Air Fryer Onion Rings

Active Time:

45 mins

Total Time:

1 hr 10 mins

Servings:

Sure, you can coat onion rings with crunchy cornflakes and deep-fry them in oil. Or you can use the beloved air fryer to make this lighter version that’s just as crispy. Both methods have their own advantages — deep-frying produces golden results and an extra rich flavor while air-frying offers convenience and less mess. Choose your own adventure to create a crisp golden crust that surrounds a tender ring of onion for a savory snack or side dish. We like using cornflakes for the coating, as they deliver a slightly sweet taste and enhance the natural sweetness of the onion.

The onion is tender on the inside and the coating is super crispy and crunchy. The MSG seasoning sprinkled on top adds lots of umami, savory flavor.

Frequently Asked Questions

Is it really worth buying an air fryer?

From roasting vegetables to cooking crispy, flavorful meat and fish, an air fryer is so much more than an alternative to a deep fryer. It’s a convenient countertop cooking appliance that delivers crispy, crunchy food by using convection currents to circulate hot air. Plus, it’s far less messy than setting up a deep fryer.
Is air-fried food healthy?

Some home cooks believe that air-fried food is healthier because it requires less oil than a deep fryer. While this may be true if you’re air-frying chicken wings or nuggets, french fries, mozzarella sticks, and other traditionally deep-fried foods, this isn’t always the case. Oven-baked dishes like salmon or root vegetables will use approximately the same amount of oil, but the air-fried result may be even more delicious.
How do you keep batter from falling off onion rings?

Tossing the onion rings in flour before battering them helps the batter stick because it absorbs surface moisture. If the onions are at all wet, the batter will slide right off.
How should I prep onions for onion rings?

To make onion rings, start by removing the peel, and slice the onions into 3/4-inch-thick rings. Carefully separate them into individual rings, then discard the innermost smallest rings.
How do I deep-fry these onion rings?

Heat two inches of canola oil in a large Dutch oven over medium-high to 350°F. Dredge onion rings once in flour, buttermilk mixture, and cereal mixture (no need to double dredge). Working in batches, fry onion rings until golden brown and crisp, four to five minutes. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain. Sprinkle seasoning mixture over hot onion rings immediately after frying.

Notes from the Food & Wine Test Kitchen

Between each layer of an onion, there’s a thin, translucent membrane. If you leave it on the onion rings, it can cause the onion ring to “burst” as it cooks. And if you’ve ever bitten into an onion ring and the whole onion just slid right out instead of making a clean bite — that’s because of the membrane. Some recipes claim that freezing the onions or any number of “hacks” make it easier to remove the membrane, but there are no “hacks” required here. Just rub it with your fingertips to lift an edge, and peel the membrane right off.

Make ahead

These onion rings are best served immediately, though you can reheat leftovers in the air fryer.

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Ingredients

2 large sweet onions, cut into 3/4-inch-thick rounds
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour (about 5 3/8 ounces), divided
1 cup whole buttermilk
2 large eggs
2 teaspoons hot sauce
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon dry mustard
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1 tablespoon kosher salt, divided
2 1/4 teaspoons onion powder, divided
1 1/4 teaspoons paprika, divided
1/2 teaspoon plus 1/8 teaspoon black pepper, divided
2 cups very finely crushed cornflakes cereal
Cooking spray
1/4 teaspoon MSG (optional)

Directions

Peel and remove outermost layer of onion rounds; separate the slices into individual rings. Discard the outermost layers and the innermost smaller rings smaller than 2 inches in diameter, or reserve for another use. Peel off and discard the translucent membrane located inside each ring.
Place 3/4 cup flour in a shallow dish; set aside. In a second shallow dish, whisk together buttermilk, eggs, hot sauce, garlic powder, dry mustard, baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 2 teaspoons onion powder, 1 teaspoon paprika, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, and remaining 1/2 cup flour until smooth. In a third shallow dish, stir together cereal and 1 1/4 teaspoons salt.
Dredge the onion rings in flour; shake off excess flour, and transfer to a large plate. Working with 1 onion ring at a time, dip in buttermilk mixture. Using a fork, turn onion ring until evenly coated, and lift out of buttermilk mixture, letting excess drip off. Repeat dredging process with flour and buttermilk mixture 1 more time. Transfer dredged onion ring to cereal mixture, turning and pressing gently to adhere; place on a baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining onion rings, flour, buttermilk mixture, and cereal mixture.
Preheat air fryer to 375°F for 5 minutes. Coat all sides of onion rings generously with cooking spray. Working in batches, place onion rings in a single layer in the air fryer basket, and cook until golden and crisp, 11 to 14 minutes, flipping after 8 minutes. Transfer to a plate, and repeat process until all onion rings are cooked.
While onion rings cook, stir together MSG (if using), remaining 3/4 teaspoon salt, remaining 1/4 teaspoon onion powder, remaining 1/4 teaspoon paprika, and remaining 1/8 teaspoon black pepper. Sprinkle hot onion rings with seasoning mixture. Serve hot.

Originally appeared in Food & Wine magazine, November 2024