Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (2024)

By: Author Janessa

Posted on Last updated:

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (1)

You are going to LOVE my air fryer onion rings recipe!They are a great appetizer or perfect side dish. They are one of my favorite restaurant side dishes and I love to fix them on game day.

And, thanks to the air fryer, you can now make them at home! It’s so satisfying to be able to make your own homemade onion rings!

We’ve had an air fryer for a while now and I LOVE this thing! Before buying the air fryer we had a traditional oil fryer for deep-fried food. The deep fryer made food taste great but it was a pain to clean and it made the entire house smell like a McDonald’s.

The air fryer, on the other hand,still makes food taste great but with the added bonus of not stinking up the whole house. The air fryer basket and unit itself are so easy to clean too. I love that there is so much less mess with an air fryer. Win-win!

The other day we made this homemade air fryer onion rings recipe and they turned out pretty tasty, so now I’m sharing it with you! This extra crispy onion rings recipe is pretty easy but takes a few minutes to prepare the ingredients and to cut the onion. It’s well worth the work, though! Enjoy!

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (2)

Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup of flour
  • 1 tspof paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt (divided in half)
  • 1/2 cup of buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • cooking spray

Directions

You’ll need three bowls for this recipe. In the first small bowl combine 1/2 cup of flour, 1 tspof paprika, and 1/2 tsp of salt, and stir.

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (3)

In the second medium bowl mix 1/4 cup of the flour/paprika/salt mixture from the first bowl with 1/2 cup of buttermilk and the egg for the egg wash. Stir well.

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (4)

Finally, in the third bowl combine 1 cup of panko breadcrumbs with 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp of salt. Stir gently until the oil evenly coats the panko breadcrumbs.

Cut the yellow onion into 1/2 inch thick slices and separateinto individual rings. Taking each ring, dredge them into the flour mixture, then dip them in the buttermilk mixture making sure they’re fully coated, and then dredge them in the panko mixture.

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (6)

Place your coated rings into your air fryer in a single layer, being sure that the crispy coating doesn’t touch. You may find that you can only fry four or so at a time. Sometimes I’m able to fit the smaller rings inside of the bigger rings.

Fry at 380 degrees for 10 minutes until they are golden brown. You can spray with cooking spray midway through the frying process if necessary.

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (7)
Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (8)

That’s it! You’re ready to enjoy your crispy air fryer onion rings! Don’t forget to print the recipe card of save it to a board of your favorite air fryer recipes on Pinterest. It’s a tasty snack you’ll want to make again and again.

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (9)

Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe

Orin Solem

An easy air fryer onion ring recipe.

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 15 minutes mins

Cook Time 10 minutes mins

Total Time 25 minutes mins

Course Recipes

Cuisine American

Servings 20 -40 onion rings, depending on onion size

Calories 216 kcal

Equipment

  • XL Air Fryer

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup of all purpose flour
  • 1 tsp of paprika
  • 1 tsp of salt divided in half
  • 1/2 cup of buttermilk
  • 1 egg
  • 2 tbsp of olive oil
  • 1 cup of panko bread crumbs
  • 1 large yellow onion
  • cooking spray

Instructions

  • You’ll need three bowls for this recipe. In the first bowl combine 1/2 cup of flour, 1 tspof paprika, and 1/2 tsp of salt and stir.

  • In the second bowl mix 1/4 cup of the flour/paprika/salt mixture from the first bowl with 1/2 cup of buttermilk and the egg. Stir well.

  • Finally, in the third bowl combine 1 cup of panko bread crumbs with 2 tbsp of olive oil and 1/2 tsp of salt. Stir gently until the oil evenly coats the panko breadcrumbs.

  • Cut the yellow onion into 1/2 inch thick slices and separateinto individual rings. Taking each ring, dredge them into the flour mixture, then dip them in the buttermilk egg mixture making sure they’re fully coated, and then dredge them in the breadcrumb mixture.

  • Place your coated rings into your air fryer, being sure they don’t touch. You may find that you can only fry four or so at a time. Fry at 380 degrees for 10 minutes. You can spray with cooking spray midway through the frying process if necessary.

Video

Notes

We like using yellow onions for this recipe but you could definitely use red onions, sweet onions (vidalia onion) or white onions as well if you prefer.

We have an air fryer with a tray now instead of just an air fryer basket which makes it easier to cook lots of rings in a single layer at once. If you plan to cook things like onion rings, french fries, and chicken fingers using an air fryer often, it might be worthwhile for you to get an air fryer of this style. I have both types and use each of them a lot.

If you love the flavor of garlic, try adding 1 teaspoon of garlic powder to the dry mixture bowl.

Pair these onion rings with your favorite dipping sauce.

If you don't have panko you can substitute regular breadcrumbs, but I do feel like panko is the best for giving you a nice crispy onion ring.

Keyword air fryer, air fryer onion rings recipe, onion rings

Related Posts

Looking for other great air fryerrecipes? If you love these crunchy onion rings, you’ll also enjoy ourAir Fryer Hushpuppies recipeand ourAir Fryer Sugar Doughnut recipe! They are both great recipes and easy recipes too.

These air fryer onion rings pair great with salmon patties and skillet green beans. Yum!

Make sure you clean the air fryer regularly for the best flavor, best results, and longevity of your small appliance.

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (10)
Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to crisp up onion rings in air fryer? ›

Using an Air Fryer to Reheat Onion Rings
  1. Optional: Spray your air fryer basket with a bit of oil.
  2. Place your onion rings in the basket.
  3. Set your temperature to 350.
  4. Cook them for about 5 minutes.
  5. Remove the fried onion rings when the outside of the rings are crispy and brown.

Why are my onion rings not crispy? ›

Don't skip the frying thermometer though—it's important to make sure you're frying at the right temperature so your onion rings come out crispy, crunchy, and delicious. If the oil isn't hot enough, your onion rings can turn out soggy; too hot, and the oil can start to smoke.

What temperature do you air fry frozen onion rings? ›

Add the frozen onion rings to the air fryer basket, without overcrowding. Air fry for 12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, turning them over with tongs or shaking the basket at the 6 minute mark.

Why do onion rings get soggy? ›

Too much batter.

Instead of staying light and crisp, an onion ring with too much batter will retain too much internal moisture, and as soon as it comes out of the oil, the batter starts getting soggy.

What is the trick to getting things extra crispy with an air fryer? ›

However, a small amount of oil is usually necessary to achieve a crispy texture. A drizzle or a quick oil spray is all you need for restaurant-quality fries and golden brown fried chicken, while other foods don't need any oil, like pizza or leftovers you might reheat.

What is the best oil for onion rings? ›

Canola oil or Vegetable oil are the best to use for deep frying. PRO TIP: The onions should rise to the top of the oil almost immediately if the oil is at the right temperature. If it's not hot enough, the onion ring will sink (and likely stick) to the bottom and the batter will fall off.

How do you keep batter from falling off onion rings? ›

  1. When enjoying crispy, satisfying onion rings, you don't want them to fall apart. ...
  2. The key is to dust your onions with cornstarch before dipping them into the batter.

How long to air fry frozen onion rings at 400? ›

How to Cook Frozen Onion Rings in Air Fryer
  1. Layer: Layer half of the bag of frozen onion rings into the basket of the air fryer. ...
  2. Spray: Lightly spray the onion rings with non-stick cooking spray. ...
  3. Cook: Close the air fryer and cook at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 8-10 minutes.
Jan 21, 2023

What temperature do you air fry at? ›

However, as a general guideline, most foods can be cooked in an air fryer at a temperature between 350°F (177°C) and 400°F (204°C).

Can you cut onions ahead of time for onion rings? ›

In the test kitchen, we've established that in applications featuring raw onions, it is best to chop them immediately before you need them. That's because when an onion is cut, the ruptured cells release enyzmes called alliinases.

Can onion rings be undercooked? ›

But the problem with onion rings is that so often the are sub par and disappointing. Either the breading is too thick, the onions are too thick or thin, or the onion is undercooked. Biting into a crispy piece of breading only to be met with raw onion is the worst.

Why are my onions still crunchy after cooking? ›

Just leave it to simmer, then if you leave it sitting for a while that might help too. You need to cook them longer, higher temp before simmering or slow cook for alot longer.

Can you make soggy fries crispy again in air fryer? ›

Using an air fryer is an excellent and easy way to give your fries that fresh-from-the-fryer crunch. Simply set your air fryer to 350 degrees, then place your leftover fries in a single layer in the fryer basket. Heat them for three to five minutes or until they reach your desired crispiness.

Does air fry make it crispy? ›

The top section of an air fryer holds a heating mechanism and fan. You place the food in a fryer-style basket and when you turn it on, hot air rushes down and around the food. This rapid circulation makes the food crisp—much like deep-frying, but without the oil.

Why does my air fryer not crisp? ›

Dry the outside of the food properly before you add oil. Do not use too much oil, as this will make the food less crispy and more fattening. Meat or poultry can be lightly brushed with oil or marinated to get the crispiest results.

Are onion rings better in air fryer or deep fryer? ›

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings

Onion rings are a perfect, flavorful, quick, healthy[ish] snack, especially when made in the air fryer. They come out just as crispy as they do when deep fried, but with a fraction the oil. This has quickly become one of our all-time favorite air fryer recipes.

References

Top Articles
Latest Posts
Article information

Author: Annamae Dooley

Last Updated:

Views: 5680

Rating: 4.4 / 5 (65 voted)

Reviews: 88% of readers found this page helpful

Author information

Name: Annamae Dooley

Birthday: 2001-07-26

Address: 9687 Tambra Meadow, Bradleyhaven, TN 53219

Phone: +9316045904039

Job: Future Coordinator

Hobby: Archery, Couponing, Poi, Kite flying, Knitting, Rappelling, Baseball

Introduction: My name is Annamae Dooley, I am a witty, quaint, lovely, clever, rich, sparkling, powerful person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.