Air Fryer Onion Rings: A Quick, Crispy Treat

Cooking onion rings in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to make a tasty snack. It's also a lot less messy than deep-frying, as there's no need to stand over a pot of hot oil or figure out how to dispose of it afterwards. To make onion rings in an air fryer, simply slice an onion into rings, coat them in a batter of your choice, and cook in the air fryer until golden and crispy.

How to slice onions for onion rings

To make onion rings in an air fryer, you'll first need to slice the onions. Cut them into 1/2-inch-thick slices, then separate the slices into rings. You can place smaller rings inside bigger rings if you need to, but make sure to leave some space between them.

To get the perfect onion ring, you'll want to cut the onions so that you have rings that are all roughly the same size. This will ensure they cook evenly. The thickness of the rings is up to you, but if you want them to be crispy, opt for thinner slices. Thicker slices will take longer to cook and may be softer in the middle.

When slicing onions, it's important to use a sharp knife and cut slowly and carefully. This will help you achieve even slices and reduce the risk of injury. Start by cutting off the root end of the onion, then slice the onion in half lengthwise. From there, you can make your 1/2-inch slices.

If you're looking to speed up the process, you can use a mandoline slicer to quickly and easily slice the onions to your desired thickness. Just be sure to use the safety guard to protect your fingers!

How to dredge onion rings

To make crispy onion rings in an air fryer, you'll need to start by dredging the onion rings. This process involves coating the onion rings in a dry mixture, usually flour, and then dipping them in a wet mixture, such as beaten eggs, before finally coating them in a breading mixture.

To dredge onion rings, start by slicing the onions into 1/2-inch-thick slices and separating the slices into rings. In one bowl, whisk together the dry ingredients: flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. In another bowl, beat a few eggs.

Next, dip each onion ring into the flour mixture, making sure to coat all sides evenly. Then, dip the floured onion ring into the beaten egg, allowing any excess to drip off. Finally, dip the onion ring into your breading mixture. For onion rings, this could be a mixture of panko, garlic powder, onion powder, and salt. You can also add other spices, such as paprika or cayenne pepper, to the breading mixture for extra flavour.

Make sure to coat each onion ring thoroughly and evenly in the breading mixture. Once all the onion rings are coated, they are ready to be placed in the air fryer. Spray each ring with cooking spray to help them crisp up during cooking.

The dredging process is essential to creating a crispy, golden-brown coating on your onion rings. It also helps to seal in the moisture of the onion, ensuring that they don't become soggy during cooking. By following these steps, you'll be well on your way to making delicious, crispy onion rings in your air fryer.

How to preheat an air fryer

To make onion rings in an air fryer, you'll first need to preheat your appliance. Preheating an air fryer is simple:

First, decide what temperature to preheat your air fryer to. This will depend on the recipe you're following. For example, if you're making onion rings, you might preheat your air fryer to 350°F or 390ºF.

Next, set your air fryer to preheat. Most air fryers have a preheat function that you can select. If your air fryer doesn't have a preheat function, you can manually preheat it by setting the temperature to your desired level and waiting a few minutes for it to heat up.

While your air fryer is preheating, you can prepare your ingredients. For onion rings, this might involve slicing onions, separating the slices into rings, and preparing a dredging mixture of flour, eggs, and seasonings.

Once your air fryer has preheated to the desired temperature, you can add your ingredients and start cooking! For onion rings, place the rings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, spray with cooking spray, and cook for 12-15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy.

How long to cook onion rings in an air fryer

Cooking onion rings in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to make a tasty snack. The first step is to preheat your air fryer to 350°F, although some recipes suggest a higher temperature of 390ºF or 400°F.

Once your air fryer is preheated, place the onion rings in a single layer in the basket. You can place smaller rings inside bigger rings if necessary, but make sure there is space between them. Spray the onion rings with cooking spray or oil spray.

Air fry the onion rings for 5 minutes, then flip them over and air fry for another 5 minutes. Repeat this process until all the onion rings are cooked. The total cooking time will depend on how many onion rings you are cooking, but it should take around 10-15 minutes for the onion rings to become golden brown and crispy.

Once the onion rings are cooked to your liking, carefully lift them out of the air fryer with a cookie spatula or fork and serve while warm.

How to serve onion rings

To serve onion rings, you can make a sauce by combining mayo and ketchup. You can also garnish the onion rings with parsley. It is recommended to serve the onion rings while they are still warm. To keep them warm while you cook the other batches, you can keep them in a 200˚F oven.

Frequently asked questions