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    Home » Recipes » Appetizers

    Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings

    by Mindy Boyd · Published: Feb 5, 2023 · Updated: Oct 14, 2024

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    ⏲️ 15 minutes mins
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    Frozen Onion Rings in the Air Fryer are so quick and easy. You can achieve crispy and golden onion rings in the air fryer in about 15 minutes!

    A white plate filled with onion rings and two small bowls of dipping sauces, ketchup and ranch dressing.

    Our air fryer frozen onion rings require literally no prep time. And the best part is that you don’t have top put them in the air fryer in a single layer. I like to make the entire bag of onion rings at one time. We like to feed everyone at the same time so cooking our onion rings in batches is not an option for us. Just dump the entire bag into the bottom of the air fryer basket and cook em’ right up. I don’t even preheat the air fryer.

    My air fryer was a Christmas gift from my daughter. She asked what I wanted and that it what I asked for. I am so glad I did because I really like how food retains moisture when air fried. It is a 7.2 qt air fryer and it’s the perfect size for us. We can make just about any main dish or side dish we want. I think it would work well for a family of 4.

    Very close shot of the air fried onion rings on plate with a small bowl of ketchup and ranch dressing sitting next to them.

    I have never been big on deep frying foods at home. We love the taste of fried foods and so we occasionally get fried food out. In an effort to eat healthier we have made little changes here and there, like replacing vegetable oil with avocado oil, olive oil or canola oil. We were so happy that air frying allows us to satisfy our craving for yummy fried food without the use of oil.

    I am really getting into using the air fryer instead of the deep fryer and I can’t wait to try other foods such as french fries, curly fries, and sweet potato fries. We have made delicious air fryer pork chops, chicken and steak. Air frying is one of my favorite ways to cook a steak, and the best steak I have ever made came out of my air fryer.

    A hand holding an onion ring to dip into a bowl of ketchup.

    Ingredients

    See recipe card for exact amount.

    A can of Pam no-stick spray and a bag of Nathan's onion rings sitting on the counter in front of the air fryer.

    Ingredient Notes

    Frozen Onion Rings – choose your favorite brand.

    No-Stick Cooking Spray – just give the basket a little spray before you put the onion rings in it.

    How to Make Air Fryer Onion Rings

    1. Spray the the air fryer with nonstick cooking spray and then pour the bag of onion rings into the bottom of the basket. Spread them out a little so they aren’t in one big pile. 
    2. Cook on 400° for 5 minutes, move the onion rings around a bit, cook for 5 more minutes then move the onion rings around again and then cook an additional 3 – 5 minutes or until the onion rings are golden and crispy.
    Side by side images of the air fryer, the one on the left has the temperature on it and the one on the left has the time it takes to cook the onion rings on it.

    Cooking Tips

    Cook in 5 minute increments stirring each time. Do this twice and then cook an additional 3 – 5 minutes. Adjust the cooking time if necessary for the last cooking session based on how you like your onion rings. We cook ours 15 minutes total.

    Air fryers vary so cooking times may be different for your specific air fryer.

    Side by side images of the onion rings in the air fryer basket, the one on the left is uncooked and the one on the right are cooked.

    What are the best frozen onion rings?

    This is personal preference. We love Nathan’s but will use another brand if Nathan’s aren’t available that day.

    Mashed has rated frozen onion rings from worst to best. I am sharing their list below from best to worst.

    1. Nathan’s Famous Thick Sliced Battered Onion Rings
    2. Alexia Onion Rings
    3. Member’s Mark Battered Onion Rings
    4. Cavendish Farms Crispy Sweet Onion Rings
    5. Brew City Beer Battered Thick Cut Onion Rings
    6. Ian’s Onion Rings
    7. 365 Crispy Breaded Onion Rings
    8. Ore-Ida Gourmet Onion Rings
    9. Fred’s Batter-Dipt Thick Cut Onion Rings
    10. Simplot Bent Arm Ale Onion Rings
    11. Green Giant Veggie Rings
    12. Market Pantry Crispy Onion Rings
    13. Kroger Minced Breaded Onion Rings
    14. Red Robin Crispy Onion Rings
    15. Great Value Onion Rings

    I have never seen many of these brands and sometimes the Walmart I shop at only has Nathan’s and Great Value brands. Nathan’s is my favorite brand because they look to be breaded in a batter and not bread crumbs like some of the other brands.

    I have never made homemade onion rings and with so many great choices in the frozen foods aisle it is just one of those foods that I will probably never make from scratch.

    A plate of onion rings sitting on a red and white checkered napkin.

    Variation

    Sprinkle cooked onion rings with a little salt while they are still warm.

    Close up view of onion rings on a white plate. You can see the bottom of the air fryer at the top of the image.

    Dipping Sauce Suggestions

    Use your favorite dipping sauce or try one of these:

    Buttermilk Honey Mustard Dressing

    Avocado Lime Ranch Dressing

    Ranch Dressing

    Barbecue Sauce

    Ketchup – regular or make spicy ketchup by adding 1 teaspoon hot sauce and 1/2 teaspoon chili powder to 1/2 cup of ketchup.

    Blooming Onion Dipping Sauce (food.com has an easy recipe)

    close up of the onion rings on a white plastic plate with a bowl of ketchup in the top left corner of the image.

    Storage & Reheating

    Store leftover onion rings in an airtight container. Reheat in the air fryer on 400° for 3-5 minutes, shake or stir and cook an additional 2-3 minutes or until the onion rings are warm.

    Final Thought

    Frozen Onion Rings in the Air Fryer make a great appetizer or quick snack. They are also an easy side dish that goes perfectly with hamburgers, hot dogs or any other meaty main dish.

    An image of the onion rings to share on Pinterest because it has the recipe title on the top center of the image.

    We love potatoes and I have a recipe for Sliced Potatoes in the Air Fryer that you should check out. 

    Follow us on social media!!

    The feature image of the onion rings on a white plastic plate with a small bowl of ranch dressing and a small bowl of ketchup on it too.

    Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings

    Mindy Boyd
    Frozen Onion Rings in the Air Fryer – Cook an entire bag of onion rings perfectly browned and crispy at once without preheating the air fryer.
    5 from 10 votes
    Print – Email Required Pin Recipe Save Recipe Saved Recipe
    Prep Time 0 minutes mins
    Cook Time 15 minutes mins
    Total Time 15 minutes mins
    Course Appetizer, Party Food, Side Dish, Snack
    Cuisine American
    Servings 5 servings

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 bag frozen onion rings 16 ounces
    • nonstick cooking spray
    Get Recipe Ingredients

    I earn a small commission from Instacart for qualifying purchases.

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    Instructions
     

    • Spray the inside of the air fryer basket with nonstick cooking spray.
    • Pour the bag of onion rings into the air fryer basket. Spread them out so that they are not in one big pile. They do not have to be in a single layer.
    • Cook on 400° for 5 minutes, move the onion rings around a bit with tongs, cook 5 more minutes, move onion rings around again and cook an additional 3 – 5 minutes or until the onion rings reach the desired level of crunchiness and are golden and crispy.

    Notes

    Times are approximate and may need to be adjusted because not all air fryers cook at the same rate.
    Did you make this recipe? We would love it if you would leave us a comment and ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ review below!
     
    Nutritional information is approximate. 
     
    See tips, notes, and suggestions in the post above.
     
    Bookmark this page to find it quickly when you are ready to make this recipe!

    Nutrition Facts

    Calories: 160kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 2g | Fat: 7g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 240mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Calcium: 13mg | Iron: 0.5mg
    Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was with a comment below.
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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Diane Durawa says

      March 18, 2024 at 6:45 pm

      Never spray your air fryer with Pam or any canola spray. Manufacturers tell you this as it destroys the non stick finish. Use EVO or a parchment liner

      Reply
      • Mindy Boyd says

        March 18, 2024 at 8:45 pm

        I spray mine all the time and it is just fine, if your air fryer specifies not to then don’t.

        Reply
    5 from 10 votes (10 ratings without comment)

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