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Air-Fryer Onion Boil

Crispy Air Fryer Onion Petals with Spicy Dipping Sauce

The Crispy Chef
These crispy air-fryer onion petals are a lighter, easier twist on the classic blooming onion. Each petal is perfectly seasoned, crunchy, and golden brown—without the mess or grease of deep frying. Served with a tangy, slightly spicy dipping sauce, they’re a guaranteed crowd-pleaser for game days or parties.
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Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Total Time 30 minutes
Course Appetizer, Snack
Cuisine American
Servings 4 servings
Calories 220 kcal

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • three shallow bowls for flour, egg, and breadcrumbs
  • Whisk
  • Sharp Knife
  • oil spray bottle or mister

Ingredients
  

  • 1 large sweet onion (Vidalia or yellow)
  • 60 g all-purpose flour
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika
  • 0.25 tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
  • 0.5 tsp salt
  • 0.25 tsp black pepper
  • 1 large egg
  • 120 ml milk (any kind)
  • 90 g Panko breadcrumbs
  • olive oil spray or neutral oil in mister
  • 120 g mayonnaise
  • 30 g sour cream or Greek yogurt
  • 15 g ketchup
  • 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
  • 0.5 tsp smoked paprika (for sauce)
  • 0.25 tsp Worcestershire sauce

Instructions
 

  • Peel and trim the onion. Cut in half and slice into 1/2-inch wedges. Separate into petals, discarding small inner layers.
  • Set up dredging station: Bowl 1 with flour, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, salt, pepper. Bowl 2 with egg and milk. Bowl 3 with Panko breadcrumbs.
  • Coat petals in flour mixture, dip in egg mixture, then coat with Panko. Repeat until all are evenly coated.
  • Preheat air fryer to 375°F (190°C). Arrange petals in a single layer in the basket without overcrowding.
  • Spray generously with olive oil spray. Air fry for 5 minutes, flip, spray again, and cook another 5–10 minutes until golden brown and crispy.
  • While petals cook, whisk together mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, horseradish, paprika, and Worcestershire sauce. Chill until serving.
  • Transfer crispy onion petals to a platter. Serve immediately with the chilled dipping sauce.

Notes

For extra crispness, spray generously with oil before and after flipping. Make the sauce up to 3 days in advance, and reheat leftovers in the air fryer to restore crunch. For gluten-free, use GF Panko or crushed cornflakes. Add Parmesan to the breading for a cheesy upgrade!

Nutrition

Calories: 220kcalCarbohydrates: 25gProtein: 8gFat: 9gSaturated Fat: 1.5gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 4gCholesterol: 65mgSodium: 410mgPotassium: 140mgFiber: 1gSugar: 4gVitamin A: 160IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 50mgIron: 1.2mg
Keyword air fryer onion petals, blooming onion, crispy air fryer snacks, game day appetizer
Tried this recipe?Mention @Thecrispycheff or tag #Thecrispychef!