uncured bacon. I prefer bacon that is labeled “uncured” as it does not contain unnatural nitrates and chemicals, it is a healthier option to those that contain nitrates.
- Don’t crowd basket. Try not to crowd the air fryer basket with too many bacon slices. I can fit four slices in my air fryer. It cooks so quickly that it really isn’t a problem to cook multiple batches.
- Bacon too chewy. If the bacon is too chewy for your taste, try cooking it for an extra minute or two. It should crisp up.
- Turkey bacon bits. Use this turkey bacon on top of salads or baked potatoes by crumbling or cutting the pieces up into little bacon bits.
Commonly Asked Questions
- Can you eat raw turkey bacon? Some turkey bacon packages are marked with “fully cooked.” If you buy this bacon then you can eat it without cooking it. Otherwise, I do not recommend eating uncooked turkey bacon.
- Is turkey bacon really turkey? Yes! Turkey bacon is actually made from different parts of the turkey and compressed into delicious turkey bacon.
- Can you eat turkey bacon on a keto diet? Yes, you can eat turkey bacon while on keto.
- Is turkey bacon healthy? I wouldn’t say that turkey bacon is necessarily healthy. It is a little healthier than pork bacon because it has less fat, but still has high levels of sodium.
- What is uncured turkey bacon? Uncured turkey bacon is still cured, it just uses a natural nitrate source.
- Can you freeze turkey bacon? Uncooked and cooked turkey bacon can be frozen. So you can cook up a bunch and freeze it for future use.
How to Store Turkey Bacon
- How to Refrigerate Bacon: Let the turkey bacon cool and put in a glass container or BPA-free airtight plastic container or zipper bag. It should last about 4-5 days in the fridge.
- How to Freeze Bacon: Let the turkey bacon cool off completely. Place a layer of cooked bacon on a baking sheet lined with wax paper. Place another layer of wax paper on top and put in freezer so the bacon freezes flat. Freeze for at least 2 hours or overnight before putting into an airtight glass, BPA-free freezer-safe bag or freezer-safe plastic container. Make sure to label with the recipe name and date. The bacon should last about 6 months in the freezer.
- How to Thaw Bacon: Thaw the frozen bacon in the refrigerator overnight or defrost in the microwave.
- How to Reheat Bacon: Reheat cold turkey bacon in an air fryer set at 400° F 2-3 minutes until desired warmth is reached. Bacon will probably be more chewy than crisp.
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes!
- Air Fryer Frozen French Fries
- Air Fryer Frozen Breaded Shrimp
- Air Fryer Quesadilla
- Air Fryer Chicken Breast
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Air Fryer Turkey Bacon
Ingredients
- 1 package turkey bacon, 8 ounces
Instructions
-
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
-
Place the bacon slices in a single layer across the bottom of the air fryer basket. They can overlap slightly but don't over crowd the slices.
-
Cook bacon for 5 minutes. Open air fryer and flip bacon over.
-
Put the basket back in the air fryer and cook for an additional 5 minutes.
-
If your bacon is not as crisp as you like it, put it back in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes.
Recipe Notes
- If you want chewy turkey bacon, cook the bacon at 360° F for 5 minutes, flip over and cook for 5 minutes longer.
- I prefer bacon that is labeled “uncured” as it does not contain unnatural nitrates and chemicals, it is a healthier option to those that contain nitrates.
- Try not to crowd the air fryer basket with too many bacon slices. I can fit four slices in my air fryer. It cooks so quickly that it really isn’t a problem to cook multiple batches.
- If you bacon is too chewy for your taste, try cooking it for an extra minute or two. It should crisp up.
* Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
Nutrition Information
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