Grab your favorite bacon, and let’s make homemade bacon bits! This recipe is a huge upgrade from the ones at the store, yielding crispy bacon pieces you can sprinkle over your favorite dishes.
Bacon makes everything better, and whenever you have a recipe that needs a little more oomph, you now have ready-to-add flavor at your fingertips.
Making Bacon Bits with Real Bacon
Making bacon bits with real bacon is super easy and tastes much better than the store-bought versions.
The bacon is cooked until perfectly crisp, then finely chopped so you can top them over salads, eggs, baked potatoes, or my loaded baked potato soup recipe.
Make these with whatever bacon you have available, even turkey bacon works with this method.
How to Make Bacon Bits in the Oven
Instead of pan-frying, we are making these bacon bits in the oven. This method minimizes grease splatters and gives the bacon a crunchy texture that’s easy to chop. Here’s what to do:
- Prep
Position the oven rack in the middle of the oven and preheat to 350F. - Bake
Line a baking sheet with foil and place the bacon slices in an even layer onto the sheet. Bake for 20 minutes or until the bacon is dark brown and crispy. - Cool
Remove the baking sheet from the oven and pat the bacon dry between paper towels. Transfer to a cutting board and allow the slices to cool completely. - Chop
Use a sharp knife to cut the bacon into fine, small pieces. Now you can use them as a topping or refrigerate them in an airtight container.
How to Store Homemade Bacon Bits
Homemade bacon bits need to be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. Since these are made with no preservatives, they must be refrigerated; otherwise, they’ll go bad if kept at room temperature.
You can also freeze homemade bacon bits in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months; this is a great tip if you want to make a large batch, but know that not even your family can eat that much bacon in a couple of days.
How Long Do Homemade Bacon Bits Last?
Freshly made bacon bits will last for 3 days in the refrigerator or up to 3 months in the freezer. Frozen bacon bits can be defrosted overnight in the fridge or warmed up in the microwave.
Are Bacon Bits Healthy?
Homemade bacon bits are the real deal and a healthier way to add smoky bacon flavor to your favorite dishes since they don’t have preservatives or added flavorings. One serving has only 3.5 grams of fat and 3 grams of protein.
It also helps that this recipe is made with one ingredient: bacon, compared to commercially prepared bacon bits which are often made with soy products, artificial ingredients, and coloring.
Are Homemade Bacon Bits Gluten-Free
Bacon bits made with real bacon are naturally gluten-free; however, for extra precaution, select a certified gluten-free brand of bacon or scan the ingredient list for gluten-derived seasonings and spice mixes.
How to Make Bacon Bits: Healthy and Gluten-Free!
Learn how to make homemade bacon bits in the oven so they’re perfectly crunchy and ready to be sprinkled over baked potatoes, salads, and more!
- Prep Time: 5
- Cook Time: 30
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 12
- Category: Sides
- Method: Oven
Ingredients
- 12 ounces of bacon, any
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 350F and position the oven rack in the middle of the oven.
- Line a baking sheet with foil and place the bacon slices on the baking sheet.
- Bake for about 20 minutes, until they begin to turn dark and crispy.
- Remove the baking sheet from the oven and transfer the cooked bacon strips onto a stack of 3 to 4 paper towels. Pat dry them with another paper towel to absorb excess fat.
- Tranfer them onto a chopping block and allow them to fully cool.
- With a large kitchen knife, finely chop them into small pieces.
Notes
STORAGE: keep bacon bits in the refrigerator for 3 days in an airtight container or 3 months in the freezer.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 44
- Sugar: 0 g
- Sodium: 177.6 mg
- Fat: 3.5 g
- Saturated Fat: 1.1 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 0.1 g
- Fiber: 0 g
- Protein: 2.9 g
- Cholesterol: 8.7 mg
plasterer bristol
yum these sound awesome. Thanks for this little recipe. simon.
Stace @ Saving Stace
I love bacon bits, but I never buy them because the store bought ones are so nasty. I can’t wait to try these! Oh, and thanks for the recommendation of Applegate Naturals! I have been searching for a nitrate-free bacon, which is really, really difficult to find. Thanks :)
Laura
My pleasure! It’s the brand we use at home since my daughter is allergic to many nitrates.
sunithi
Great idea ! Pinned it on my Gluten Free Pinterest board !
Laura
Thanks Suni!
GretaF
I will definitely be trying this!
Laura
Especially since most bacon bits out there ate no GF!