Air Fryer Onion Strings

These Air Fryer Onion Strings are such a fun play on the classic onion rings. The thinly sliced onion is coated in a smoky and spicy batter and fried to perfection.

Air Fryer Onion Strings picked up with a fork

The air fryer is a lighter alternative to traditional frying but without losing any flavor or texture. Dip these in your favorite sauce like a spicy mayo for a creamy finish.

dipping Air Fryer Onion Strings in sauce

Ingredients Needed

  • Large yellow or white onion – The best varieties for crispy onion rings. Walla Walla, Vidalia onions, and sweet onions are great choices for a naturally mild, sweet flavor.
  • All-purpose flour – Forms the flour mixture base for that crispy coating.
  • Garlic powder – Enhances the savory flavor of these homemade air fryer onion rings.
  • Smoked paprika – Adds a touch of smokiness for depth of flavor.
  • Salt – Brings out the natural sweetness of the sliced onions.
  • Cayenne pepper – Gives a subtle heat to balance the sweetness.
  • Black pepper – Adds a classic kick of spice.
  • Buttermilk – Helps tenderize the onion straws while enhancing flavor.Cooking spray – Helps the coating crisp up evenly without using a lot of oil.
ingredients needed for air fryer onion strings
Can I make these without buttermilk?

Yes! Use an egg wash (beaten eggs with a little milk) instead.

Can I bake these instead of air frying?

Yes, bake at 400°F on a baking sheet lined with parchment for 15-20 minutes.

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What’s the best dipping sauce?

Ranch, BBQ sauce, or a spicy sriracha mayo pair perfectly!

  • I highly recommend cutting the onion with a mandolin slicer. It will give you even and thin slices which will be good for cooking.
  • I made this recipe using a white onion, but yellow or brown or even a sweet onion will work too.
  • Preheating the air fryer is important, so don’t skip this step.
  • You can adjust the amount of cayenne pepper or omit it completely if you do not like spiciness. I found that 1/2 teaspoon gives a nice lingering taste. You can also add more if you really like spiciness.
  • For the recipe, I used all of the flour mixture. There was about 1 cup of the buttermilk remaining after all of the onion rings were submerged.
fingers picking up onion rings

Air Fryer Onion Strings

  1. Peel the onion and slice them thinly into rings. I recommend a mandolin slicer for this, to get even, very thin rings.onions thinly sliced
  2. Place the onion rings into a medium sized bowl. Then pour the buttermilk over the onion and coat evenly. Allow the onions to soak for 15 minutes.onions in a bowl with buttermilk
  3. While the onions are soaking, preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for about 5 minutes.
    In a second medium sized bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper.flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper being mixed into flour
  4. Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture, a few at a time. onions being dipped into flour mixture
  5. Tap off any extra flour and place in an even layer in the air fryer basket. Lightly spray the onion strings with cooking spray.battered onion slices in air fryer
  6. Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until they are golden brown and crispy. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to work in batches.cooked air fryer onion rings in air fryer
  7. Once the onion strings are cooked to your desired crispiness, transfer them to a serving plate and season with a sprinkle of coarse salt. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce, such as sriracha mayo, ranch dressing, or barbecue sauce.Air Fryer Onion Strings on a plate with dipping sauce
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Air Fryer Onion Strings

These Air Fryer Onion Strings are such a fun play on the classic onion rings. The thinly sliced onion is coated in a smoky and spicy batter and air fried to perfection.
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 10 minutes

Ingredients
 

  • 1 large yellow or white onion
  • 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 2 teaspoons smoked paprika
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 cups buttermilk
  • Cooking spray

Instructions

  • Peel the onion and slice them thinly into rings. I recommend a mandolin slicer for this, to get even, very thin rings.
  • Place the onion rings into a medium sized bowl. Then pour the buttermilk over the onion and coat evenly. Allow the onions to soak for 15 minutes.
  • While the onions are soaking, preheat your air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for about 5 minutes.
  • In a second medium sized bowl, combine the flour, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, cayenne pepper and black pepper.
  • Spray the air fryer basket with cooking spray. Dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture, a few at a time. Tap off any extra flour and place in an even layer in the air fryer basket.
  • Lightly spray the onion strings with cooking spray.
  • Air fry at 375°F (190°C) for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway through, or until they are golden brown and crispy. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you may need to work in batches.
  • Once the onion strings are cooked to your desired crispiness, transfer them to a serving plate and season with a sprinkle of coarse salt. Serve hot with your favorite dipping sauce, such as sriracha mayo, ranch dressing, or barbecue sauce.

Nutrition

Calories: 175kcal | Carbohydrates: 30g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.4g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 9mg | Sodium: 474mg | Potassium: 195mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 5g | Vitamin A: 531IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 104mg | Iron: 2mg

Nutritional Disclaimer: Family Fresh Meals is not a dietician or nutritionist, and any nutritional information shared is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

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