How to Serve Bacon

Co-authored by Jessica Gibson

Last Updated: August 25, 2021 References

We all know that bacon is great on its own, but there are so many ways to serve bacon-inspired dishes! It adds a rich, smoky flavor to savory foods and a savory taste that can balance sweeter dishes. Although there are tons of ways to incorporate bacon in your meals, we've compiled a list of ideas to inspire you.

Method 1

Method 1 of 12:
Brown sugar-glazed bacon

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Brush bacon with a brown-sugar sauce and bake it for a fantastic breakfast. Bacon is good on its own, but it can be fantastic when given a sweet twist! Bake 1 pound (450 g) of bacon in the oven for 15 minutes at 425 °F (218 °C). While the bacon's cooking, heat 1/2 cup (100 g) of brown sugar on the stove or in the microwave with 1 tablespoon (15 g) of Dijon mustard and 1 teaspoon (4.9 ml) of Worcestershire sauce. Once the sugar is dissolved, brush the sauce over the top of the bacon and cook it for 5 minutes, or until it's as crispy as you like.^{[1]
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- Customize the flavor of your salty-sweet bacon. Try maple syrup instead of brown sugar, for instance. Want a little heat? Whisk some ginger or a squirt of hot sauce into the glaze.
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Method 2

Method 2 of 12:
Bacon quiche or scrambled eggs

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Add cooked bacon to any type of egg dish for deep, salty flavor. Bacon and eggs are a classic for a reason! Whether you're serving scrambled eggs, quiche, omelettes, fried eggs, or poached eggs, bacon goes with them perfectly.^{[2]
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- Always cook the bacon before adding it to eggs since it takes longer to cook and you want it to be nice and crispy.

Method 3

Method 3 of 12:
Cheesy bacon bread

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Stir cooked bacon into cheesy bread dough for a super savory loaf. Add a few slices of chopped bacon to quick cheesy bread dough before you toss it in the oven. The cheesy bread pairs beautifully with the smoky meat. This is a great bread to serve with tomato soup, a salad, or a vegetable stew.^{[3]
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- You can also add chopped, cooked bacon to cornbread batter or biscuit dough.
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Method 4

Method 4 of 12:
Bacon sandwiches or burgers

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Top your next club, melt, or burger with a slice of bacon to add a smoky flavor. Plain bacon sandwiches are popular in Britain and BLTs are an American classic, but you can easily add bacon to turkey clubs, burgers, breakfast sandwiches, or grilled cheese.^{[4]
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- Don't limit yourself to hamburgers—bacon is great on grilled chicken sandwiches or pulled pork sandwiches, too!
- Want a really meaty sandwich? Use thick sliced bacon for a hearty topping.

Method 5

Method 5 of 12:
Bacon-wrapped shrimp or dates

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Wrap bacon around shrimp or dates for the perfect appetizer. Stick a toothpick through 1 shrimp and wrap a strip of raw bacon around it. Then, bake the shrimp at 400 °F (204 °C) for 15 minutes or until they're tender and the bacon is crisp. Not a fan of shrimp? You could also wrap:^{[5]
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- Stuffed jalapeno poppers
- Chicken livers
- Chunks of boiled potatoes
- Mini-sausages
- Asparagus
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Method 6

Method 6 of 12:
BLT salad

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Scatter crumbled bacon over lettuce and top it with tomatoes for a classic salad. Feel free to add bacon to any salad to add salty, crunchy texture. Try it in your next cobb or caesar salad, for instance.^{[6]
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- Bacon's wonderful in vegetable salads, too. For example, add it to broccoli salad, potato salad, or coleslaw.
- Add a pop of smoky flavor by stirring chopped bacon into roasted vegetables like carrots, turnips, and parsnips.

Method 7

Method 7 of 12:
Bacon-wrapped pork tenderloin

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Wrap pork tenderloin or shoulder with bacon before you roast it. The bacon crisps up as the meat cooks and it keeps the pork moist. Try this with lean cuts of meat like pork loin or tenderloin. Bacon also adds a smoky flavor to larger cuts like pork shoulder or blade.^{[7]
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- This is also a great trick for cooking mild fish like cod or rockfish.
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Method 8

Method 8 of 12:
Soups and chowders with bacon

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Mix cooked bacon into vegetable or cream-based soups to make them richer. Trying to convince a carnivore to eat a veggie soup? Stir crumbled bacon into it before serving. Bacon also lends a nice, smoky note to creamy chowders or savory stews. For example, add bacon to these meals:^{[8]
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- White bean soup
- Beef and barley soup
- Chicken stew
- Lentil or split-pea soup
- Clam chowder

Method 9

Method 9 of 12:
Macaroni and cheese with bacon

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Stir cooked bacon into creamy macaroni and cheese for a smoky flavor. If you want an even richer taste, use smoked cheese like havarti, gouda, or cheddar.^{[9]
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- Scatter crumbled bacon on top of your favorite casseroles like tuna noodle casserole or chicken-broccoli casserole.
- Bacon's great in cold pasta salads, too!
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Method 10

Method 10 of 12:
Bacon popcorn or trail mix

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Toss crumbled bacon into caramel popcorn or trail mix for a salty-sweet snack. If you love the salty crunch of bacon balanced with buttery sweet flavors, add a handful of crumbled bacon to caramel corn or your favorite trail mix. It's also great with cereal mixes like corn crisps or puffed rice bars.^{[10]
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- Want to really play around with bacon and sweet flavors? Top an ice cream sundae with fudge, nuts, and crumbled bacon.

Method 11

Method 11 of 12:
Bacon-topped ice cream

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Make a praline-bacon topping for your favorite ice cream. Spread raw bacon on a sheet and sprinkle brown sugar over the top. Bake the bacon for 7 or 8 minutes at 400 °F (204 °C) and flip the bacon over. Sprinkle the strips with more brown sugar and bake them for another 12 to 14 minutes or until they're crisp and caramelized. Then, chop them into bits and scatter them over your choice of ice cream. Try vanilla or buttered pecan ice cream, for instance.^{[11]
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- If you want even more bacon goodness, stir really crispy bacon into your ice cream before you top it.
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Method 12

Method 12 of 12:
Bacon nut bark

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Roast sweetened spiced bacon with nuts to make a crunchy bark. Toss 6 strips of chopped bacon with 1/4 cup (50 g) of brown sugar and 1/2 teaspoon (1 g) of paprika before you spread it on a baking sheet. Cook it at 350 °F (177 °C) for 8 to 10 minutes. Then, toss in 1 cup (115 g) of walnuts and 1 cup (109 g) of pecans that are coated with 1/4 cup (50 g) of brown sugar and 2 US tbsp (30 ml) of maple syrup. Bake the mixture for 15 minutes so the bark caramelizes and becomes crunchy. Once it cools, you can break up the bark into pieces.^{[12]
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- To make a chocolate bacon nut bark, scatter a handful of semisweet chocolate chips over the bark before you break it up.