The Ultimate Crispy Air Fryer Blooming Onion: Outback Steakhouse Copycat Recipe
Craving that iconic, irresistibly crispy blooming onion from Outback Steakhouse but want a healthier, less messy version? Look no further! This Air Fryer Blooming Onion recipe is your ticket to enjoying this beloved appetizer right in your own kitchen. It’s perfectly golden, wonderfully seasoned, and boasts that satisfying crunch without the need for deep frying. Whether you’re hosting a game day party, planning a special dinner, or simply looking for an exciting snack, this battered onion is guaranteed to be a crowd-pleaser and a standout appetizer for any occasion. And the best part? It comes together in minutes in your air fryer, making it incredibly easy and convenient.
Why Air Fry Your Blooming Onion? The Crispy Perfection You Deserve
Making a blooming onion in the air fryer is a game-changer. Gone are the days of dealing with excessive oil, high calories, and the lingering smell of deep frying in your home. This method delivers an incredibly crispy texture with significantly less oil, making it a smarter and more convenient choice. The air fryer circulates hot air around the onion, ensuring every petal is cooked evenly to a beautiful golden brown, achieving that satisfying crunch you crave. This recipe allows you to indulge in a restaurant-quality appetizer that satisfies all your salty cravings, guilt-free.
Whether you’re a seasoned chef or just starting your culinary journey, this recipe is incredibly straightforward and yields impressive results every time. It’s destined to become one of the most popular appetizers in your home, especially for gatherings! If you’re keen on exploring more delicious air fryer onion recipes, be sure to check out our Air Fryer Onion Rings for another fantastic crispy treat. This dish is also a fantastic addition to your 4th of July menu or any festive celebration.
Gather Your Ingredients for a Perfect Bloom
Creating this spectacular air fryer blooming onion requires a handful of simple ingredients that combine to create a symphony of flavor and texture. Here’s what you’ll need to transform a humble onion into a show-stopping appetizer:
- Onion: A large sweet onion (like Vidalia) or yellow onion works best. Sweet onions offer a milder, sweeter flavor that caramelizes beautifully, while yellow onions provide a more robust onion taste. Choose an onion that is firm and round for easier slicing.
- All-Purpose Flour: Forms the base of our crispy batter.
- Paprika: Adds a beautiful color and a mild, peppery flavor to the coating.
- Italian Seasoning: A blend of herbs like oregano, basil, thyme, and rosemary (e.g., McCormick brand) that infuses aromatic depth into the batter.
- Kosher Salt: Essential for seasoning the onion and enhancing all the other flavors.
- Garlic Powder: Provides a savory, aromatic kick.
- Chili Powder: Gives a subtle warmth. For those who love a spicier kick, a teaspoon of cayenne pepper can be substituted or added to the chili powder.
- Water: Used to create a smooth, consistent batter.
- Italian Seasoned Bread Crumbs: The final layer that creates that signature crunchy, golden exterior. The Italian seasoning in the breadcrumbs adds an extra layer of flavor.
How to Make the Perfect Air Fryer Blooming Onion: Step-by-Step Guide
Follow these detailed steps to create a truly spectacular blooming onion that’s crispy, flavorful, and ready to impress!
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Prepare for Easy Removal: Since the onion will be very hot after air frying, it’s helpful to create an aluminum foil “sling.” Tear off a long piece of aluminum foil and fold it lengthwise a few times to make a sturdy strip. This will help you easily lift the hot onion out of the air fryer basket after cooking.
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Prepare the Onion: Begin by removing the outer papery skin of the onion. Then, carefully cut off the very top of the onion, about half an inch, making a flat surface. Place the onion cut-side down on a stable cutting board. This creates a stable base for the next step.
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Slice the Onion: With the cut side facing down, use a sharp knife to carefully slice the onion. Make 8-10 evenly spaced cuts from the top towards the center, ensuring you cut through all the layers but leave a small, uncut circle (about ¾ to 1 inch in diameter) at the very bottom/center. This is crucial for keeping the onion intact while allowing the petals to “bloom.” If needed, make additional shallow cuts to ensure all layers are separated but still connected at the base.
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Soak in Ice Water: Gently place the sliced onion into a large bowl filled with ice-cold water. Let it soak for about 1 to 2 hours. This crucial step helps the onion petals soften slightly and naturally separate, making it much easier to coat them evenly with the batter and breadcrumbs. It also helps reduce the onion’s pungent flavor, resulting in a milder, sweeter taste.
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Prepare the Batter: While the onion is soaking, prepare your seasoned batter. In a medium-sized bowl, combine the all-purpose flour with paprika, Italian seasoning, kosher salt, garlic powder, and chili powder. Whisk these dry ingredients together thoroughly. Gradually add one cup of water, stirring continuously until a smooth, pancake-like batter forms. The consistency should be thick enough to cling to the onion but thin enough to spread. Adjust with an extra tablespoon of water or flour if needed to reach the right consistency.
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Coat with Batter: Remove the onion from the ice water and gently pat it dry with paper towels, ensuring it’s not dripping wet. Carefully open up the onion slices, spreading them as much as possible without tearing the connected center. Place the bloomed onion in a deep bowl, then pour or spoon the prepared batter over the entire onion, making sure every petal and crevice is thoroughly and evenly coated. Allow any excess batter to drip off.
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Apply Breading: Transfer the batter-coated onion to a separate, clean bowl or a large plate. Liberally sprinkle the Italian seasoned breadcrumbs over the entire onion, ensuring all the wet, battered surfaces are completely covered. Gently press the breadcrumbs into the petals to help them adhere, making sure to get into all the nooks and crannies for maximum crunch.
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Air Fry to Perfection: Preheat your air fryer to 380ºF (195ºC). Lightly spray your air fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray or line it with perforated parchment paper. Carefully place the breaded onion into the air fryer basket, cut-side down, using the foil sling you prepared earlier. For an extra crisp and golden finish, lightly spritz the onion petals with cooking oil spray (an olive oil mister works great!). Air fry for 18-20 minutes, or until the onion is beautifully golden brown and crispy. Cooking time may vary slightly depending on your air fryer model and the size of your onion, so check for doneness after 15 minutes and adjust as needed.
I personally achieve excellent results with my Cosori 5.8 qt. air fryer. Keep in mind that air fryer models vary in size and wattage, so you might need to adjust the cooking time by 1-2 minutes to achieve perfect crispiness.
Tips for the Best Air Fryer Blooming Onion
- Choose the Right Onion: A large, firm, and uniformly round sweet or yellow onion is key for easy slicing and an appealing “bloom.”
- Don’t Skip the Ice Bath: Soaking the onion in ice water not only helps the petals open up but also mellows the strong onion flavor, resulting in a sweeter, more tender cooked onion.
- Even Slices Are Essential: Take your time cutting the onion. Evenly spaced cuts that leave the core intact are crucial for a successful bloom.
- Thorough Coating: Ensure every part of the onion, both inside and out, is fully coated with batter and then breadcrumbs. This creates a uniform crispy crust.
- Use Cooking Spray: A light spritz of cooking oil spray before air frying is vital for achieving that beautiful golden color and extra crispy texture.
- Preheat Your Air Fryer: Just like a regular oven, preheating your air fryer ensures consistent cooking from the start.
- Don’t Overcrowd: The blooming onion should fit comfortably in your air fryer basket without touching the sides too much, allowing air to circulate freely. If your air fryer is small, you might need to adjust your onion size.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
For best quality and crispness, blooming onions are best enjoyed fresh. However, if you have leftovers, you can store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days. Note that the crispness will diminish over time.
You can use either a large white onion or a yellow onion for this recipe. White onions typically offer a sharper, more intense flavor profile, while yellow onions are generally more balanced with a sweeter taste, which many find ideal for blooming onions. Sweet onions, like Vidalia, are also an excellent choice for a milder, sweeter result.
The possibilities for dipping sauces are endless! Classic choices include a tangy hot sauce, a creamy spicy ranch, or traditional ranch dressing. Sour cream, a Worcestershire sauce-based dipping sauce, or even a simple garlic aioli would also be fantastic. Feel free to experiment with any of your favorite dipping sauces to complement this crispy appetizer!
Storage and Reheating Instructions
While this Air Fryer Blooming Onion is undeniably best served immediately, any leftovers can be stored. Place cooled blooming onion pieces in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3-4 days. To reheat and regain some crispness, place the pieces back in the air fryer at 350°F (175°C) for 5-8 minutes, or until heated through and crispy again.
Serving Suggestions
A blooming onion is a fantastic standalone appetizer, but it also pairs wonderfully with various meals. Serve it alongside grilled steaks, burgers, or chicken as a flavorful side dish. It’s also a perfect addition to a party platter with other finger foods like sliders or mini quiches. Don’t forget to offer a variety of dipping sauces to let everyone customize their experience!
MORE AIR FRYER APPETIZER RECIPES YOU’LL LOVE:
- Cheeseburger Bombs
- Mozzarella Balls
- Bagel Bites
- Pasta Chips
- Tortilla Chips
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Air Fryer Blooming Onion
Becky
10 minutes
18 minutes
1 hour
Rate
Equipment
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1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, sweet or yellow
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon Italian Seasoning
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon chili powder, for spicier kick, use cayenne pepper
- 1 cup water
- 1 cup Italian seasoned breadcrumbs
Instructions
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Because the onion will be very hot, to easily remove the hot onion from the air fryer basket, use a piece of aluminum foil to make an aluminum foil sling for easy lifting.
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Remove the outer skin of the onion and cut off the top, placing the cut side facing down.
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Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, slice from the middle of the onion, leaving a small uncut circle in the center. Make 8-10 evenly spaced slices from top to bottom of the entire onion, and through all of the layers, leaving the center connected and root intact to the onion petals.
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Place onion in ice cold water and let it sit for about 1-2 hours to soften the onion petals to help them separate to coat.
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In a medium bowl, combine the flour with the spices. Add one cup of water to the dry ingredients, stirring until it forms into a batter. Add one tablespoon of water or extra flour if necessary.
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Drain onion from the water, patting dry with a paper towel if needed. Open the onion slices, spreading them as much as possible without tearing the center.
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Place onion in a deep bowl, and dip onion or spoon the batter over the onion, making sure to coat onion sections evenly. Shake off excess batter, and then coat the onion with breadcrumbs.
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Spray your Air Fryer basket with non-stick cooking spray or line the basket with parchment paper. Place the coated onion cut-side down, in Air Fryer basket.
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To help your blooming onion crisp, lightly spritz the onion petals with cooking oil spray, and air fry at 380ºF for 18-20 minutes until golden brown color with a crispy coating.
Nutrition
Carbohydrates: 49g,
Protein: 8g,
Fat: 2g,
Saturated Fat: 1g,
Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g,
Monounsaturated Fat: 0.4g,
Cholesterol: 0.3mg,
Sodium: 511mg,
Potassium: 181mg,
Fiber: 3g,
Sugar: 4g,
Vitamin A: 288IU,
Vitamin C: 7mg,
Calcium: 80mg,
Iron: 3mg
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
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