Air Fryer Blooming Onion

Learn how to make a blooming onion in the air fryer. And you can easily deep fry these or bake them in a traditional oven as well.

Follow the easy steps below or watch the video tutorial, or do both!

Ingredients:

1. 2 1/2 cups of all-purpose flour (300g)
2. 2 tsp of garlic powder (12g)
3. 1 tbsp of paprika (16g)
4. 1/2 tsp of cumin (3g)
5. 1/2 tsp of dried oregano (2g)
6. 1 tsp of ground cayenne pepper (5g)
7. 2 large eggs
8. 3/4 cup of milk (180g)
9. 3/4 cup of water (180g)
10. 1 large sweet onion
11. Salt and pepper to taste
12. Spray bottle with oil (olive oil, avocado oil, etc.)

*NOTE: This makes enough for at least 2 blooming onions, or you can use the leftover to make onion rings, fried chicken, fried shrimp, etc.

Blooming Onion Dipping Sauce

1. 1 Heaping Tbsp of mayonnaise (20g)
2. 2 Heaping Tbsp of ketchup (40g)
3. 1/2 tsp of garlic powder (2g)
4. 1/2 tsp of paprika (2g)
5. 1/4 tsp of salt (1g)
6. 1/4 tsp of black pepper (1g)

Equipment:

1. Air Fryer
2. Bowls
3. Spoon
4. Tongs or spider ladle
5. Oil spray bottle

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In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, garlic powder, paprika, cumin, oregano, and cayenne pepper.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs, milk, and water.

Take a large yellow onion and cut the top off about 1/2 an inch. Then remove the outer skin layer.

Place the onion in a mason jar ring and then slice straight down until the knife hits the ring. Then slice again the other way, continue doing this until you make 8 slices. Gently pull the slices of onion apart.

If you don't have a mason jar ring, place the onion cut side down. Then slice straight down about 1/2 inch from the middle root area.

Optional: Submerge the onion in cold water for 20 minutes. This can help open the onion slices up a little more. I don't always do this.

Add the onion to the bowl of dry ingredients. Use fingers, a spoon, etc., and add the flour mixture all over the onion. Make sure to gently open up the slices and put flour down in there. Then raise the onion up and turn it over, allowing the excess flour mixture to fall off.

Place the floured onion into the bowl of wet ingredients. Move it around, use a spoon, etc., to make sure it gets completely coated with egg mixture. Open the slices up a bit as well to get the egg wash down in there. Turn it over and allow the excess to drip off.

Place it back in the dry ingredients and coat it really well with the flour mixture. Turn over and allow the excess flour to fall off. It is ready!

At this point, you can air fryer it, deep fry it, or bake it in the oven. I am going to show you how to air fry it.

Add the onion to the air fryer basket. Then spray it fairly well with olive oil, just make sure most of the dry bits of flour get a thin coating of oil. This will help it get nice and crispy and prevent you from eating dry bits of flour, haha.

NOTE: If you are deep-frying it, don't worry about doing this. If you are cooking it in the oven, you will need to do this.

Place in the air fryer and air fry at 350°F/176C for 7 minutes. Remove it and give it another spray. Do this a few more times until you have cooked it for 21 to 25 minutes, and it is golden brown. Remove it from the air fryer basket and place it on a plate. Sprinkle the top with salt and pepper.

DEEP FRYING: Take a large deep pot and fill with cooking oil (vegetable, canola, peanut, coconut, lard, beef tallow, etc.) It will need to be fairly deep, almost as deep as the onion is tall. Heat the oil between 350 and 375°F (176 and 192C). Deep fry 5 to 7 minutes until golden brown. Use a wooden spoon or metal spatula to gently press the onion down in the oil.

BAKING: Place the onion on a baking sheet and preheat the oven to 375°F/192C. Bake the onion for 20 to 30 minutes until golden brown.

If there are any little bits of onion, I usually just shallow fry those in a skillet. You could also just place them in the bottom of the air fryer basket as well.

In a small bowl, mix together the ketchup, mayo, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to make the dipping sauce.

Now enjoy the blooming onion!

*Print the homemade blooming onion recipe here if you want.

Now watch those steps in action with this video tutorial.