If you enjoy going to Outback Steakhouse or Texas Roadhouse for their famous onion appetizers, you'll love this Air Fryer Blooming Onion. It's incredibly crunchy on the outside, with the sweet onion flavor you expect on the inside. I make sure the coating is well seasoned so there's no worry about flavor.
Recipe Essentials
- 🍽️ Course: Appetizer
- ⏱️ Cooking Time: 20 minutes
- 🍴 Servings: 6
- 🧄 Flavor Profile: Crispy, savory, and well-seasoned with a tender, sweet onion center and a lightly spiced golden crust.
- 🍚 Best Served With: Best served with blooming onion sauce, ranch, chipotle mayo, or alongside burgers, sandwiches, and game-day appetizers.
- 🧊 Make Ahead?: Best made fresh, but prep the onion ahead. Bread and air fry right before serving for the best crispiness.
Summarize and Save This Content On
I like recreating restaurant favorites in my kitchen, and my favorite thing about this air-fried blooming onion is the fact that you can make it in the air fryer! This recipe cuts out the extra oil and grease while keeping the crispy texture and amazing flavor. It's a slightly healthier way to enjoy a blooming onion.
Some of my other favorite onion recipes are Grandma's honey glazed onions and cocktail onions.
Jump to:
Why You'll Love This Recipe
- There's no oil: This blooming onion is cooked completely in the air fryer instead of deep-fried. All you need is a small amount of oil spray.
- It uses minimal ingredients: You don't need a lot of fancy ingredients for this blooming onion air fryer recipe. Just some spices and components for the coating of the onion are all you need.
- It's easy to make: This is a quick and easy appetizer, too. Just cut, dredge, and cook the onion!
Ingredients
These are the main ingredients for this blooming onion recipe in the air fryer. All you need are spices to give it plenty of flavor!
- Yellow onion: I love the sweetness of a yellow onion because it contrasts the bold, savory flavors of the crunchy coating so well.
- Flour and cornstarch: This combination creates a light and crispy breading that doesn't feel too dense or heavy.
- Eggs and milk: The eggs help the breading to stick, while the milk makes the mixture thin enough to coat all of the onion petals.
See the recipe card below for exact ingredient amounts, nutritional information, and detailed instructions.
Variations
- Spicy cajun: Use your favorite cajun seasoning blend or add some chipotle chili pepper powder for a spicy kick.
- Ranch: Season the coating with ranch seasoning powder for a fun twist.
- Garlic Parmesan: Add extra garlic powder and a little Parmesan cheese for Italian flair.
How to Make a Blooming Onion in an Air Fryer
While you are preparing your blooming onion, preheat your air fryer to 375 degrees F for about 5 minutes. This ensures an even cook!
Step 1: Peel and core the onion. First, cut a small slice from the bottom of the onion so it will lie flat. Then, peel the outer skin layer and use a pairing knife to carefully cut out the core.
Step 2: Cut the onion. Now, you will learn how to cut a blooming onion. Slice all the way around the onion about ¾ of the way so the pieces remain intact.
Step 3: Prepare the flour mixture. Next, combine the flour and cornstarch with all the spices.
Step 4: Combine the eggs and milk. In a separate bowl, whisk the milk and eggs.
Step 5: Dip it in the egg mixture. Then, grab your onion and dip it in the egg mixture, allowing excess to drip off.
Step 6: Coat it in the dry mixture. Now you can put it in the flour mixture and try to coat the petals well. Repeat the egg and flour steps a second time for a double dredge.
Step 7: Put it in the air fryer. Spray the bottom of your air fryer with cooking spray and place the onion in the middle. Lightly spray the onion with more oil.
Step 8: Cook and serve. Air fry the blooming onion for about 25 minutes. Sprinkle some parsley and salt on top before enjoying it with the blooming onion sauce.
Recipe Tips
- Check it for doneness: It's important not only that your air fryer onion blossom be crispy, but also tender on the inside. No one wants a raw onion!
- Make sure it fits the air fryer: Air fryer basket sizes can vary, so ensure that yours can accommodate the blooming onion so it has plenty of air flow to cook properly.
- Don't forget oil spray: Adding oil spray to your onion will help it turn golden brown on the outside. Even though it's not deep-fried, it still needs a small amount of oil to gain color.
I highly recommend these crispy fried tomatoes as another breaded, crunchy appetizer.
Storage Directions
- Storing: Store the leftover blooming onion in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
- Reheating: Reheat the blooming onion in the air fryer for 3-5 minutes at 350 degrees, or until it's crispy.
Serving Suggestions
- Some more dips you can enjoy with this crispy blooming onion are creamy horseradish sauce and bleu cheese dip.
- Another savory appetizer, like BBQ meatball sliders, would be great served alongside this recipe. If you want to treat the onion like a side, Crock Pot steak bites and smoked flank steak make great proteins.
Recipe FAQs
You have to make sure you're using a sharp knife, and you're not cutting too close to the root. Keeping around ½ inch of the root intact will keep the onion petals from falling off.
Too much of the egg mixture may prevent the dry coating from sticking. Allow excess to drip off before you add it to the flour and cornstarch.
I don't recommend it because when it thaws, the excess moisture makes it very soggy. This keeps it from getting crispy when you reheat it.
More Delicious Air Fryer Appetizers
Do you like air fryer appetizer recipes? Here are some recipes you may also like to try.
If you try this recipe and love it please leave a star rating in the recipe card below or even better, drop a review in the comment section. I always appreciate your feedback. Be sure to follow along with me on Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube for more easy recipes!
Air Fryer Blooming Onion
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon coarse kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ½ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- ½ teaspoon oregano
- 1 cup milk dairy or nut
- 2 large eggs
- Parsley for garnish
- Oil Spray
Instructions
- Cut the top of the onion off.
- Cut a little of the bottom off to make it flat. Don't cut too much off, as you want the onion to stay intact.
- Peel away the outer layer.⅔
- Use a pairing knife to cut out the center of the onion.
- Cut the onion ¾ of the way down just before you get to the end of the onion. Cut all the way around. You will end up with 16 slices.
- Gently spread the petals out. Set aside.⅖
- To a bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, and dried seasonings. Mix until combined. Set aside.
- To another bowl, add the milk and eggs. Mix until combined.¼
- Preheat the air fryer to 375° F for 5 minutes.
- Add the onion to the egg mixture. Coat each layer of the petals with the egg mixture. Use clean hands to coat the onion between each petal. Turn the onion upside down to remove any excess liquid.
- Add the onion to the dried ingredients. Use clean hands to coat the onion between each petal. Turn the onion upside down to remove any excess flour mixture.
- Repeat one more time with the wet and dry.¼
- Spray air fryer with oil and carefully place your onion inside. Spray onion with more oil.
- Bake for 25 minutes or until the petals are golden brown.
- Top with parsley and sprinkle salt on top
Notes
- Watch when you're cutting the onion so it's not all the way through. Leave about ½ inch or so to keep the onion slices intact.
- Allow enough of the excess egg and milk mixture to drip off the onion before you dip it in flour to ensure it will stick.
- The oil spray is crucial to get a crispy blooming onion. Don't forget to spray it after you place it in the air fryer.
Leave a Reply