Our 10-Minute Air Fryer Turkey Bacon is Lean and Crispy

We LOVE this lean and crispy, 10-minute recipe!

I love this extra crispy, easy-to-make air fryer turkey bacon, and I’m willing to bet that you will too! We usually think of bacon as a breakfast food, but it goes great with sandwiches and salads, too! And sometimes, we even like to enjoy it as a low-carb snack! If you like turkey bacon, this will be your new favorite way to make it. The air fryer is the best way to get firm, evenly crispy bacon. All it takes is 4 to 5 minutes on each side! Your bacon, coffee, and toast can all be ready simultaneously for a nice and hot meal. That’s morning routine efficiency at its finest!

Reasons We Enjoy Turkey Bacon

For starters, turkey bacon isn’t actually bacon. It’s basically a mixture of light and dark turkey cut into strips that look like bacon. But it still has the qualities that we enjoy — it’s sweet, smoky, and salty like bacon, but it’s a leaner meat with less fat. I would say it’s more similar to sausage than bacon in the way it’s made. Depending on the brand and type of turkey bacon you buy, there are a variety of flavors — from ‘deli meat’ to ‘teriyaki’ and even ‘mustard’. Whichever one you buy, it’ll have half the amount of sodium and fat as pork bacon — so you can feel a little less guilty!

Some of my favorite turkey bacon products are: Applegate Uncured Turkey Bacon, Oscar Mayer Original Turkey Bacon, Wellshire Farms Organic Turkey Bacon, or Butterball Thin and Crispy Turkey Bacon.

How to Prepare Air Fryer Turkey Bacon

There is a lot to love about this method of cooking, but two of our favorite things about the air fryer are how delicious the food is AND how simple the recipes are to make! Our air fryer turkey bacon only requires four wildly simple steps. 

1. Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.
2. Place 10 pieces of turkey bacon on a single layer in the fryer basket (maybe less depending on the size of your air fryer). You may have to cut them in half to fit them all. 
3. Cook for 5 minutes on one side, flip, and then cook for another 4 to 5 minutes. 
4. Remove carefully with non-metal tongs to avoid scratches.

Cleaning Your Air Fryer After Use

When it comes to cleaning your air fryer, there are a few things you should know. First, make sure the air fryer has cooled off completely and it’s unplugged. The only thing that should end up crispy is your turkey bacon! Next, be sure to discard any grease from the tray, but don’t pour it down the drain. We recommend pouring it into an old can or coffee tin. Then, hand wash the racks and tray by scrubbing them with soap or putting them in the dishwasher. Wipe down the interior and exterior of the air fryer with a damp paper towel or cloth. And finally, replace the trays once they’re clean so they’re ready for the next time!

What to Serve with this Easy Air Fryer Bacon

As we mentioned above, there are numerous ways to enjoy turkey bacon any time of day! I enjoy it with avocado toast and tomatoes because it adds a little BLT flavor. It goes great as a low-carb side to our quick and easy egg muffins. I also love to throw a couple of pieces in a turkey sandwich to give it a crunch, or even crumble pieces onto my salad for some extra saltiness. 

If you try this easy air fryer recipe, we want to know what you thought of it and how you served it! Let us know in the comment section below!

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