These Air Fryer Onion Rings are perfectly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and absolutely irresistible. They are just as delicious as any restaurant version, healthier and surprisingly easy to make at home! Skip the takeout and give these homemade onion rings a try!

air fryer onion rings served with ketchup this recipe

I’m obsessed with making air fryer recipes because they are quick and easy and always turn out so crispy! If you’re still on the fence about cooking with an air fryer, I encourage you to take the plunge and give it a try. I promise, you won’t regret it!

Do you need some advice regarding what air fryer is best? I’ll tell you, I’ve tried 4 different air fryers out and this XL Cosori is by far my favorite! It’s the perfect size and I love that it’s super lightweight.

After experimenting with making air fryer potato wedges, and loving the results, I knew another crowd favorite side that must be perfected in the air fryer – onion rings! They turned out even better than I could have imagined. They are perfectly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside and have great flavor from the sweet onion.

Serve these amazing onion rings as a snack or appetizer, or enjoy them alongside my favorite veggie burger or crispy vegan “chicken” nuggets for a healthier twist on your fast food favorites made at home.

air fryer onion rings in a basket served with ketchup

Ingredients for Air Fryer Onion Rings:

Not only is this onion ring recipe quick to make and so tasty, it requires minimal ingredients that you might even have in your kitchen right now! Here’s what you’ll need:

  • Sweet onions. Definitely use sweet onions because yellow and white onions are a little too harsh for an onion ring. 
  • All purpose flour. Dredging the onion rings in a bit of flour will help your egg and, in turn, breading stick to the onions for a lovely golden crust.
  • Eggs + milk/water. Part of the breading process and will help the breadcrumbs stick to the onions.
  • Breadcrumbs. A mix of Panko and plain breadcrumbs helps create an even, extra crunchy shell, but feel free to use all of one or the other if you don’t have both on hand.
  • Dipping sauces. We love air fryer onion rings with ketchup, ranch dressing, and cheese dip. The options are endless – use your favorite!

How to make Onion Rings in the Air Fryer:

Making onion rings in the air fryer couldn’t be any easier. The printable recipe is at the bottom of the post, but here’s a quick rundown of how to make them:

First, prepare your ingredients. Slice the onions into ½” slices and separate the layers. Add flour, eggs + milk/water, and breadcrumbs to three separate shallow bowls for the breading process.

coating onions in batter for cooking in the air fryer

Next, bread the onion rings. Dip the rings, a few at a time, into the flour followed by the egg and then breadcrumbs, making sure to shake off any excess between each bowl.

Cook the first batch. Add as many breaded onion rings as will fit in your air fryer in a single layer and cook at 400F for 10-11 minutes, or until the onion rings are golden brown and crisp on the outside. Repeat with the remaining onion rings.

preparing onions to be cooked in an air fryer to make air fryer onion rings

 Serve and enjoy! Sprinkle over a pinch of kosher salt and chopped parsley, if desired. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces on the side. 

onion rings cooked in an air fryer

Tips for the best onion rings:

  • Spices. Want to jazz up your onion rings? Feel free to add 1 to 2 teaspoons of your favorite seasoning to the flour. Some tasty options are paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, or chili powder.
  • Work in batches. For best results, it’s important that onion rings are spread out in a single layer in the air fryer basket and that you leave a small amount of space between each one. If they’re too crowded, the rings will steam inside the air fryer, and they won’t get that crispy, crunchy crust we love. To ensure your onion rings have enough space, you’ll probably need to work in batches.
  • Cook time. My onion rings are perfectly crispy after about 10 minutes, but depending on your air fryer model, it make take a little longer for your onion rings to reach desired doneness. Keep a close eye on your first batch until you find that sweet spot.

Serving Suggestions:

On their own, these onion rings make a great snack or appetizer. Serve them simply with salt and pepper, or dress them up with fresh herbs and/or your favorite spices. Don’t forget dipping sauces! Ketchup is a must, but don’t stop there. These crispy onion rings are fabulous served with fry sauce, honey mustard, ranch or a spicy chipotle sauce.

Of course, these air fryer onion rings are also a great side dish. Pair them with any of these recipes for a delicious meal:

Storing leftover onion rings:

Any leftover onion rings you might have can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to about two days. Reheat in the air fryer for a few minutes to crisp them back up.

Can you freeze air fryer onion rings?

Yes! These air fryer onion rings freeze wonderfully! Once your cooked onion rings have cooled completely, store them in a zip-top bag with the date written on the outside. They’ll keep well for up to about 2 months in the freezer. When you’re ready to enjoy them, cook from frozen in the air fryer.

hand grabbing an onion ring off of a plate

As usual, PLEASE let me know if you make this recipe and how you like it! You can come back here and leave a comment or tag me on instagram (@foodwithfeeling).

More simple Air Fryer Recipes to try:

If you love these air fryer onion rings, try one of these other fun air fryer recipes next:

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air fryer onion rings served with ketchup

Air Fryer Onion Rings

  • Author: Brita Britnell
  • Total Time: 25 minutes
  • Yield: 4 servings 1x
  • Diet: Vegetarian
Print Recipe

Description

Air Fryer Onion Rings are perfectly crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and absolutely irresistible. They are just as delicious as any restaurant version, healthier and surprisingly easy to make at home!

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 large sweet onions 
  • ¾ cup all purpose flour 
  • 2 large eggs (you can sub in 2 flax eggs for a vegan version)
  • 2 tablespoons milk or water 
  • 1 cup panko breadcrumbs 
  • 1 cup plain breadcrumbs 
  • Dipping sauces of your choice, to serve

Instructions

  1. Spray your air fryer basket lightly with olive oil spray. 
  2. Slice the onions into ½” slices and separate the layers. 
  3. You’ll need three large shallow bowls for the breading process. Add the all purpose flour to the first one, the eggs and milk/water to the second, and the panko and plain breadcrumbs to the third. 
  4. Whisk the egg and milk/water together until it is well combined. Stir the plain and panko breadcrumbs together until they are well combined. 
  5. Dip the onion rounds, a few at a time, into the flour followed by the egg and breadcrumbs, making sure to shake off any excess between each bowl. 
  6. Add as many breaded onion rings as will fit in your air fryer in a single layer and cook at 400F for 10-11 minutes, or until the onion rings are golden brown and crisp on the outside. Repeat with the remaining onion rings. 
  7. Sprinkle over a pinch of kosher salt and chopped parsley, if desired. Serve warm with your favorite dipping sauces on the side. 
  8. Store any leftover onion rings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to two days.

Notes

Make sure to use sweet onions– yellow and white onions are a little too harsh for an onion ring. 

I like the mix of plain and panko breadcrumbs – it helps create an even, extra crunchy shell but you can use all of one or the other if you don’t have both on hand.

 

  • Prep Time: 10 minutes
  • Cook Time: 15 minutes
  • Category: Side Dish
  • Method: Air Fryer
  • Cuisine: American

Keywords: air fryer onion rings, crispy onion rings, easy onion rings