Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe - The Spruce Eats

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Air Fryer Onion Rings Recipe By Leah Maroney Leah Maroney A recipe developer and food photographer, Leah Maroney is an ardent home cook and food blogger who has written over 300 recipes for The Spruce Eats. Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process Updated on 11/5/22 Tested by Noah Velush-Rogers Tested by Noah Velush-Rogers Noah Velush-Rogers works on food prep for several area caterers. He has worked with a team of prep chefs for a private school group. He was an assistant cooking teacher for children and teen group cooking classes. Noah was hired as an intern and was then trained as a recipe tester for Fine Cooking Magazine.  Learn about The Spruce Eats' Editorial Process (100) Save Write a Review Print Close

Prep: 15 mins Cook: 11 mins Total: 26 mins Servings: 3 servings Yield: 18 onion rings 100 ratings Write a Review Add a comment SaveRecipe

It's easy to assume that air fryer onion rings won't be as good as deep-fried onion rings, but this recipe recreates that favorite indulgence perfectly. Air fryer onion rings are incredibly crispy and crave-worthy, and without any of the extra fat and calories found in deep-fried onion rings. You'll enjoy onion rings that are crispy on the outside and soft and sweet on the inside. Even better, they're guilt free and don't leave your kitchen smelling like grease.

The recipe is quick and easy, too. You simply slice the onions, fill three bowls with flour, beaten eggs and milk, and panko breadcrumbs, dredge the onions, and let the air fryer work its magic. The real secret to the crunchy exterior is the panko crumbs, which produce a crisper breading than regular breadcrumbs. Serve the onion rings with your favorite dipping sauces for a delicious and healthy appetizer, side, or snack.

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“Still as crispy as a deep fried variant without having to wipe the grease off! Honestly, even if they didn’t taste as good the relief of using an air fryer over the needed cleanup after deep frying makes this recipe worth it by itself.” —Noah Velush-Rogers

A Note From Our Recipe Tester Keep Screen Awake

• 2 large sweet onions

• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour

• 2 large eggs

• 2 tablespoons milk

• 2 cups panko breadcrumbs

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

• 1/2 teaspoon onion powder

• 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder

• 2 teaspoons Kosher salt

• Creamy dipping sauce, for serving, optional

• Honey mustard, for serving, optional

• Ketchup, for serving, optional

1. Gather the ingredients.

   Position a rack in the center of the oven and heat to 200 F.

2. Cut off both ends of the onions and peel off the skin. 

3. Slice the onions into thick rings. 

4. Carefully separate the rings from each other. Save the innermost rings for another recipe. If the rings break, you can still use them. 

5. Prepare the 3 dredging bowls. Put the flour in 1 shallow bowl. Beat the eggs and milk in another shallow bowl. Add the panko breadcrumbs to a third shallow bowl. In a separate small bowl, mix the smoked paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, and salt, then divide the mixture evenly among the 3 bowls. Whisk each bowl to disperse the seasonings. 

6. Dip the onion rings in the flour first. Completely coat both sides of the rings and the inner portion. 

7. Dip the flour-coated rings into the egg mixture. Make sure to completely coat them with the egg so you cannot see any of the flour. You may need to flip the rings a few times. 

8. Dip the rings in the breadcrumb mixture. To thoroughly coat them, use your fingers to press the breadcrumbs onto the rings. 

9. Generously spray the inside of the air fryer with cooking spray. Carefully place a single layer of the onion rings into the air fryer and spray the tops with cooking spray. Cook on 375 F for 10 minutes, flipping each ring halfway through the cooking time. 

10. Transfer the first batch to a baking sheet and place in the oven to keep warm. Cook the second batch of rings. Serve with creamy dipping sauce, honey mustard, and ketchup if desired.

Tips

• Make sure to spray the onion rings thoroughly with cooking spray to get the nice golden brown crunchy coating. As some cooking sprays can damage cooking surfaces over time, you may want to place the coated onion rings on a baking sheet and spray them before placing in the air fryer basket.
• Work in batches to avoid overcrowding the air fryer so the onion rings cook evenly. Air fryers have different capacities, so it may take more than two batches to cook, especially if you're doubling the recipe. Serve each batch when it's ready or keep them warm in the oven.

Recipe Variations

• Substitute whole-wheat panko breadcrumbs if you prefer.
• Use a paleo breading for paleo and keto diets.
• Add other seasonings to the breading, such as cayenne pepper, ground black pepper, and seasoned salt. 
• This recipe calls for sweet onions, but typical yellow or white onions will work just as well. Just keep in mind that white onion has a stronger flavor.

Can I Use a Wet Batter in an Air Fryer?

A wet batter, like a beer batter, will just drip off the food in an air fryer and not create that signature crispy coating. Stick with ingredients like eggs and a little milk, along with flour and breadcrumbs to develop a crunchy texture.

We Tested 20+ Air Fryers and 9 Crisped the Competition

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Nutrition Facts (per serving)
519	Calories
8g	Fat
92g	Carbs
19g	Protein

Show Full Nutrition Label ×

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 3
Amount per serving
Calories	519
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 8g	10%
Saturated Fat 2g	11%
Cholesterol 125mg	42%
Sodium 2002mg	87%
Total Carbohydrate 92g	34%
Dietary Fiber 6g	23%
Total Sugars 14g
Protein 19g
Vitamin C 9mg	43%
Calcium 208mg	16%
Iron 6mg	34%
Potassium 498mg	11%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.

(Nutrition information is calculated using an ingredient database and should be considered an estimate.)

Recipe Tags:

• onion rings
• air fryer
• side dish
• american

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