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33 Best Bacon Recipes Ever

Bacon makes almost anything better.
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They say that bacon makes everything better. Not only is that not true—bacon jello? gross!—the high-calorie strips of greasy meat can seriously derail your healthy diet. But we'll admit that it's hard to turn down a bite of bacon when you're in the mood for that savory taste. With that in mind, we pulled together our favorite healthy bacon recipes. From clam chowder to pizza, there's something on this list for everyone.

See which delicious recipe you'll want to try first, and be sure to select center-cut bacon—it's a better choice than most sodium-drenched turkey bacon. Just be sure to avoid these 20 Bacon Mistakes.

Breakfast Tacos with Bacon and Spinach

Breakfast tacos with bacon and spinach
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Start your day the right way with these savory breakfast tacos. Yes, they feature bacon, but there's also spinach and mushrooms to add some more nutrients to the meal.

Get our recipe for Breakfast Tacos with Bacon and Spinach.

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Cheese Fries

Healthy cheese fries
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Make cheese fries at home, and you'll have a way better-for-you comfort food than you'd find at your local dive bar. Our fries are loaded with paprika and jalapeños, along with bacon and cheese.

Get our recipe for Cheese Fries.

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Spicy Potato Skins

Low-calorie spicy potato skins
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

You might find these on the appetizer menu at a restaurant chain, but they're pretty simple to make at home. And our recipe is way more flavorful than anything you'll find in the freezer aisle.

Get our recipe for Spicy Potato Skins.

The Ultimate BLT Sandwich

Healthy ultimate blt
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Once you've tried our BLT recipe, you won't need any others.

Get our recipe for The Ultimate BLT Sandwich.

Bacon Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese

Healthy bacon pizza with caramelized onions and goat cheese
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Bacon on pizza? Yes, please! This recipe combines the savory, salty taste of bacon with the sweet taste of caramelized onions.

Get our recipe for Bacon Pizza with Caramelized Onions and Goat Cheese.

Butternut Squash Soup

Healthy butternut squash soup
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

If you're not topping your butternut squash soup with bacon…why not?

Get our recipe for Butternut Squash Soup.

Spaghetti with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Bacon

Healthy spaghetti with spicy tomato sauce
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Carbonara isn't the only pasta that's made better with the addition of bacon. This red-sauce spaghetti gets an extra kick from the crispy meat.

Get our recipe for Spaghetti with Spicy Tomato Sauce and Bacon.

Slow-Cooker Chicken in Red Wine

Slow cooker chicken in red wine
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Chicken isn't the most flavorful meat, but when you add red wine, bacon, and mushrooms, it just might become your favorite protein.

Get our recipe for Slow-Cooker Chicken in Red Wine.

Grilled Cheese with Apples and Bacon

Healthy grilled cheese with apples and bacon
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Perk up a boring grilled cheese by adding apples and bacon for extra crunch and flavor.

Get our recipe for Grilled Cheese with Apples and Bacon.

Clam Chowder

Healthy clam chowder
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Clam chowder is another recipe that's even better when it's topped with bacon pieces.

Get our recipe for Clam Chowder.

Eggs in Purgatory

Healthy eggs in purgatory
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

The only thing that could make this combination of eggs and crushed tomatoes better is a bit of diced bacon. Yum!

Get our recipe for Eggs in Purgatory.

Baked Potato Soup

Healthy baked potato soup
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Think of this as those cheesy potato skins, but in soup form. The combination of cheddar, potatoes, and bacon is almost too good to be true.

Get our recipe for Baked Potato Soup.

Southern-Style Cornmeal Catfish with Tomato Gravy

Low-calorie cornmeal tomato gravy catfish
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

This recipe doesn't use bacon pieces; instead, it uses the rendered bacon fat to make the catfish flavor pop. But if you're already making bacon for breakfast, you might as well use that grease to make something good for lunch, too!

Get our recipe for Southern-Style Cornmeal Catfish with Tomato Gravy.

Bacon and Cheese Twice-Baked Potatoes

Healthy twice-baked potatoes
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

With bacon, scallions, cheese, and Tabasco sauce, these potatoes might be the tastiest side dish you've ever eaten.

Get our recipe for Bacon and Cheese Twice-Baked Potatoes.

Chipotle Bacon Sliders

Low-calorie sliders 2 ways
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

There's something about eating burger sliders that's just more fun than eating their full-size counterparts. These are topped with chipotle pepper and crispy bacon for an unforgettable flavor.

Get our recipe for Chipotle Bacon Sliders.

Shrimp and Spinach Salad with Bacon

Healthy spinach salad with warm bacon dressing
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Adding shrimp atop your salad is flavorful enough. But when there's fresh-cooked bacon in the mix, you'll forget this is a healthy meal.

Get our recipe for Shrimp and Spinach Salad with Bacon.

Smoky Deviled Eggs with Bacon

Healthy smokey deviled eggs
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

There are many delicious ways to make deviled eggs, but topping them with bacon might be at the top of the list.

Get our recipe for Smoky Deviled Eggs with Bacon.

Bacon and Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates

bacon wrapped dates with toothpicks
Brent Hofacker/Shutterstock

These stuffed dates are quite literally packed with flavor. Crumbled blue cheese and fresh bacon really make them pop.

Get our recipe for Bacon and Blue Cheese Stuffed Dates.

Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Almonds

Healthy brussels and bacon
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

If Brussels sprouts aren't your favorite vegetable, this recipe just might change your mind.

Get our recipe for Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Almonds.

Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Apples, and a Warm Bacon Dressing

Healthy spinach & goat cheese salad with apples & warm bacon dressing
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Another spinach salad? When it's topped with a bacon dressing, it just might be our favorite meal.

Get our recipe for a Spinach Salad with Goat Cheese, Apples, and a Warm Bacon Dressing.

Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Scallops

Healthy teriyaki scallops wrapped in bacon
Mitch Mandel and Thomas MacDonald

Bacon-wrapped scallops are a classic appetizer. This recipe adds even more flavor thanks to teriyaki sauce.

Get our recipe for Bacon-Wrapped Teriyaki Scallops.

Bacon-Chile Burgers with Guacamole and Fresh Salsa

Paleo bacon chile burger
Waterbury Publications, Inc.

Add a taste of Mexican flair to your burger with guacamole and salsa. And, of course, add some bacon for good measure, too.

Get our recipe for Bacon-Chile Burgers with Guacamole and Fresh Salsa.

Bacon and Cheese Breakfast Sandwiches

keto bacon cheese sandwich on parchment paper with tea in the background
Courtesy of Waterbury Publications, Inc.

This keto-friendly recipe uses cloud bread, but you can swap in regular bread if you're not on the keto diet. Either way, the combination of eggs, cheese, and bacon is a breakfast classic.

Get our recipe for a Bacon and Cheese Breakfast Sandwich.

Bacon-Spinach Dip

keto bacon spinach dip in a white bowl topped with bacon bits
Courtesy of Waterbury Publications, Inc.

Creamy spinach dip is near-perfect on its own. But adding bacon into the mix makes it a must-have for any appetizer spread.

Get our recipe for Bacon-Spinach Dip.

Zucchini Noodles with Bacon Vinaigrette

keto zucchini noodles in bowl with fork
Waterbury Publications, Inc.

If zucchini noodles sound "blah," perk up your zoodle recipe by adding this tasty bacon vinaigrette.

Get our recipe for Zucchini Noodles with Bacon Vinaigrette.

Toast with Hazelnut Spread and Bacon Bits

hazelnut spread bacon maple syrup toast on grey plate and marble counter
Kiersten Hickman/Eat This, Not That!

Say goodbye to avocado toast and hello to this sweet and salty option. The unexpected flavor pairing works, we promise!

Get our recipe for Toast with Hazelnut Spread and Bacon Bits.

Bacon Jam

jar of bacon jam on marble table
Courtesy of Savory Simple

Sliced bacon is great, but have you ever tried bacon jam? It's easy to make and is the perfect toast topper.

Get the recipe from Savory Simple.

Potato Salad with Bacon

bacon potato salad with parsley
Courtesy of Averie Cooks

You don't need mayo for a delicious potato salad! This recipe adds bacon for an extra crunch.

Get the recipe from Averie Cooks.

Chocolate Pound Cake with Bacon Bourbon Frosting

chocolate poundcake with bacon bourbon frosting
Courtesy of How Sweet Eats

If donuts can be topped with bacon, why can't chocolate cake? This recipe is so good, you'll never relegate bacon to the breakfast table again.

Get the recipe from How Sweet Eats.

Grilled Corn with Bacon Butter and Cotija Cheese

grilled corn with bacon butter and cotija cheese
Courtesy of How Sweet Eats

Bacon. Butter. Need we say more?

Get the recipe from How Sweet Eats.

Bacon-Wrapped Grilled Peaches with a Balsamic Glaze

bacon wrapped grilled peaches
Courtesy of Foodie Crush

Move over, bacon-wrapped dates. Bacon-wrapped peaches are here to change the game.

Get the recipe from Foodie Crush.

Grilled Chocolate Chip Cookie Bacon S'mores

chocolate chip cookie smores with bacon
Courtesy of Creme De La Crumb

This recipe already ups the s'mores game by using chocolate chip cookies in place of graham crackers. But it really takes things to the next level by adding bacon to the mix.

Get the recipe from Creme de la Crumb.

Candied Jalapeño Bacon Grilled Cheese

bacon grilled cheese with dip on marble board
Courtesy of How Sweet Eats

You already know that bacon and sliced tomatoes make grilled cheese better. But have you ever tried adding jalapeño to the mix, too? Mind. Blown.

Get the recipe from How Sweet Eats.

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