Air Fryer Onion Rings are extra crispy and make a perfect game day snack or party appetizer. Perfectly seasoned, easy to make, and so delicious! Ditch the deep fryer in favor of this quick Air Fryer recipe!
Ingredients
▢ 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
▢ 1 tsp paprika
▢ 1 tsp salt, divided
▢ 1/2 cup buttermilk, see tips above for making your own
▢ 1 egg
▢ 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
▢ 2 Tbsp olive oil
▢ 1 large yellow sweet onion, sliced 1/2-inch thick and separated into rings
▢ Oil Spray, optional
Instructions
You need 4 shallow bowls or deep plates. In the first one combine flour, paprika, and ½ tsp salt. In the second combine buttermilk (or milk and vinegar/lemon juice) and egg, then add ¼ cup of the flour mixture from the first bowl. In the third combine panko breadcrumbs, ½ tsp salt and olive oil with a fork, until the oil is evenly distributed. Put half of the panko in a fourth bowl so you can switch to the second part after the first got sticky.
Pat dry the onion rings with paper towels to remove excessive moisture. Using a fork, dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture, drop them in the buttermilk mixture and then dredge them in the panko mixture. (TIP: Freeze the breaded onion rings for 15 minutes on a baking sheet, this helps the panko mixture to stick better.)
Spray Air Fryer Basket with oil spray. Place onion rings in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket. You can place smaller rings inside bigger rings if necessary, just make sure there is space between them.
Cook at 400°F until golden brown and crispy, about 11-15 minutes. Spray with some cooking spray after about 6 minutes. You don’t need to turn the onion rings.
Carefully lift out the onion rings with a cookie spatula or fork and serve.
Notes
Make sure to use sweet onions for this recipe! White and yellow onions don’t work well with the breading.
This recipe is messy but well worth the effort. Read all my tips before starting!
If you don’t have panko breadcrumbs you could also use normal breadcrumbs but the result might not be as crispy.
Divide the panko breadcrumb mixture in two so you can switch to the second batch after the first gets sticky.
Use a fork and not your hands to coat the onion rings.
If you don’t have buttermilk, you can easily make your own by adding 1 Tbsp of vinegar or lemon/lime juice to a ½ cup of milk.
The cook time depends on your Air Fryer model. Keep an eye on them!
You don’t need to turn the onion rings during the cooking process! Don’t shake the basket or the breading will fall off!
Be careful when lifting the onion rings out of the basket! I recommend using a cookie spatula or fork to lift them out.
