These Air Fryer Onion Rings start with sweet onions, are breaded and air fried, then served with a quick fries dip.
I always prefer onion rings to fries when given the choice. I love the crispy crust with the slightly sweet inside of the onion. They are the perfect side dish for any burger.
These Air Fryer Onion Rings start with sweet onions, are breaded and air fried, then served with a quick fries dip. No more raiding your freezer for that bar food favorite when you have these Homemade Air Fryer Onion Rings as an option!
There are three good reasons to prepare these onion rings in the air fryer.
- It’s perfect for smaller portions! You can make just a few onion rings (enough for two people) in just a few minutes.
- No grease to clean.
- The air fryer is healthier than the traditional frying method, even if you spray it with some oil, which I recommend to get a crispy coating.
If you need onion rings to feed a crowd, you can either air fry them in batches or go the traditional fried route. If you’re going deep fried, we have some favorite deep fryers you might want to try, or you can do it in a deep pot and follow our Deep Fried Onion Rings recipe. Anyway, you make an onion ring for me!
Which onions are best for onion rings?
I prefer vidalia or yellow onions when making onion rings. They have a naturally sweet flavor that everyone resonates with when they bite into an onion ring. In a pinch, you can use plain white onions, although they don’t have that sweetness.
I would avoid red onions for this recipe; They have too much bite to be a good fried onion.
How to make crispy onion rings in the air fryer
I have a few tricks for making crispy onion rings in the air fryer:
- Add some cornstarch to the flour. It helps the breading stick to the onion.
- Use panko breadcrumbs. They’re super crispy and make a great addition to an air fryer recipe.
- Spray the onion rings with some nonstick spray or sprayable olive oil before placing them in the air fryer. That bit of fat helps them turn golden brown and crispy.
What do you serve with Air Fryer Onion Rings?
These make a great game day snack or a side to any burger or wrap. When you make pub grub, onion rings can and should be on your table!
Dip ideas for onion rings
I like to use a simple gravy, which is a mix of mayonnaise and ketchup, for my onion rings. I like to use 1/3 cup mayonnaise to 2 tablespoons ketchup, but you can adjust the ratio to your liking. But if a mayo and ketchup mix isn’t your thing, you can serve these with honey mustard dressing, bourbon barbecue sauce, blue cheese sauce, or ranch!
Onion ring reheating instructions
The great thing about making onion rings in an air fryer is that ideally you can make as many onion rings as you’re going to eat.
But if you have any leftovers, they will keep in the fridge for a few days. Heat them in either your air fryer or in an oven at 350°F until crispy again, probably 8-10 minutes!
New to air frying? We are here to help!
For some people, kitchen gadgets are a no-brainer, but some of us need a little guidance and expert research to make the call.
If you’re undecided on which air fryer to buy, check out our guide to the best air fryers or if you’ve already bought an air fryer but are unsure how to use it. We wrote this handy dandy air fryer beginner’s guide to help you discover your new favorite appliance.
More Air Fryer sites to dive into
- Air fryer mozzarella sticks
- Airfryer french fries
- Avocado fries from the air fryer
- Hot air fryer Crispy cauliflower
Air Fryer Onion Rings
ingredients
For the onion rings
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3 Middle sweet yellow onions
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1 Cup all purpose flour
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2 tablespoon cornstarch
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1 teaspoon kosher salt
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1 teaspoon black pepper
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3 big eggs
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3/4 Cup milk
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4 cups Panko bread crumbs
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non-stick sprayfor cooking
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Chopped Parsely, garnishOptional
For the light roast dip
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1/3 Cup mayonnaise
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2 tablespoon Ketchup
method
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Preparing the onion rings:
Cut off the rootless end of the onions and peel the onions. Slice onions 1/4-inch thick, separating each slice to make rings. For thicker onion rings, you can slice them up to 1/2 inch thick.
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Make the breading station:
In a medium bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, salt, and pepper. In a separate medium bowl, whisk eggs and milk together until smooth and cohesive. In a third medium bowl, add the panko.
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Bread onion rings:
Dip the onion rings in the flour mixture to coat well, then in the egg mixture, being careful to shake off the excess, and finally in the panko bowl to completely coat them in breadcrumbs. Apply the panko with a dry hand so that it sticks well. Place the breaded onion rings on a plate.
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Air Fry Onion Rings:
Spray the air fryer basket and onion rings with non-stick cooking spray. Place onion rings in the basket in one layer. Air fry the onion rings at 350°F for 5 minutes, then flip the onion rings and air fry for another 5 minutes on the second side. Remove onion rings and repeat until all rings are air fried.
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Make the gravy:
In a small bowl, mix together the mayonnaise and ketchup to form a gravy.
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Serve onion rings:
Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve warm. You can store air fried onion rings in a 200°F oven while you finish cooking the other batches. Serve onion rings with the gravy or your favorite ring dip.
| nutritional information (per serving) | |
|---|---|
| 510 | calories |
| 19g | Fat |
| 70g | carbohydrates |
| 14g | protein |
