Ah, bacon. If it’s wrong, then we don’t want to be right. Whether it’s served alongside eggs, tucked in a sandwich, or swirled into pasta, there’s no meal that can’t be made better with bacon. So why deprive yourself of the stuff even if you’re trying to eat a bit healthier?While we aren’t encouraging bacon consumption three times a day (but you do you), we are here to show how to incorporate it into breakfast, lunch, and dinner without feeling like you’ve totally pigged out.
1. English Breakfast Frittata
A full-on English “roast” can be heavy, and a pretty elaborate production to put together. But if you’re hungering for the taste of the traditional British breakfast, put all the ingredients together in this frittata. You’ll get the bacon, sausage, eggs, tomatoes, and mushrooms all in one bite.
2. Smoky Bacon Sweet Potato Hash and Eggs
Want to start your day off with 10 grams of protein, six grams of fiber, and bacon to boot? Make this hash. The healthier tweaks, like sweet potatoes instead of white ones and avocado slices on top, only make it tastier.
3. Baked Eggs With Tomatoes and Bacon
No fancy ramekins (or an oven) needed here: One covered skillet and seven minutes are all it takes for eggs to cook up to soft perfection and for the bacon to get just crispy enough. It’s so quick and easy you’ll even have time to make this fancy-sounding breakfast on a weekday.
4. Sweet Potato Bacon Egg Muffins
We’ll never get enough of recipes you can make once and enjoy all week long, but this one may be one of our favorites—these muffins are suitable for Paleo and Whole30 diets, contain only six ingredients, and of course, feature generous amounts of bacon.
5. Eggs in Squash Rings
This lower-carb take on “eggs in a hole” kicks toast out of the equation, cracking the eggs into sliced acorn squash rings instead. Crumbled bacon on top is a perfect salty contrast to the slightly sweet, roasted veggie—you won’t ever miss the bread.
6. Maple Bacon Waffles
If you’re the kind of person who pours maple syrup on your breakfast meats (we know you’re out there), you’re going to love this. Bacon really stands out as the salty superstar of these slightly sweet waffles. Thanks to the Greek yogurt and eggs in the recipe, you’re even getting in 15 grams of protein per serving.
7. Breakfast Tostadas
This Latin American-inspired take on scrambled eggs and toast takes barely any extra time or effort but manages to add a whole lot of additional flavor. Chopped bacon, jalapeño slices, and a small sprinkling of queso fresco are to thank for that. And it’s gluten-free!
8. 10-Minute Breakfast Sandwich
Forget the breakfast sandwiches you find in the frozen foods section. This fresh version is packed with whole grains, lean protein, and some greens thanks to the pile of arugula placed on top of the Canadian bacon and egg whites. No risk of freezer burn, either.
9. BLT Stuffed Avocado
Instead of layering bacon, lettuce, and tomato between slices of bread, stir the combo into mashed avocado and stuff it into the hollowed shell of the fruit. You’ll be cutting down on the carbs and adding in tons of healthy fat to stay full all afternoon.
10. Sweet Potato Salad With Bacon
This Paleo-friendly salad is striking enough in appearance—thanks to the vibrant orange sweet potatoes and scattered flecks of green onions—that we shouldn’t need to convince you to eat it. But the thick-cut, salty bacon and the spicy jalapeño-mustard dressing make sure it fires on all cylinders when it comes to satisfying the palate too.
11. Light Bacon Ranch Chicken Salad Stuffed Tomatoes
Featuring Dijon mustard and a dash of ranch seasoning—and using Greek yogurt to replace some of the mayo—this chicken salad is far from the basic, old-fashioned stuff you’ll find at your local deli. Stuffed into hollowed tomatoes, the end result is so pretty, you may hesitate to dig in, until you remember there’s bacon.
12. Zucchini Noodles With Bacon, Ricotta, and Peas
Bacon joins a pile of sautéed zucchini and peas (plus a few dollops of cheese) for a lighter dish that allows you to get in an impressive serving of produce while still enjoying the more indulgent ingredients.
13. Bacon Cheeseburger Wraps
Yup, even if you’re trying to eat healthier, you can still enjoy the occasional cheeseburger for lunch, especially if you make this version. Lean ground beef, a light handful of shredded cheese, and a crumbled slice of bacon take the flavor—but not the fat—over the top. Nudge the nutritional factor even higher by using whole- wheat wraps.
14. BLT Pasta Salad
BLT doesn’t just have to be a type of sandwich—the bacon, lettuce, and tomato team works incredibly well in pasta too. This recipe goes an extra mile in making the combination a bit healthier, swapping out half the mayo for Greek yogurt and using only 1/4 teaspoon of sugar for the creamy dressing that brings it all together.
15. Caramelized Leek, Bacon, and Goat Cheese Potato Salad
Most potato salads are overwhelmed by creamy dressings that stifle the rest of the ingredients. This one does away with dressing entirely, relying simply on a squeeze of lemon to let the flavors of the bacon, roasted potatoes, and leeks shine through.
16. Grilled Bacon Apple Brie Sandwich
Instead of hiding its ingredients between bread, this recipe goes the open-face route, proudly showcasing each component of the dish—and why wouldn’t it? Between the bacon, the brie, and the apple, there’s plenty to “ooh” and “aah” at.
17. Healthy Bacon Pumpkin Pasta
This recipe includes bacon, cream cheese, and evaporated milk. It also uses whole-wheat pasta and puréed pumpkin for the cream sauce. Plus, it boasts nine grams of fiber and 15 grams of protein per serving. This pasta is the definition of “everything in moderation.”
18. Bacon and Shrimp Quinoa Fried Rice
This recipe blends traditional ingredients with New Age updates, with delicious results. You’ve still got the fish sauce, the shrimp, and the beaten egg, but quinoa replaces the rice to make the dish gluten-free, while bacon just makes it better.
19. Salmon, Pea, and Bacon Pasta
Who needs pasta sauce when you’ve got bacon drippings? Salmon gets cooked in the leftover fat of the meat, before it’s tossed with peas, onions, and bacon for a dish that looks simple but may surprise you with how flavorful it is.
20. Spinach Bacon Blue Cheese Spaghetti Squash
On the days you just need all the meat, carbs, and cheese, this recipe might just grant your wish without sending you into a food coma. Spaghetti squash imitates pasta surprisingly well, while a small handful each of bacon and blue cheese go a long way in satisfying a big craving.
21. 4-Layer Beef and Bacon Casserole
The title makes this dish seem like it belongs nowhere near a healthy recipe roundup, but take a closer look at the ingredients: The beef portion is made of lean meat, sweet potatoes make up the carb-y layer, there’s an entire section devoted entirely to mashed cauliflower, and bacon is simply scattered on top as a generous garnish. We’d say this meal belongs on the list.
22. Bacon-Wrapped Mediterranean Chicken
Now here’s a surefire way to jazz up plain old chicken breasts—wrap them in bacon! Don’t worry: The meat is thinly sliced, so the end product is lighter than it looks, not to mention satisfyingly crispy. Serve it up with a side of broccoli, like this blogger did, to make it a complete dinner.
23. Mashed Sweet Potato Bacon Cups
Sweet potatoes. Wrapped in bacon. Drizzled with maple syrup. Seasoned with garlic. Perfectly portioned. We’d go on, but we’re already drooling (and guessing that you are too).
24. Roasted Vegetable Brown Rice Risotto With Bacon and Kale
You don’t need a ton of bacon for it to make a huge difference in how a dish tastes—and this recipe is proof. Just four slices of the crispy meat provide a great texture contrast to the creamy grain in this quicker take on risotto, which uses brown rice instead of Arborio to cut down on cooking time.
25. Bacon and White Bean Stew
Stew may not seem like the most exciting dinner option, but that’s before you throw bacon into the pot. The meat tops the creamy (but dairy-free) concoction of beans, onions, and carrots. Ladle up a big bowl for healthy comfort.
