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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.
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
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
{originally published 07/28/2012 – photos updated 11/03/2025}
The restaurant industry has been cooking bacon in the oven forever. It's good to see it coming to the home market, too.
Thanks!!
This is the only way we cook bacon. Frying in a pan is messy and dangerous. Great post Miss Mary!
I love cooking bacon in the oven! I hate the mess of the stovetop and I hate the smell of bacon after frying it that lingers forever! The oven is definitely the way to go!
The only thing I do different is cook it on a cooling rack placed on top of the foil covered jelly roll pan so the hot air circulates all around the bacon. Yum!
This is so easy it's scary, and the strange thing is, I don't think the grease spatters at all in the oven, it must have something to do with the more even heat. Love this!
Once you do bacon this way, you never go back. I also do mine on a rack on top of the foil.
I have been cooking bacon in the oven for a long time… love cooking it this way.
I hate cooking bacon on the stove, so messy and the bacon is all curly aghh drives me nuts! The oven is way better 🙂
That looks very crispy, very tempting to do one now 🙂
Mary, I've always meant to try bacon in the oven, but never actually knew anyone who did it that way. Now I do! I'll take your word for it and give it a go the very next time I have bacon!
We always have bacon when camping – but given the easy cleanup with the oven method, we may have more at home! Thanks for this one too.
I've done it in the oven, but never like this. Thanks for the fool (ME!) proof tip!
I tried this, and it is perfect! However, I amped it a little by drizzling the bacon with a very thin line of real maple syrup, and then sprinkled it with just a tiny touch of brown sugar. It gives the bacon a candied, caramelized taste similar to a nice, glazed ham. Perfect for extra special breakfasts, like Christmas or New Year's.
But I like to cook my eggs in the bacon fat!!
I pour the grease off the sheet into a small jar and save it in the fridge. I love eggs cooked that way too!
Before I read this I had tried with a preheated oven and alot of the pieces burned because I didn't watch close enough. I'll try the Cold oven and check more often for doneness. Thanks!
Quick question: Was this thickly sliced bacon, or regular?
Either one will work fine, Gigi.
Does it not splatter a lot in the oven? I am all for trying this. Do you think using a rack vs flat on the sheet makes much difference? Pinning it!
I've never noticed much splattering, Kim. I've been doing this for years. I've used both a rack to raise it and I've also cooked it flat on the foil lined pan. They both work great. I usually skip the rack though, because I really don't notice it making much of a difference.
I have a comment about your garlic mashed potatoes. Scientifically you “always” add butter before adding any milk. The chemical reaction of adding milk first causes the potatoes to become starchy and not smooth and not the desired fluff we expect from mashing. Check it out.
Good to know, Tamara. I didn’t know there was science behind it, but I do always add the butter first.
Sounds yummy 🙂 Can’t wait to try it. Thanks for sharing such amazing content.
doesn’t it splatter in the oven and make a greasy mess in there
It doesn’t splatter nearly so much as on the stovetop, Faith. That said, it may not be the method for you. It doesn’t bother me at all and it’s so much easier!
Hi Mary, I have tried this twice now and there’s so much smoke!! We have to open all the doors and get out the fans. I did this the first time for brunch for company, and it was so embarrassing! I tried it a second time (no company!) and again, SMOKE! But the bacon turned out great each time! I’m scared to try it again 🙁
That’s so strange, Becky! We cook bacon in the oven at least once or twice a month and I’ve never dealt with any smoke at all. Not once. What kind of oven do you have? Is the bacon burning? If it turned out great, I’m at a complete loss as to where the smoke was coming from. Bacon is almost absurdly fragrant and definitely will make the entire house smell of bacon, but I’ve never witnessed any smoke with this method. If it has happened twice for you though, I honestly wouldn’t recommend trying it again in your oven. That sounds like a major hassle.