Crispy Air Fryer Onion Rings

Get ready for the crunchiest, most satisfying onion rings you’ve ever made at home! These golden beauties deliver that perfect crispy-crunchy exterior while keeping the onion inside tender and sweet – all with a fraction of the oil of deep frying.

The secret to their incredible texture? A triple-coating process and the magic of air frying. The combination of seasoned flour, buttermilk batter, and Panko breadcrumbs creates layers of flavor and that satisfying crunch that makes onion rings irresistible.

Ingredients

For the Coating Stations:

• ¾ cup all-purpose flour, divided
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 1½ teaspoons garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon salt
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• 1½ cups Panko bread crumbs

Main Ingredient:

• 1 large sweet yellow onion
• Cooking spray (coconut, canola, or olive oil)

Steps

1. Set up your coating stations using 3 wide, shallow bowls. In the first bowl, whisk together ½ cup flour and cornstarch until well combined. This creates your initial dry coating that helps the batter stick.
2. For the second station, whisk eggs, buttermilk, garlic powder, salt, and pepper in another bowl. Add remaining ¼ cup flour and whisk until smooth. The mixture should be the consistency of pancake batter.
3. Place Panko breadcrumbs in the third bowl. Position your stations in order: flour mixture, batter, then Panko.
4. Slice onion into ½-inch thick rounds and separate into rings. Keep only the larger rings (save smaller inner rings for another use).
5. Preheat air fryer to 380°F (193°C) for 5 minutes.
6. Working with 2-3 rings at a time:
   • Dredge in flour mixture, shaking off excess
   • Dip in batter, letting excess drip off
   • Coat thoroughly in Panko, pressing gently to adhere
7. Place coated rings in a single layer in air fryer basket. Smaller rings can nest inside larger ones. Spray tops thoroughly with oil spray – this is crucial for even browning.
8. Air fry at 380°F (193°C) for 10-12 minutes until golden brown and crispy. No flipping needed.
9. Serve immediately or reheat all batches together for 2 minutes at 380°F (193°C) before serving.

Smart Swaps

• Use whole wheat flour for extra fiber
• Substitute unsweetened almond milk + 1 tablespoon vinegar for buttermilk
• Try crushed corn flakes instead of Panko for extra crunch

Make It Diabetes-Friendly

• Use almond flour instead of all-purpose (reduces carbs by 65%)
• Replace buttermilk with unsweetened almond milk + vinegar
• Use pork rind crumbs instead of Panko (near-zero carbs)
• Portion size: 4-5 rings per serving (approximately 15g net carbs)

Pro Tips

• Keep one hand dry and one wet during coating process
• Don’t crowd the air fryer basket – overcrowding leads to soggy rings
• Spray with oil right before cooking, not in advance
• Check first batch at 8 minutes – air fryers can vary in temperature