With a few simple seasonings and coated with panko breadcrumbs, these Air Fryer Onion Rings are full of flavor and super crispy, just like you get at your favorite restaurant, but practically oil-free! Enjoy with your favorite dipping sauce and try not to hoard all the servings for yourself!

These are so delicious dipped in remoulade sauce and make a great side dish for our air fryer chicken tenders!

Homemade Onion Rings in Air Fryer

Onion rings are right at the top of my list with donuts as far as weaknesses go – and given the choice over french fries or onion rings, I always choose the onions rings. But I sure don’t love all the grease that comes with them, and certainly not deep frying them at home. So, I’m pretty obsessed with these air fryer onion rings. Just a quick spray of olive oil on the air fryer basket and the tops of the onions is all they need.

The breading is perfectly seasoned with a few simple spices and even without the grease, these onion rings end up super crispy! It’s so satisfying to bite into them.

Ingredients Needed

All you need is 5 ingredients and a few spices for this recipe.
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions.)

• Onion – Use a large Vidalia onion, about 12 ounces for this recipe.
• Batter – The batter is made up of buttermilk, egg, and flour.
• Panko breadcrumbs – Panko breadcrumbs will provide a lighter, crispier texture over regular breadcrumbs.
• Seasonings – Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper flavor the onion ring batter.
• Olive oil cooking spray – So they don’t stick to the air fryer.

What Onions Are Best for Homemade Onion Rings?

You want to use sweet onions to make your onion rings. This includes varieties like Vidalia, Texas, and Maui. Sweet onions obviously give a sweeter flavor but they’re also easier to slice because they have flatter sides. I prefer Vidalia onions and that’s what I used in this recipe.

How to Make Air Fryer Onion Rings

Making onion rings in the air fryer requires just a few simple steps.
(Scroll to the bottom for our easy printable recipe with the complete directions.)

1. Cut the onion. Remove stems from both sides of the onions then cut into 1/2-inch thick rounds.
2. Add the breading. Whisk together the flour and seasonings in one bowl. Add the buttermilk and egg. Add the breadcrumbs to a separate bowl. Dredge the onion slices in the butter-flour mixture, then into the panko breadcrumbs.
3. Chill. Place the breaded onion rings on a plate then freeze for 15 minutes.
4. Air fry. Spray the basket with cooking oil. Place the onions in a single layer and spray the tops with cooking oil. Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes at 370F, until golden and crispy.

Tips for Success

Here are a few important tips for making crispy onion rings in the air fryer.

• Freeze before air-frying. Placing the breaded onion rings in the freezer for 15 minutes before air-frying helps the breading stick.
• Cook in batches. It’s very important that the onion rings are in a single layer and not crowded in the air fryer. Cook in batches if you need to.
• Flip if needed. My onion rings did not need to be flipped. Check on yours and flip if necessary – both sides should be golden brown and crispy.

Serving Suggestions

These homemade onion rings have great flavor on their own, but I think it’s the law to enjoy them with a dipping sauce, right? HA. Here’s what we love to serve these with:

• Remoulade (our favorite!)
• Yum Yum Sauce
• BBQ sauce
• Ranch
• Chick-fil-A Sauce

These make a great side dish for our air fryer chicken tenders!

How to Store & Freeze Leftovers

• How to store leftovers. Onion rings are best enjoyed immediately while the breading is still got and crispy, but any leftovers will last for up to 3 days in the fridge.
• Can I freeze air fryer onion rings? Yes. Once they’ve cooled, transfer to a ziploc container. Freeze for up to 2 months. You can reheat directly from frozen.
• How to reheat leftovers. For a crispy outside, pop them back into the air fryer for 3 to 5 minutes, until heated through.

More Air Fryer Appetizers:

• Crab Rangoon
• Air Fryer Zucchini Fries
• Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
• Toasted Ravioli
• Air Fryer Egg Rolls

I hope you love this delicious and easy recipe – be sure to give it a review below! Also don’t forget to follow Belly Full on TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, and YouTube!