Air Fryer Onion Rings - The Homemade Version (2024)

FAQs

Why do you soak onions before making onion rings? ›

Soaking onions in water for 15-20 minutes helps to neutralize the flavors of the onion and lessen the “bite”. It also brings out a sweet flavor and makes them a bit crunchier.

When it comes to batter, ensure it's not too thin or it will drip right off your onion ring. Also, make sure your batter is ice cold, as this makes for a lighter coating when it's fried. In contrast, ensure your oil is piping hot at around 360 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit before dropping in your battered rings.

When preparing raw onions, soak in cold water before hand to remove some of the pungency and soften the flavor. However since soaking too long will dilute the flavor, soaking in cold water for 5 to 10 minutes is recommended.

Too much batter.

This is almost worse than having batter that's too thin. Instead of staying light and crisp, an onion ring with too much batter will retain too much internal moisture, and as soon as it comes out of the oil, the batter starts getting soggy.

Use a canola oil or vegetable oil for the best-flavored onion rings. Olive oil doesn't get hot enough and you'll end up with a greasy onion ring and no-one wants that!

Air Fried vs Actual Fried Onion Rings

The obvious difference between frying onion rings and air frying them is that regular onion rings are submersed in oil to fry. Air fryer onion rings use MUCH less oil, but can get just as crispy!

The vinegar soak did rid the onions of much of their burn, but it was replaced by an equally strong sour taste, even after thorough rinsing. Milk was also very effective at removing the sulfur compounds, but it left the onions tasting washed-out.

Rice flour and cornstarch work particularly well because they fry up crispier than wheat flour. They also absorb less moisture and fat during the frying process, making the products less greasy. This is why rice flour is often used when making tempura because it produces a very thin and crispy, dry crust.

I dip in flour, then egg wash and then flour again before frying in an air fryer. Don't use egg wash, use buttermilk instead. Egg wash is great for making bread crumbs stick to fried foods but you need buttermilk for battering.

Why does my air fryer not crisp? ›

Dry the outside of the food properly before you add oil. Do not use too much oil, as this will make the food less crispy and more fattening. Meat or poultry can be lightly brushed with oil or marinated to get the crispiest results.

To get crispy onions you need to deep fry it in a lot of oil. Sauteing in a shallow pan will result in softened onions as they release their juice slowly and get cooked. Don't add salt as they are frying as it will further draw the moisture out and soften the onions.

The presence of essential vitamins and minerals helps in rejuvenating the skin and reduces acne. Onion water can be included in your diet keeping in mind its potential benefits. Consuming onion water eases the digestion process. It is rich in fiber, which helps in the mechanism of healthy bowel movement.

Submerging them in cold water takes away that intense, sharp bite from the raw onion. The cold water helps the enzyme that causes onions to have their pungent flavor to leach out. Similarly, storing onions in the refrigerator will help mellow them out when you go to use them.

Wait 10 minutes, then serve. The salt softens the onion's fibrous texture and mellows the sharpness of their flavor. There are other ways to tame raw onion, of course. You could soak slices in lemon juice for 20 minutes, which lends a slightly pickled flavor, as in this Tomato and Herb Salad with Sumac.

There seems to be general agreement about preparation of fried onion rings, either for home consumption or in a restaurant: the onion rings should be soaked in cold milk and/or water before frying. It crisps them up. Rather like putting parsley in a plastic bag with the water left from rinsing it to perk it up.