This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.

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! Goes amazing with this viral onion ring sauce and chipotle aioli.

Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

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.

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.

Separating sliced onions into rings and stirring together dry batter

Next, grab 3 shallow but wide dishes for making the air fryer onion rings coatings. In the 1st dish, mix together flour, salt, paprika, and optional spices/herbs. In the 2nd dish, whisk together buttermilk and eggs. In the 3rd dish, stir and fold panko bread crumbs and oil together until the panko is fully coated.

Grab an onion ring and dip it into the egg mixture, tapping off excess. 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.

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, garlic salt, or for a spicy treat, Cajun seasoning.

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.

More Sides Recipes

I hope you love this recipe! Let me know what you think in the comments below. ๐Ÿ™‚ Sending you all my love and maybe even a dove, xo Demeter ❤️

Bowl of Air Fryer Onion Rings served with ketchup.
5 from 5 votes
Servings: 4 servings

Air Fryer Onion Rings

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!
Prep: 15 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Save this recipe!
Get this sent to your inbox, plus get new recipes from us every week!

Ingredients 

Tools Needed

Onion

Dry Mixture

Egg Mixture

Bread Crumb Mixture

Instructions 

  • Peel the onion and slice into ½-inch rings. Separate each onion slice into single rings.
  • In a shallow dish, add Dry Mixture ingredients and whisk until well mixed: flour, salt, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, and cayenne.
  • In another dish, whisk together the Egg Mixture: buttermilk and eggs.
  • In the third dish, add the Bread Crumb Mixture: Panko bread crumbs and oil. Stir until well mixed.
  • Dip an onion ring into the Egg Mixture, flipping to coat. Tap on the side of the bowl to remove excess. 
  • Next, dip the ring into the Flour Mixture, flipping to coat and shaking off excess.
  • 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.
  • 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.
  • Immediately sprinkle with salt, seasoned salt, or garlic salt. Serve with onion ring sauce, BBQ sauce, garlic aioli, or tartar sauce
  • ★ Last Step: If you made this recipe, leave a comment and review. It truly helps our small business keep running and it helps readers like you!

Notes

Freezing Instructions: Onion rings freeze well. After air-frying, cool completely and store in a freezer-friendly, airtight container. Freeze for 1-3 months.
Like this? Leave a comment below!

If you try this recipe, be sure to leave a review or take a pic and post it on Instagram. It truly helps us out! Thank you. ๐Ÿ™‚

Air Fryer Recipe Ideas

Photo of Demeter, author of the Beaming Baker blog.

Hi there!

I'm Demeter, it's nice to meet you! Here, you'll find easy recipes that are fun & approachable. I love cozy movies, a good mystery, and chocolate. Welcome!

You May Also Like

Leave a comment

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

10 Comments

  1. Dina and Bruce says:

    5 stars
    So Crunchy!!! Loved these with burgers!

    1. Demeter | Beaming Baker says:

      Yes! They pair perfectly with a nice juicy burger imo. ๐Ÿ”๐Ÿคค

  2. Tayler says:

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

    1. Demeter | Beaming Baker says:

      Super happy to hear you liked them, Tayler!

  3. Nathan says:

    5 stars
    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!

    1. Demeter | Beaming Baker says:

      Woohoo! So glad you like the spiceโ€”-I do love a little heat to bring out the flavors in a dish. ๐Ÿ˜Š

  4. PAULA says:

    5 stars
    Whipping these up for family movie night tonight and I’ve already snuck a few. SO GOOD!

    1. Demeter | Beaming Baker says:

      Ooh sounds like so much fun! And sneaking a few fresh ones is a total must ๐Ÿ˜‰ Hope the fam enjoys them!

  5. Donalyn says:

    5 stars
    These look incredible – going on my “to make” list for this weekend. I can’t wait!

    1. Demeter | Beaming Baker says:

      I know you’re absolutely gonna love them!