Air Fryer Onion Rings

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Crispy, crunchy Air Fryer Onion Rings are thick, flavorful, and coated with an unbelievably crispy golden panko crumb. Made with SO much less oil than regular onion rings!

Air Fryer Onion Rings served in a bowl with ketchup this recipe

Have you ever wondered how to make air fryer onion rings from scratch? I’m going to go over exactly how to make the crispiest, crunchiest onion rings in the air fryer with a buttermilk coating and delicious panko crumb.

One mouthwatering bite and, let’s face it, CRUNCH into this perfect onion ring and you’ll be swooning… making this recipe again and again.

Ready to make the recipe Erik is begging me to make triple batches of?? Let’s make the BEST ever Air Fryer Onion Rings!!

Ingredients for making Onion Rings in an Air Fryer on a table, including Panko bread crumbs, buttermilk, a medium sweet onion, eggs, flour, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, oil, and salt.

Ingredients for Air Fryer Onion Rings

  • Onion – you’ll want to use 1 medium large sweet onion—the sweetness will really pop in this air fryer recipe
  • Flour – simply use all purpose flour
  • Salt – table salt will do just fine
  • Paprika – I used smoked paprika, but use sweet for a milder flavor
  • Optionally, you can add garlic powder, onion powder, and a pinch of cayenne for spice.
  • Buttermilk & Eggs – will make the wet egg mixture that will adhere the flour and panko crumb coating beautifully to your air fryer onion rings
  • Panko Bread Crumbs – panko is simply the best for adding crispy, crunchy texture. You could use ground up breadcrumbs of your choosing, but I recommend panko for the best results.
  • Oil – I used olive oil for its high smoke point, but those who don’t like it may use vegetable oil.
This healthier appetizer made with less oil served up in a basket with a sauce made with mayo, ketchup, Cajun seasoning, and more.

How to Make Onion Rings in an Air Fryer

If you’re wondering how to make homemade onion rings in the air fryer, look no further than the simple steps we’ll take below. We’ll double dip each onion ring to ensure a thick, crunchy and crispy coating that’s well seasoned.

First, peel an onion and slice it into ½-inch rings. Then, separate each onion ring into single pieces.

Two photo showing how to Make Air Fryer Onion Rings – slicing an onion into ½-inch rings and separating slices into individual rings over a cutting board

Next, grab 3 shallow but wide dishes—we’ll be making our coatings for the air fryer onion rings in here.

In the 1st dish, mix together flour, salt, paprika, and optional spices/herbs.

In the 2nd dish, whisk together buttermilk and eggs.

Two photo showing how to Make Onion Rings in an Air Fryer – stirring together the dry flour mixture with whisking the egg and buttermilk mixture in two separate shallow bowls.

In the 3rd dish, stir and fold panko bread crumbs and oil together until the panko is fully coated.

Now, for the dipping fun! Grab an onion ring and dip it into the egg mixture, tapping off excess.

Two photo showing how to Make Air Fryer Onion Rings – stirring the panko breadcrumb and oil together and then dipping a ring into the egg batter.

Then, dip the onion ring into the flour mixture, again shaking off excess.

Next, dip the onion ring back into the egg mixture and then the panko bread crumb mixture.

Two photos showing how to Make this healthier appetizer recipe – dipping into flour mixture and then the egg mixture.

Set the fully coated onion ring into the basket of the air fryer, creating a single layer. Place extra rings on a lined baking sheet or plate. Repeat until all rings are made.

Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Working in single layer batches, cook onion rings for 10 minutes, then flip the rings and spray to coat with cooking spray.

Dipping the onion a second time into the egg mixture, then coating on both sides with the panko bread crumb mixture for a thick batter. Then, creating a single layer of well-coated onions sitting in a single layer of the basket, ready to be cooked.

Bake for another 3-5 minutes, until golden. Immediately sprinkle with salt, seasoned salt, or garlic salt.

Serve with this incredible, thick, creamy, sweet and tangy Onion Ring Sauce, delicious homemade garlic aioli, or tartar sauce. Make it a dinner by pairing with my Air Fryer Salmon Bites. Or, make it a real party and whip up some of my 4 ingredient Crescent Mummy Dogs. Trust me, they’re as tasty as they are adorable. 😉

This homemade appetizer recipe has crispy, golden and crunchy crumb with juicy, flavorful insides, and is served with sweet ketchup or a tangy dip.

Mouthwatering Sauces and Seasonings

So GOOD! Thick and golden, these Air Fryer Onion Rings are made with a crispy panko coating, sweet onion, and amped up with a buttermilk coating and spices!

A diner table set up with a bowl of crispy, crunchy air fryer onion rings, onion ring sauce, ketchup, a burger, and glasses of soda.

Tools you’ll need

Here are our recommendations for the best air fryers. Enjoy!!

6-in-1 Air Fryer

6-in-1 Air Fryer

Air Fryer

8qt Air Fryer

Air Fryer Oven

Air Fryer Oven

More Sides Recipes

Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️

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Bowl of Air Fryer Onion Rings served with ketchup.

Air Fryer Onion Rings

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Description

Crispy, crunchy Air Fryer Onion Rings are thick, flavorful, and coated with an unbelievably crispy golden panko crumb. Made with SO much less oil than regular onion rings!

Ingredients

Units Scale

Tools Needed

Onion

  • 1 medium large sweet onion (about 250g), sliced into 1/2-inch rings

Dry Mixture

  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder (optional)
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder (optional)
  • A pinch of cayenne (optional, skip if sensitive to heat)

Egg Mixture

  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • 2 eggs

Bread Crumb Mixture

Other

Instructions

  1. Peel the onion and slice into ½-inch rings. Separate each onion slice into single rings.
  2. In a shallow dish, add Dry Mixture ingredients and whisk until well mixed: flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne.
  3. In another dish, whisk together the Egg Mixture: buttermilk and eggs.
  4. In the third dish, add the Bread Crumb Mixture: panko bread crumbs and oil. Stir until well mixed.
  5. Dip an onion ring into the Egg Mixture, flipping to coat. Tap on the side of the bowl to remove excess. 
  6. Next, dip the ring into the Flour Mixture, flipping to coat and shaking off excess.
  7. Dip the flour coated ring back into the Egg Mixture to re-wet and evenly coat, and finally into the Bread Crumb Mixture. Repeat until all rings are coated.
  8. Preheat the air fryer to 350°F. Place a single layer of onion rings into the basket, evenly spaced apart for crisping. Coat rings with nonstick spray and bake for 10 minutes. Flip rings and spray to coat. Bake another 3-5 minutes or until golden.
  9. Immediately sprinkle with salt, seasoned salt, or garlic salt. Serve with onion ring sauce, BBQ sauce, garlic aioli, or tartar sauce.

Equipment

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It’s nice to meet you! Erik and I love sharing easy recipes that are fun & approachable. I love cozy movies, chocolate, big hugs, and being out at sea.

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10 Comments

  2. I made these onion rings with lunch today and they were fantastic! Perfectly crispy and easy in the air fryer!



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  3. Onion rings are one of my all-time favorites, and this recipe 100% delivered! The Panko bread crumbs give them the perfect amount of crunch, and I love the subtle kick of heat from the cayenne!



    Reply