INSTRUCTIONS
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You need 4 shallow bowls or deep plates. In the first one combine flour, paprika, and ½ tsp salt. In the second combine buttermilk (or milk and vinegar/lemon juice) and egg, then add ¼ cup of the flour mixture from the first bowl. In the third combine panko breadcrumbs, ½ tsp salt and olive oil with a fork, until the oil is evenly distributed. Put half of the panko in a fourth bowl so you can switch to the second part after the first got sticky.
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Pat dry the onion rings with paper towels to remove excessive moisture. Using a fork, dredge the onion rings in the flour mixture, drop them in the buttermilk mixture and then dredge them in the panko mixture. (TIP: Freeze the breaded onion rings for 15 minutes on a baking sheet, this helps the panko mixture to stick better.)
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Spray Air Fryer Basket with oil spray. Place onion rings in a single layer in the Air Fryer basket. You can place smaller rings inside bigger rings if necessary, just make sure there is space between them.
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Cook at 400°F until golden brown and crispy, about 11-15 minutes. Spray with some cooking spray after about 6 minutes. You don’t need to turn the onion rings.
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Carefully lift out the onion rings with a cookie spatula or fork and serve.
NOTES
- Make sure to use sweet onions for this recipe! White and yellow onions don’t work well with the breading.
- If you don’t have panko breadcrumbs you could also use normal breadcrumbs but the result might not be as crispy.
- Divide the panko breadcrumb mixture in two so you can switch to the second batch after the first gets sticky.
- Use a fork and not your hands to coat the onion rings.
- If you don’t have buttermilk, you can easily make your own by adding 1 Tbsp of vinegar or lemon/lime juice to a ½ cup of milk.
- The cook time depends on your Air Fryer model. Keep an eye on them!
- You don’t need to turn the onion rings during the cooking process! Don’t shake the basket or the breading will fall off!
- Be careful when lifting the onion rings out of the basket! I recommend using a cookie spatula or fork to lift them out.