These Air Fryer Onion Rings start off with sweet onions, are breaded and air fried, then served with a quick French fry dip. No need to raid your freezer for this bar-food favorite when you have these homemade air fryer onion rings as an option!
Why Make Onion Rings in the Air Fryer?
There are three great reasons for making 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 up.The air fryer is healthier than the traditional deep-frying method even when you spray them with a little oil, which I recommend to help 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 deep-fried route. If you opt for deep fried we have some favorite fryers you might want to check out or you can do it in a deep pot and follow our recipe for deep fried Onion Rings. Anyway, you make an onion ring is a good way to me!
What Onions Work 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 biting into an onion ring. In a pinch, you can use plain white onions, although they won’t have that sweetness to them. I would avoid red onions for this recipe; they have too much of a bite to be a good frier onion.
How to Make Crunchy Onion Rings in the Air Fryer
I have a few tricks for making crispy onion rings in the air fryer:
Add a little cornstarch to the flour. It helps the breading stick to the onion.Use panko breadcrumbs. They are super crunchy and work great in an air fryer recipe.Spray the onion rings with a little nonstick spray or sprayable olive oil before placing them in the air fryer. This little bit of fat helps them get golden brown and crispy.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Onion Rings?
These are a great game day snack or a side dish for any burger or wrap. Basically, if you are making some pub food, then onion rings can and should be on your table!
Dip Ideas for Onion Rings
I like to use a simple fry sauce for my onion rings which is a mix of mayonnaise and ketchup. I like to use 1/3 cup of mayo to 2 tablespoons of ketchup, but you can adjust the ratios 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!
Reheating Instructions for Onion Rings
What’s so great about making onion rings in an air fryer is that you can ideally just make as many onion rings as you’re going to eat. But, if you do have some leftovers, they keep fine in the fridge for a few days. Reheat either in your air fryer or in a 350°F oven until they get crispy again, probably 8-10 minutes!
New to Air Frying? We’re Here to Help!
For some people kitchen gadgets are a no-brainer, but some of us need a little guidance and expert research to help make the call. If you’re on the fence about which air fryer to buy check out our guide to the Best Air Fryers or if you’ve already bought an air fryer but you’re not sure how to use it. We wrote this handy dandy First Timer’s Guide to Air Fryers to help you get to know your new favorite appliance.
More Air Fryer Sides for Dipping
Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks Air Fryer French Fries Air Fryer Avocado Fries Air Fryer Crispy Cauliflower
3 medium sweet yellow onions 1 cup all-purpose flour 2 tablespoons cornstarch 1 teaspoon kosher salt 1 teaspoon black pepper 3 large eggs 3/4 cup milk 4 cups panko breadcrumbs Nonstick spray, for cooking Minced parsley, garnish, optional
For the easy fry dip
1/3 cup mayonnaise 2 tablespoons ketchup
