Ella Walter
Making a blooming onion in an air fryer is a healthier alternative to deep-fried blooming onions. The high heat of an air fryer makes it perfect for crisping up appetizers like the blooming onion. The trickiest part of making a blooming onion is cutting it, but it's not too difficult. You'll need a sharp chef's knife to cut a flat surface off the top of the onion, and then cut as little as possible off the root end so that the onion can sit flat. You'll then need to make several evenly spaced cuts down the onion, being careful not to cut all the way through. You can then dip the onion into a flour mixture, and an egg wash, before placing it in the air fryer and cooking until crispy.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Ingredients | Large onion (sweet varieties like Vidalia are recommended), flour, eggs, milk, seasoning (paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, thyme, oregano, salt, pepper), spray oil, breadcrumbs, butter, garlic powder, onion powder, Italian seasoning, chili powder, turmeric, black pepper, vegetable oil, mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, Worcestershire sauce, onion powder |
| Equipment | Air fryer, sharp chef's knife, bowls, aluminium foil, oil spray bottle |
| Preparation | Cut a flat surface off the top of the onion, then cut the root end to allow the onion to sit flat. Make evenly spaced slices from the top of the onion, ensuring you don't cut through the root. Turn the onion over and gently separate the petals. Coat the onion with flour, then with an egg/milk mixture, then again with flour. Spray generously with oil. |
| Cooking | Place the onion in the air fryer basket and cook for 20-25 minutes at 300-375°F. |
| Serving | Serve with a dipping sauce, such as mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, salt, and/or Worcestershire sauce. |
What You'll Learn
Choosing the right onion
When it comes to onion varieties, sweet onions, such as Vidalia, are ideal due to their mild and mellow flavour. This ensures the onion doesn't overpower the batter. White onions are also a good option, and in the UK, you can find 'cannonball onions' in Morrisons.
In addition to their superior taste, sweet onions also have lower levels of sulphur compounds, which means they are less likely to bring tears to your eyes during the cutting process!
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Cutting the onion
Place the onion stem side down on the cutting board and make four slices down the onion at 12, 3, 6 and 9 o'clock, but don't cut through the root. Then, make three slices down the onion between each of the original four slices, but again, don't cut through the root.
If you've been successful, when you turn the onion over, the onion will open up, but not fall apart because the root will still be intact. Use your fingers to help separate all the petals of the onion gently.
Now you are ready to coat the onion with the flour mixture, egg mixture, and cooking spray or oil.
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Battering the onion
Place the onion in the first bowl, cut-side up, and sprinkle the flour mixture over the top. Make sure the flour gets in between the onion petals. Turn the onion over and pat off the excess flour, then transfer it to the second bowl. Pour the egg mixture over the onion and coat it evenly. Open each petal to ensure that the egg mixture soaks into every bit of flour between the petals. Let the onion sit for a few minutes, then remove it from the bowl and let the excess drip off.
Now, transfer the onion to the third bowl and sprinkle the remaining flour mixture over it. Again, make sure to get the flour on every petal. Gently tap off any excess flour, and you're ready to air fry!
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Air-frying the onion
To cut the onion, first, cut off the top of the onion, leaving the root end intact. Then, make 12 to 16 slices around the onion, starting about half an inch from the root, ensuring you do not cut through the root. Turn the onion over and gently separate the petals.
For the batter, whisk together eggs and a tablespoon of water in one bowl. In another bowl, mix flour with spices such as paprika, cayenne pepper, cumin, thyme, and oregano. You can also add milk to the egg mixture and butter to the flour mixture.
Coat the onion by dipping it into the egg mixture, then the flour mixture, using a spoon to fully coat it. You can also sprinkle flour in between the petals. Repeat this process, dipping the onion into the egg mixture again, and then the flour mixture. Generously spray the onion with oil.
Place the onion in the air fryer basket, cut-side up, and cook at 350-375°F for 20-25 minutes, or until the onion is tender and golden brown. Spray the onion with oil a few times during cooking to ensure even cooking and browning.
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Making the sauce
Ingredients:
- 1 tablespoon horseradish
- 1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
- Black pepper to taste
- Cayenne pepper to taste
Instructions:
- Combine all the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
- Cover the bowl and place it in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve.
You can also try this sauce recipe:
Ingredients:
- Mayonnaise
- Cream-style horseradish sauce
- Ketchup
- Paprika
- Salt
- Dried oregano
- Cayenne pepper
- Black pepper
Instructions:
- Stir together the mayonnaise, horseradish sauce, ketchup, paprika, salt, dried oregano, cayenne pepper, and black pepper in a small bowl.
- Chill the sauce until the blooming onion is ready.
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Frequently asked questions
A blooming onion is a large, fanned-out onion that is perfectly seasoned, coated, and then deep-fried to crispy perfection. It is usually served as an appetizer in restaurants.
The trickiest part of making a blooming onion is cutting it. You need to cut a nice flat surface off the top of the onion (the stem end). Then, cut as little as possible off the root end – just enough to allow the onion to sit flat. Place the onion stem side down on the countertop and make four slices down the onion, ensuring you don't cut through the root. Then, make three slices down the onion between each of the original four slices. Turn the onion over and gently separate the petals with your fingers.
You will need a series of bowls for this messy job. Place the onion in one bowl and sprinkle a seasoned flour mixture over the top, ensuring you get the flour on all the petals. Then, transfer the onion to a second bowl and pour an egg mixture over the top, again ensuring you get the mixture in between the petals. Transfer the onion to a third bowl and pour the remaining seasoned flour over the top. Shake off any excess flour and get ready to air fry.
Preheat your air fryer to around 350ºF. Transfer the battered onion to the air fryer basket, cut side up, and cook for around 20-25 minutes, or until golden brown. Spray the onion with oil at least twice during the cooking process.
