Air Fryer Onion Blossom

Air Fryer Blooming Onion is a deliciously crispy appetizer consisting of a large onion cut to resemble a blooming flower, battered, and then fried to be enjoyed with your favorite dip!

5 from 1 vote

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Course: Appetizer

Cuisine: American

Keyword: air fryer blooming onion, air fryer onion blossom

Prep Time: 5

Cook Time: 15

Total Time: 20

Servings:

Calories: 330kcal

Equipment

Ingredients

For the Onion

1 large sweet onion
2 1/4 cups flour
1 1/2 tablespoons paprika
1 teaspoon cayenne pepper or more to taste
1/2 teaspoon cumin
1/2 teaspoon thyme dried
1/2 teaspoon oregano dried
2 large eggs
1 cup milk
salt to taste
pepper to taste
oil for frying

Onion Blossom Sauce

1/4 cup mayonnaise
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons ketchup
1 1/2 tablespoons horseradish
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/8 teaspoon garlic powder
1/8 teaspoon dried oregano
black pepper to taste
cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions

Prepare the Sauce

Mix the sauce ingredients together and store the sauce in a bowl, covered, or in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Cut the Onion to Make It Bloom

Cut off ½ inch of the top of the onion and then peel off the outer skin. Position the onion cut-side down on a flat kitchen board.
Start to cut ½ inch from the root in a downward direction until you get to the board, and repeat so that you achieve four equally spaced cuts around the entire onion.
Make three cuts between each section which will give you 16 cuts in total. Turn the onion over and leave it to sit for 5 minutes, so the petals relax. You’re going to gently separate the outer pieces of the onion with your fingers just before breading.

Breading the Onion

Whisk together the flour, paprika, cayenne, cumin, thyme, and oregano in a large bowl. Whisk the eggs, milk, and 1 cup of water in a separate medium bowl with depth.
Add the onion to a clean bowl with the cut-side upwards and pour the dry mixture on top. Use a large spoon to coat the onion, paying particular attention to the onion petals. Turn the onion over and gently pat off any excess flour. Reserve the bowl of flour.
Place the onion in the egg mixture, coating it evenly. Remove the onion and allow any excess mixture to drip off before transferring the onion back to the reserved flour mixture to repeat this entire process.
Place the breaded onion in the fridge and preheat the air fryer for 10 minutes at 350F.

Air Fry the Onion

Remove the onion from the fridge and spray it generously with cooking oil. Make a sling from aluminum foil to transfer the onion cut-side up into the air fryer basket. Cook the onion for 25 minutes, spraying it with oil 2-3 times as it cooks.
Remove the onion from the air fryer with help from the foil sling and season it. Enjoy your air fryer blooming onion with dip!

Nutrition