Last Updated on September 18, 2023 by Harry & Johan. This post may contain affliate links, see privacy policy
Air frying is the easiest way to get perfectly cooked onion rings from frozen every single time! Crispy battered outside and soft on the inside! Air fryer frozen onion rings ready in just 20 minutes.
There is no better way to make onion rings than in an air fryer! Air fryer frozen onion rings always come out perfectly crispy and ready to be devoured! Plus, cleaning up is super easy too!
Use my tips and tricks to get a basketful of golden, crispy onion rings every time. They make a great quick snack or snappy side dish for hamburgers.
Check out more frozen foods made in the air fryer! I love making Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets and Frozen Egg Rolls in Air Fryer - they're perfect for quick snacks or appetizers!
I also love making fries in my air fryer, they always come out better than making them in the oven. Give my Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer and How to Make French Fries in the Air Fryer recipes a look for tips and tricks!
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🧅 Ingredients
This recipe couldn't be easier to make! All you need for this recipe is your preferred brand of frozen onion rings and vegetable oil in an oil spray bottle.
See the recipe card for precise quantities and instructions.
📖 Instructions
It takes only a couple of minutes to stack and spray the onion rings with oil before air frying, then the onion rings get air fried for 11 - 13 minutes in total. Perfectly crispy and golden onion rings - ready in under 15 minutes!
Lay the onion rings in a single layer at the bottom of the air fryer basket. The onion rings can touch each other slightly. Once the first layer is down, add another layer of onion rings, place in such a way for maximum air flow in the air fryer. Spray with a couple sprays of oil over all the onion rings.
Air fry the onion rings for 8 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C). Then remove and shake the air fryer basket, making sure any onion rings are not sticking together. Spray oil once more, one or two sprays over the shaken onion rings.
Air fry for another 3-5 minutes until the onion rings are crispy and golden.
Allow the onion rings to cool for 2-3 minutes after air frying as they are very hot! Serve with your desired dipping sauces.
Hint: Stacking the onion rings correctly for the first bit of air frying is important - arrange the onion rings on top of each other in such a way as to provide maximum airflow around the onion rings. This way they will crisp up evenly!
❓ FAQ
11 - 13 minutes is the total amount of time I cooked my onion rings in the air fryer. Every air fryer is different so adjust the cooking time accordingly. If you want super crispy onion rings, air fryer them for 15 minutes in total.
Air fry frozen onion rings at 400 °F (200 °C) - this is a hot temperature that will crisp up the onion rings quickly and give the food a more deep-fried texture with a lot less oil!
Yes! Compared to deep frying onion rings or cooking them in oil, this recipe uses a lot less oil to get the same crispy onion rings you know and love. So yes air fried onion rings are healthier than other cooking methods.
I preheat my air fryer for 5 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C). Some air fryer models come with a preheat function which can be used as well for the same result.
🥣 Substitutions
Here are some suggestions for substitutions based on what you have in your pantry:
- Other brands of onion rings - you can use any brand of frozen onion rings for this recipe. Some brands have a thick coating of batter on the onion rings so adjust the air frying time accordingly. Add another minute or two to the cooking time.
- Oils you can use in the oil sprayer bottle - you can use canola oil, avocado oil, and olive oil for this recipe. They will all work well in this recipe in the air fryer.
- Vegetarian/Vegan - make sure the onion ring batter doesn't have egg or milk and is suitable for vegans to make this recipe vegan-friendly. This recipe is already vegetarian-friendly.
If you want to make homemade air fryer onion rings from scratch, check out this recipe from platedcravings.com!
⏲ Equipment
This recipe has been developed and tested using a Cosori Max XL Large Cooker. It has a capacity of 5.8 quarts.
I love making quick lunch and dinner recipes in the air fryer - it uses so little oil and all the food comes out crispy and delicious every time! Cleaning up is a breeze, and I can stick it in the dishwasher too!
Another piece of equipment I find useful for air fryer cooking is an oven thermometer. It can be placed inside the air fryer and measure the temperature very accurately.
Air fryer temperatures vary from model to model so this is a great way to make sure your air fryer is the correct temperature for cooking.
🍶 Storage
Store any leftover onion rings in an airtight container, in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Reheat in the air fryer again for a couple of minutes for a quick, crispy snack!
Leftover onion rings don't freeze well so I wouldn't recommend it.
❗️ Top tips
- Cook from frozen: There is no need to thaw the onion rings before air frying them, you'll actually get the best results if cooking them straight out of the freezer.
- Layering the onion rings: Stacking food is frowned upon in air fryer cooking but these onion rings can be stacked and still allow the air fryer proper air circulation.
- Allow to cool: Allow the onion rings to cool for 1-2 minutes after cooking as they will come out very hot!
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🍽 Recipe Card
Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 packet Frozen Onion Rings use any brand you prefer for this recipe, no need to thaw
- Vegetable or Olive oil in oil sprayer bottle *see notes regarding using aerosol sprays and non-stick sprays in the air fryer
- Dipping sauces for serving
Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer, 400 °F (200 °C) for 5 minutes.
- Lay the onion rings in a single layer at the bottom of the air fryer basket. The onion rings can touch each other slightly. Once the first layer is down, add another layer of onion rings, place in such a way for maximum air flow in the air fryer. Spray with a couple sprays of oil over all the onion rings.1 packet Frozen Onion Rings, Vegetable or Olive oil in oil sprayer bottle
- Air fry the onion rings for 8 minutes at 400 °F (200 °C). Then remove and shake the air fryer basket, making sure any onion rings are not sticking together. Spray oil once more, one or two sprays over the shaken onion rings.
- Air fry for another 3-5 minutes until the onion rings are crispy and golden.
- Allow the onion rings to cool for 2-3 minutes after air frying as they are very hot! Serve with your desired dipping sauces.Dipping sauces for serving
Notes
This recipe was tested with these air fryers:
🍳 Related Recipes
- Frozen Egg Rolls in Air Fryer
- How to Make Frozen French Fries in Air Fryer
- Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in Air Fryer
RB
Step 1 says single layer, but your pictures do no reflect that at all. Is that just a typo?
Harry
Please read the entire step which says to add another layer of onion rings on top of the first layer which is what the images reflect. Thank you for your comment!