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Crispy Air Fryer Blooming Onion Bites Recipe with Easy Ranch Sauce

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These crispy air fryer blooming onion bites deliver all the nostalgic comfort of fair-style onion rings with a fraction of the oil. Paired with a homemade ranch sauce, they’re a quick, crowd-pleasing snack perfect for parties or movie nights.

Ingredients

Scale
  • 2 large sweet onions (Vidalia or yellow, peeled)
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 2 teaspoons paprika
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  • 2 large eggs (room temperature)
  • 1/4 cup milk (dairy or unsweetened non-dairy)
  • Cooking spray (olive oil or avocado oil spray)
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream (or Greek yogurt)
  • 1/4 cup buttermilk (or regular milk with splash of lemon juice)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, finely chopped (or 1 teaspoon dried)
  • 1 tablespoon fresh chives, finely chopped
  • 1/2 teaspoon dried dill
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 teaspoon onion powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon cracked black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice (optional)

Instructions

  1. Peel the onions and cut each into quarters. Slice each quarter into 1-inch petals and separate the layers gently.
  2. In one mixing bowl, whisk together flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
  3. In a second bowl, beat eggs and milk together until smooth.
  4. Dip each onion piece first into the flour mixture, tapping off excess. Then dunk into the egg-milk wash, and back into the flour mixture for a second coat.
  5. Preheat air fryer to 375°F (190°C) for 3 minutes. Line coated onion bites on a plate or tray.
  6. Place coated onion petals in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don’t overcrowd.
  7. Lightly mist onion bites with cooking spray. Air fry for 10-12 minutes, flipping halfway through, until golden brown and crispy.
  8. If coating looks pale, add 2-3 minutes more.
  9. While onion bites cook, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, buttermilk, parsley, chives, dill, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, pepper, and lemon juice for ranch sauce. Chill until serving.
  10. Transfer hot blooming onion bites to a serving platter and offer ranch sauce on the side for dipping. Garnish with extra chives or parsley if desired.

Notes

For extra crunch, double coat the onion petals and use cornstarch in the flour mix. Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket for even crisping. If baking, use a wire rack over a baking sheet at 425°F for 18-20 minutes. Ranch sauce can be made dairy-free with coconut yogurt and almond milk. Leftovers re-crisp well in the air fryer.

Nutrition

Keywords: air fryer, blooming onion, onion bites, ranch sauce, appetizer, party snack, crispy, easy, vegetarian, game day

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