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Air Fryer Crispy Mini Blooming Onions

Deliciously crispy mini blooming onions that capture the essence of Southern comfort food while being easy to prepare in an air fryer.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine: Southern
Calories: 110
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

For the onions
  • 1 cup Buttermilk or milk with lemon juice
  • 2 medium Sweet Onions (like Vidalia) Choose sweet onions for a milder flavor
  • Cooking Spray/Oil for crispy exterior Lightly spray or brush
For the batter
  • 1 cup Flour (gluten-free option available)
  • 1 tbsp Paprika
  • 1 tsp Garlic Powder
  • 1 tsp Onion Powder
  • 0.5 tsp Cayenne Pepper For added spice
  • 1 tsp Salt
  • 1 tsp Pepper
For the dipping sauce
  • Mayonnaise, Ketchup, Horseradish sauce, Lemon juice, Seasonings to taste Mix to your preference

Method
 

Preparation
  1. In a small bowl, combine buttermilk or milk with lemon juice and allow it to sit for 5 minutes.
  2. Peel the onions, then slice off the tops and bottoms to create a stable base, making vertical cuts to form petal-like blooms.
  3. In a separate bowl, mix together flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, salt, and pepper.
Cooking
  1. Dip each onion into the buttermilk mixture, letting any excess drip away, and coat thoroughly in the seasoned flour.
  2. Preheat the air fryer to 380 degrees F (190 degrees C) for 5 minutes.
  3. Place the coated onions in the air fryer basket, leaving space for proper air circulation.
  4. Lightly spray the tops of the onions with cooking spray or brush them with oil.
  5. Cook the onions in the air fryer for 10-12 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Serving
  1. Serve the warm onions alongside the dipping sauce.

Notes

Store cooled onions in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Re-crisp in the air fryer at 350°F for 3-5 minutes before serving. For extra crunch, double-dip: flour, back into buttermilk, then flour again. Choose sweet onions for a milder taste and apply cooking spray lightly to avoid greasiness.