Air Fryer Onions

Do you love crispy onions? Then you will love air fryer onions. Crispy and yummy and perfect for serving over your summer hot dogs. Plus, it can save you the effort of getting a pan out to fry your onions.

Onions in air fryer, don’t take long at all and you can reduce the calories thanks to the air fryer and a spray bottle.

Onions In Air Fryer

When you are stood there, queueing for your hot dog at a hot dog stand, what kind of toppings do you choose?

I love loads of fried onions (the more the better) along with plenty of ketchup and mustard. Whilst the rest of our family is just a bit of ketchup and they are done!

The worst thing though, is where I like to get them (30 mins from where we live) there is a big seagull problem and they always want to steal the hot dogs, I panic and cover myself in ketchup. Then if you can visualise me in a white top and you can imagine the state of me!!!

But back to those onions in air fryer. If like me you love a hot dog with onion, then these fried onions are perfect. I recently shared my air fryer hot dogs recipe and how long to cook hot dogs in air fryer, and it included the onions, but what if you don’t just want fried onions for hotdogs?

That is when this air fried onions recipe is perfect for you. You can use it alongside our air fryer ground beef recipe (mince here in the UK) our air fryer lasagna, or even our air fryer chilli con carne.

Then you don’t have to get the frying pan out first, before cooking an air fryer recipe.

Can You Air Fry Onions?

Yes, you can air fry onions, and they are incredibly easy to make.

One of the best things about air fryer onions is that they need much less oil compared to frying onions in a traditional frying pan. This makes them a lighter option while still giving you deliciously crispy, golden onions.

To air fry onions, simply add a few sprays of extra virgin olive oil before cooking. Avoid using Fry Light or similar sprays that are not designed for high-heat air frying (you can read more about using sprays in the air fryer here). A little oil is all you need to help the onions crisp up beautifully.

Should You Fry Onions In Oil?

Traditionally, onions are fried in oil to help them soften and develop that delicious crispy texture.

However, if you’re trying to reduce calories, air frying onions is a great alternative because they require much less oil than pan frying.

To answer the question, yes, you do need some oil when frying onions. Without oil, they can become dry and are less likely to develop that lovely golden, crispy finish.

Air Fryer Whole Onion

Have you ever wanted to try cooking a whole onion in the air fryer?

Then you need to try an air fryer whole onion, also known as an air fryer bloomin onion.

A bloomin onion is a fun appetiser where a whole onion is cut, coated in a crispy batter and air fried until golden. It’s perfect for sharing on a cosy night in, serving at a party, or enjoying as a fun starter.

Air Fryer Caramelized Onions

If you love the rich, sweet flavour of caramelized onions, you can make them in the air fryer too.

For delicious air fryer caramelized onions, add some melted butter to your sliced onions before cooking. Then continue air frying until they reach your preferred level of browning.

The great thing about making caramelized onions in the air fryer is that you can keep cooking them for longer if you prefer a deeper colour and richer flavour. Everyone likes their onions slightly different, so simply adjust the cooking time to suit your taste.

Onion Air Fryer Ingredients

Onion – We used one white whole onion. You can use one medium one like we did, or some small ones.

Spray – Then we used extra virgin olive oil spray, so that we could evenly coat the onion and make sure it helped the onions in the air fryer get crispy.

Seasonings – This is optional, but you can add some salt and pepper, or a favourite seasoning, to flavour your onion with.

How To Air Fry Onions?

• Prep. Peel and slice your onion into strips.
• Cook. Tip the sliced onion into the air fryer basket and spread them out. Spray the tops with olive oil spray and air fry at 200c/400f for 3 minutes.
• Spray. Shake the onions, spray again and then continue air frying onions for further 6 minutes at 180c/360f or until they are crispy to your liking.

Now that is how simple it is to cook onions in air fryer, and you just need to decide how you are making the onions into a meal.

How Long To Cook Onions In An Air Fryer?

For onions in the air fryer, we recommend a cooking time of around 9 minutes.

This may seem a little longer than you might expect for air fryer fried onions, but the extra time helps them become beautifully golden and crispy.

The best part is that, unlike cooking onions in a frying pan, you don’t need to stand over them constantly stirring. Simply prepare your onions, place them in the air fryer, and let it do the work while you get on with other things.

The result is deliciously crispy air fryer onions with much less effort.

Sam & Doms Top Tips For Success

For fried onions in air fryer, we recommend that you use a bottle filled with extra virgin olive oil. Or you get an already prepared bottle like this one we recommend and use a lot in our air fryer. It avoids a damaged air fryer plus it makes your air fryer food so crispy.

Plus, don’t forget your sides. Our favourites include air fryer pull apart bread rolls, air fryer frozen French fries, air fryer homemade chips, air fryer breakfast potatoes or our favourite, air fryer hamburgers which is perfect for having with your hotdogs and onions.

This air fryer onion recipe is an updated post and was originally shared with you in 2021.

Learn all about air fryer onions below, note you can print it out with or without photos, adjust servings, or click between metric and imperial depending on where you are in the world.

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