Crispy Air Fryer French Fried Onions

This recipe is going to be adapted from Air Fryer Onion Rings; the only major change is the size of the onions.

Why you’ll love the Air Fryer French Fried Onions Recipe:

• No Deep Frying!
• Simple Ingredients – You probably already have them!
• Crispy, Flavorful topping for casseroles, salads, soups, burgers, steaks, and more.
• Make it gluten-free with gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs.
• Easy to make and store to use throughout the week.

Ingredients needed for Crispy Onions in the Air Fryer:

• White Onion
• Buttermilk
• Gluten-Free All-Purpose Flour or Regular Flour
• Eggs
• Gluten-Free Breadcrumbs or Regular Bread Crumbs
• Salt to Taste

Step-by-Step Instructions for Crispy Onions in the Air Fryer:

Easy to print recipe card at the bottom of this post.

1. Thinly slice the onion as thinly as possible, or use a mandolin to thinly slice.
2. Place the onions in a shallow bowl or dish and pour the buttermilk over them.
3. Let them sit and soak for 1-2 hours. This is what allows them to not be quite so tangy and potent.
4. Prepare a bowl for the flour, a separate bowl for beaten eggs, and another bowl for the breadcrumbs.
5. Add a dash of salt to the breadcrumbs.
6. Dip the onions in the flour, dust off any excess.
7. Dip them in the eggs, let the excess drip off. Additional eggs may be needed depending on the size of the onion.
8. Coat with the breadcrumbs.
9. Place evenly in the Air Fryer.
10. At this point, you can add some salt to them or salt them after they are done.
11. Fry them in the Air Fryer at 390 degrees F for about 4-5 minutes, then carefully flip or shake the basket and cook for another 4-5 minutes.
12. If you prefer, spray with some cooking spray to get them a little bit more brown. Grapeseed Oil Spray works well for this.
13. Serve.

How do you thinly slice onions?

These are a few ways to thinly slice onions, first, you can just use a sharp knife and slice them as thin as possible, or you can use a mandolin, which will give you a great consistently thin slice.

Either way, you will want to make sure they are thin enough to be similar to the French fried onions that you would buy at the store.

How do you make Gluten-Free Air Fryer French Fried Onions?

Use a gluten-free all-purpose flour that is a 1:1 swap, which could be Better Batter, Cup 4 Cup, or King Arthur Gluten-Free Flour.

Remember to be sure it is an even ratio of regular flour to gluten-free flour or a measure-for-measure flour. This needs to be a high-quality flour, which will already have xanthan gum in it; this will give it a similar texture to regular flour.

Next, you will need to use gluten-free breadcrumbs. Not all gluten-free breadcrumbs are made the same, so be sure to get finely chopped breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs will work too.

The ones you see in these pictures were a bit thicker than I’d prefer; they have much finer types such as these, Schar Breadcrumbs. These are normally found easily at Walmart.

Why do you need to soak the onions first?

Soaking the onions in buttermilk will help bring down the tangy flavor a bit. It helps them not be quite as potent. This also helps soften the onion so the flour and breadcrumbs will stick better.

Tips for Making Air Fryer French Fried Onions:

• Work in batches – Do not overcrowd the air fryer basket; work in batches if needed.
• Slice evenly and thinly – Be sure to slice the onions very thin and even; the thinner they are, the crisper they will be.
• Use olive oil cooking spray or grapeseed oil cooking spray – Using a light coat of spray will give them the golden brown coating that you are looking for and the texture of fried onions.
• Make them gluten-free – Use gluten-free flour and breadcrumbs to make these gluten-free.
• Add salt to taste – Be sure to add salt to your preferred taste before serving.
• Optional Seasonings – Alter the taste with optional seasonings like black pepper, cayenne pepper for spicy onions, garlic salt, or lemon pepper.

How to store leftovers:

Once the onions fully cool, store them in an airtight container or bowl at room temperature for up to 3 days. If you want to re-crisp the onions, place them back in the air fryer with a light coat of oil spray and cook for 2-3 minutes at 350 degrees F.

If you enjoy these, you’ll also love these Air Fryer Vidalia Onions too. Be sure to add it to your list of great new recipes!

These Air Fryer French Fried Onions are everything that you love about those classic crispy onions, only this time they have way less oil and are both lighter and fresher to top over your favorite foods! Enjoy these crispy onions in the air fryer!