Insanely Delicious Bacon Recipes That Everyone Will Love (2024)

Insanely Delicious Bacon Recipes That Everyone Will Love (1)

Is there anything that can’t be improved by the addition of BACON? We don’t think so! Bacon is an important part of a ton of our favorite apps, sides, mains, and even desserts. Don’t even get us started on how integral it is to the perfect breakfast. Check out our 80 bacon recipes for ideas on what to do with it, but really, you can pretty much go ham… er, bacon!

First things first: If you’re going to put it in everything, you’re going to want your bacon to be the best it can be. We like a couple different cooking methods, so we’ve included instructions and tips for success cooking it on the stove, in the oven, in the air fryer, and in the microwave. All will turn out delicious bacon, though some will be more chewy or more crispy, so experiment until you find which you like best.

Then you can get to eating bacon for every meal of the day. Looking for a delicious savory breakfast? A bacon, egg, and cheese (BEC) is classic, but don’t feel limited to just enjoying the combo on a sandwich. Check out our crescent breakfast tart, our breakfast bombs, our copycat Cracker Barrel hashbrown casserole, our bacon weave breakfast tacos (with bacon instead of tortillas 😋), or our bacon-cheddar oatmeal scones to see how much more you can do with the flavor combo. Want to enjoy bacon for lunch? Go for a classic sandwich, like a BLT or a club sandwich; a burger, like our bacon-beef 50/50 burger or our copycat Carl’s Jr. Bacon Western Cheeseburger; or a hearty salad, like our garlic herb wedge salad or Snoop Dogg’s BBQ chicken Cobb (you’ll flip over how he cooks his bacon). Need a salty, super-satisfying snack? Try our bacon avocado fries, our bacon-wrapped jalapeño poppers, our cheesy bacon spinach dip, or our bacon-wrapped dates. They make for great party apps too, and you might want to make extra—they’ll go fast.

Bacon isn’t as good at carrying an entire meal as, say, steak or chicken, but it can take a dinner from good to GREAT. Check out our one-pan ranch chicken Alfredo, our coq au vin, our bacon-wrapped meatloaf, or our beef bourguignon to see what we mean. Bacon is even welcome in desserts. Maple bacon is a classic combo, of course, but bacon pairs with tons of other sweet flavors too. Try our bacon cannoli, our bacon weave s’mores, our maple bacon cinnamon rolls, or our bacon chocolate roses to see how versatile it can be in sweets treats. Think of it like that little added sprinkle of flaky sea salt we often suggest atop desserts, and try adding bacon to all your faves.

One final hot tip for bacon lovers: After cooking it (particularly on the stovetop), save that bacon grease! It’s cooking GOLD. Use it anywhere you’d use oil for a massive flavor boost.

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1

Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken

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Bacon and ranch is an absolute match made in heaven. If you're as obsessed with this flavor combination as we are, then you have to make these cheesy chicken breasts. They make for a perfect weeknight dinner when paired with some garlicky broccoli or kale.

Get the Cheesy Bacon Ranch Chicken recipe.

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2

Bacon Parm Crackers

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This is the easiest app to whip together (it even works in the air fryer!), and everyone will love it. All you need is 3 simple ingredients and around an hour to turn any gathering into a party.

Get the Bacon Parm Crackers recipe.

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3

Classic BLT

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A classic BLT doesn't need much to be good, but we added some special ingredients anyway! Here, we really elevate the bacon by brushing it with maple syrup and a little cayenne pepper, and spice up the mayo with some chili powder and paprika for a little kick.

Get the Classic BLT recipe.

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4

Cheesy Bacon Butternut Squash

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No matter what the centerpiece of your meal is, this cheesy butternut squash skillet is sure to steal the show. The balance of sweet, salty, and creamy is EXTREMELY delicious.

Get the Cheesy Bacon Butternut Squash recipe.

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5

Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers

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Jalapeño poppers are one of the easiest, most satisfying party apps. Mix cream cheese with pepper Jack, stuff it in jalapeños, and wrap it all in bacon. In the oven, the cheese gets hot and melty and the peppers mellow slightly. The combination is PERFECT.

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Jalapeño Poppers recipe.

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6

Bacon Fried Cabbage

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If you want to venture into the world of cabbage that goes beyond corned beef or coleslaw, try this fried cabbage on for size. Hearty and flavorful, it only requires 5 ingredients (if you don't count the salt and pepper). Plus, one of those ingredients is bacon! This simple recipe might just convert even the most ardent of cabbage haters.

Get the Bacon Fried Cabbage recipe.

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7

Breakfast Bombs

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These easy-to-make biscuit bombs are stuffed with all your favorite breakfast foods—scrambled eggs, crispy bacon, and CHEESE. You could make them in the oven, but they take less than half the time in your air fryer.

Get the Breakfast Bombs recipe.

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8

Coq Au Vin

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Coq au vin, or rooster with wine, is a classic French dish that isn't as complicated as it sounds. Chicken is braised in a silky wine sauce, then paired with bacon, mushrooms, and pearl onions that give this dish so much flavor. It's one of our favorite chicken dinners to serve to guests—it always impresses.

Get the Coq Au Vin recipe.

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9

Bacon-Wrapped Dates

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If you're unfamiliar with dates, it's time to familiarize yourself! The date's sweetness is the PERFECT counterpoint to crisp, salty bacon and creamy goat cheese. We guarantee these will fly off the platter when your guests have barely begun to arrive, so make extra.

Get the Bacon-Wrapped Dates recipe.

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10

Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breast

Hasselback your chicken by cutting shallow slits into your chicken breasts (don't cut all the way through!) and stuff each slit with bacon and a creamy spinach and artichoke filling.

Get the Spinach-Stuffed Chicken Breast recipe.

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11

Copycat Carl's Jr. Bacon Western Cheeseburger

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There are a ton of famous fast food burgers, but the Bacon Western Cheeseburger holds a special place in our hearts (and not just because it’s really fun to say). Top with tangy BBQ sauce and crispy onion rings, and you're on your way to burger heaven.

Get the Copycat Carl's Jr. Bacon Western Cheeseburger recipe.

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12

Loaded Baked Potatoes with Bacon and Cheddar

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These spuds, filled to the brim with your favorite potato toppings, can almost be a meal on their own. While the full hour of baking is absolutely best, if you don't have an hour to spare, you can steam your potatoes in the microwave while your oven is preheating, then stuff and finish them in the oven.

Get the Loaded Baked Potatoes with Bacon and Cheddar recipe.

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13

Bacon Avocado Fries

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We can't say no to anything wrapped in bacon. These low-carb "fries" turn a regular slice of avocado into something extraordinary. We've included an oven-baked version as well as an air fryer version too, so there's no excuse not to try these!

Get the Bacon Avocado Fries recipe.

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14

Crispy Air Fryer Bacon

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Faster than it takes to preheat the oven and perfect for small batches, the air fryer might make the crispiest bacon of all time without a crazy amount of grease—AND no time wasted standing over a hot skillet.

Get the Crispy Air Fryer Bacon recipe.

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15

Bacon Brie Crescent Wreath

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Looking for an appetizer that doubles at a centerpiece? This cheesy, savory crescent ring is perfect for your holiday gathering. And if it's a vegetarian app you're after, we'd suggest subbing in sautéed mushrooms for the bacon.

Get the Bacon Brie Crescent Wreath recipe.

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16

Bacon Wrapped Shrimp

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We bet we had you at bacon, but if not, there's also chili-spiced maple butter on these. 😍

Get the Bacon Wrapped Shrimp recipe.

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17

Bacon Jalapeño Corn Salad

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We can't get enough of corn during the summer. This extra-flavorful corn salad is the perfect side for a potluck or BBQ, and we plan on eating it ALL season long.

Get the Bacon Jalapeño Corn Salad recipe.

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18

Microwave Bacon

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Not only is microwaving bacon the fastest way to cook it, but it also leaves you with less grease to clean up afterward. No messy skillets and grease-splattered stoves or dangerously hot baking sheets to clean up. It's 100% the way to go.

Get the Microwave Bacon recipe.

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19

Southern Fried Corn

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Fried corn is a classic side dish from the American South. It's not fried as in deep-fried, but rather in the Southern sense of the word "sautéed." It's perfect served at any BBQ, alongside oven-baked ribs, potato rolls, and a summer salad.

Get the Southern Fried Corn recipe.

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20

Haluski Cabbage & Noodles

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This humble Eastern European dish is a combination of caramelized cabbage and onions, tossed with rich egg noodles; savory, crisp bacon; and of course, butter. The most traditional Haluski recipes keep it simple, but this one adds a punch of acidic lemon and fresh garlic to cut through some of the fattiness too.

Get the .

Insanely Delicious Bacon Recipes That Everyone Will Love (2024)

FAQs

How do you make bacon more interesting? ›

Even though it doesn't necessarily come with a mild flavor, bacon is a total blank canvas. With the help of some extra ingredients and spices for your bacon, you can take its original savory, salty, and smoky flavor and enhance it with things like chili powder and coffee, Sriracha, maple syrup, brown sugar, or honey.

How to make bacon extra good? ›

The best tool for cooking bacon is your oven, since it generates even heat. Place the slices on a racked bacon sheet and toss them into a 350 degree oven for 10 to 12 minutes. Spin the rack 180 degrees at the half way mark. You should be rewarded with crispy brown bacon that is perfectly cooked.

Why does restaurant bacon taste so good? ›

The secret is pre-cooking your bacon

Regardless of the perfect meat-to-fat ratio and peak freshness, the real secret to diner-worthy bacon is the cooking method. According to Epicurious, par-cooking it in the oven is the preferred method of many restaurant owners.

How do professionals cook bacon? ›

Use the oven. Put your bacon on a rack on a 1/2 sheet pan and place the pan in a cold oven. Then set the oven to 400° F. As the oven slowly heats up, the bacon fat is gently rendered out, resulting in flat cooked bacon.

Why do chefs add water to bacon? ›

Why Does Cooking Bacon in Water Work? The addition of water keeps the initial cooking temperature low and gentle, so the meat retains its moisture and stays tender as the fat renders. Plus, since the water helps render the fat, there will be significantly less splatter as your bacon finishes in the pan.

What does putting flour on bacon do? ›

You take strips of bacon and place them on a baking sheet, then sprinkle all-purpose flour on top and bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 20 to 25 minutes. I was surprised to find out how great this worked. The flour definitely helped to give the bacon a crispier texture and nicer color than the other methods I tried.

Why doesn't homemade bacon get crispy? ›

Let your bacon sit at room temperature for fifteen minutes or so before you cook it. It will help the fat render more quickly, so it will be crispy and not burnt.

What is the secret to crispy bacon? ›

Kenji López-Alt recommends 425 degrees, which he says takes 20 minutes for crispy bacon, but he doesn't recommend going much higher than that. “Cooking at 475 left me with bacon that was threatening to burn in spots and still undercooked in others after just 15 minutes,” López-Alt wrote.

How to cook bacon like a diner? ›

Arrange bacon, fat side up, in 2 layers in a 13x9" metal baking dish. Pour oil over; bacon should be mostly submerged. Broil, checking often and watching carefully, until fat is partially rendered and edges start to crisp on top layer, 15–20 minutes. Transfer dish to a wire rack.

How to make buffet style bacon? ›

Don't bother with racks, crimped foil, or stacked baking sheets; just lay out your bacon strips on a rimmed baking sheet and bake them in a 425°F (220°C) oven until they're as crisp as you like (about 20 minutes was right for me). Drain on paper towels, and you've got a big pile of perfectly cooked bacon on your hands.

How do people prefer their bacon? ›

About seven in 10 (71%) like their bacon to be somewhat (37%) or very (34%) crispy. One in five (20%) prefer their bacon to be a little chewier.

What goes best with bacon? ›

Almost anything savory, like just about any meat, bread, or vegetable dish and even a few sweet things, like pancakes, waffles, and French toast, with maple syrup. Greens cooked with bacon and onions are delicious. Crumble crispy bacon to add to any potato dish, or sprinkle on a salad. Possibilities are endless.

What makes bacon taste good? ›

Glutamate is found in many foods, but it's especially abundant in bacon. The high concentration of glutamate is why bacon tastes so savory and delicious. It's also why some people find bacon addictive. The human body craves foods high in umami because they are a source of important nutrients.

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