Air Fryer Onion Rings (The Perfect Snack)

If you’re looking to add some new game-day snacks to your repertoire this fall, look no further than these air-fried onion rings! They’re crispy on the outside, melty in the middle, and bursting with sweet and savory onion flavor that will have you craving more.

They’re just as good, if not better than regular onion rings, and they’re a lot easier to make at home. These air-fried onion rings are one of our new favorites because they are fun, tasty, and relatively healthy.

Why do I prefer air frying to deep frying? It’s just so simple.

There will be no standing over a pot of hot oil, no monitoring of the temperature of said oil, and no figuring out how to dispose of it when you’re finished. The method for making onion rings in the air fryer is extremely simple without all of this fuss.

So let’s dive right into the details of what you need to e cautious of when making onion rings. With the extra information, this blog is followed with a recipe for onion rings at the end.

How Long Does it take to air-fry onion rings?

Cook for 12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, shaking halfway through. Check on them after about 10 minutes and remove them if you believe they are done.

How long do you cook frozen onion rings in an air fryer?

A Basket of onion rings
Onion rings go well with ketchup

Preheat your air fryer for 3 minutes at 350 degrees before making frozen onion rings. Insert onion rings into the basket but don’t stack them. Cook for 5 minutes at 350°F, then flip the onion rings and bake for another 6-8 minutes at 400°F.

Keep any remaining onion rings in an airtight container. It’s simple to reheat onion rings in the air fryer. For 2 minutes in an air fryer at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. If they’re not crisping up enough, you might need to spray them with a little oil.

what temperature do you air fry frozen onion rings?

First of all, you don’t have to thaw them at all; you just take them out of the freezer, put your air fryer on preheating, and then cook them for 8 to 10 minutes at about 400 degrees Fahrenheit. During the cooking time, do give the air fryer a shake so it cooks evenly.

However, there's a tip, which is you should lower your temperature when there are about 2 to 3 minutes left on cooking. 

why are my onion rings soggy?

Onion rings placed on parchment paper
Crispy Onion rings!

To get crispy onion rings, keep the onion rings in a single layer as much as possible. There may be some overlap.

If the onion rings aren’t crisp enough, shake them up and air fry them for 2 to 3 minutes longer.

However, here are some tips that can help you out with crispy onion rings:

  • Mix in a little cornstarch with the flour. It aids in the adhesion of the breading to the onion.
  • Make use of panko breadcrumbs. They are extremely crunchy and work well in air fryer recipes.
  • Before putting the onion rings in the air fryer, spray them with nonstick spray or sprayable olive oil. This small amount of fat contributes to them becoming golden brown and crispy.

why soak onion rings in ice water before cooking them?

The best thing you can do to enhance the flavor of onion rings and their crispiness is to soak onion rings in cold water for about 10 to 20 minutes. This will neutralize their mild flavors and they will not become soggy, resulting in a crispier onion ring.

what type of onion is best for onion rings?

When making onion rings, people generally prefer Vidalia or yellow onions. When you bite into an onion ring, you get a naturally sweet flavor that everyone enjoys. In a pinch, you can use plain white onions, but they won’t have the same sweetness.

I would avoid using red onions in this recipe because they have too much bite to be a good fry onion.

Now here’s a variation of onion rings, Mozerela onion rings, they can be easily cooked in the air fryer.

Check out this video of mozzarella onion rings

How to make air fryer onion rings?

Making air fryer onion rings requires some steps but it can be pretty therapeutic. Let me list down the ingredients for you:

Ingredients

This recipe is made up of only a few basic ingredients:

  • This recipe calls for 1 large yellow onion.
  • Eggs and flour bind the panko breading to the onions.
  • Panko breadcrumbs are responsible for the crispy, crunchy coating on the onion rings.
  • Onion powder and garlic powder – These ingredients give the panko coating a savory, umami flavor.
  • Extra-virgin olive oil – It aids in the browning and crisping of the onion rings as they cook.
  • And sea salt will bring out the flavors.

Directions

To begin, slice the onions. Make 1/2-inch thick slices out of them. Then cut the slices into rings.

Dredge them next. In a mixing bowl, combine the panko, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. In another bowl, whisk together the eggs and the flour. After that, dip each onion ring into the flour, then into the egg. Lastly, coat it with the breadcrumb mixture.

After that, cook them. Arrange the rings in your air fryer basket in a single layer. I prefer working in batches if the air fryer is too small. Drizzle the rings with oil and air fry for 8 to 11 minutes, or until golden brown and crisp, at 370°F. Keep repeating this until all your onion rings have been air fried.

These onion rings are best when served hot. Enjoy each batch as it comes out of the air fryer, or if you prefer to serve them all at once, place all of the onion rings in the basket after the last batch has been cooked.

They should all be cooked at this point, so there’s no need to worry about arranging them in a single layer. Warm them up in the air fryer for 1-2 minutes. Voila

Tips on making the best onion rings

Fried onion rings with barbecue sauce in the black plate
BBQ sauce brings magic to the Onion rings
  • If the air fryer basket is too full, the onions may not cook through.
  • If you have a small air fryer, you may need to air fry the onion rings in batches. If the previous batches have cooled too much, reheat them for 1-2 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
  • Every air fryer is unique. When making frozen onion rings in the air fryer for the first time, check on them 2 minutes before the cooking time is up. In the future, make any necessary changes to the recipe.
  • To get the nice golden brown crunchy coating, spray the onion rings thoroughly with cooking spray. Because some cooking sprays can damage cooking surfaces over time, you may want to spray the coated onion rings before placing them in the air fryer basket.

Dips to serve onion rings with?

I use simple sauce out of mayonnaise and ketchup for my onion rings. I like to use 1/3 cup mayo to 2 tablespoons ketchup, but you can experiment with different proportions.

If mayonnaise and ketchup aren’t your things, try Honey Mustard Dressing, Bourbon Barbecue Sauce, Blue Cheese Sauce, or Ranch!

Nutrition in Air fried Onion Rings

Well, since onion rings are a snack to munch on, it contains many calories that you wouldn’t want to get on with if you’re on a diet.

Now let’s look into the table of what and how much nutrition it contains:

NutritionServing: 1 ring
Calories115 kcals
Fats1.9 g
Carbs 18.4 g
Protein5. 9 g
Sodium215.4 mg
Sugar3 g
Cholesterol2.2 mg
A table of nutrition in a single onion ring

Calories do give you energy but you can end up getting some weight because of that. Onion rings are just like snacks and should be eaten like it. However, you can make them a side for your main course meals.

But if you’re on a diet, or a gym enthusiast I wouldn’t suggest you eat more than 2 or 3. The rest is on your dietician.

Serving Ideas for Air Fryer Onion Rings

These air fryer onion rings are delicious on their own, but they’re even better with dipping sauce. Toppings can include mayo, ketchup, tartar sauce, vegan ranch, or creamy chipotle sauce.

Serve the onion rings as a side dish with any burger or sandwich to make them a meal. They go great with veggie burgers, black bean burgers, and BBQ jackfruit sandwiches.

Variations on a Recipe

  • If you prefer, use whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs instead.
  • For the paleo and keto diets, use paleo breading.
  • Season the breading with additional seasonings such as cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, and seasoned salt.
  • This recipe calls for sweet onions, but regular yellow or white onions will suffice. Remember that white onion has a stronger flavor.

Summary

  • Onion rings can be air fried without any hassle.
  • You will have to cook them for about 6 to 8 minutes and give them a shake.
  • Onion rings if soaked in cold water before cooking can be very delicious since the water will neutralize their flavors.
  • There can be plenty of options that you can go for when it comes to dipping used with onion rings, such as ranch, barbeque, and many more.
  • If you don’t have time, frozen onion rings can be air fried too in an easy way.
  • Onion rings can be placed in an air-tight container and stored for up to three days in the refrigerator.

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