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    Home » Air Fryer Recipes » Air Fryer Frozen Food Recipes

    Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings

    By Emmeline Kemperyd updated November 29, 2022 · Published August 29, 2021 · Leave a Comment

    Total time: 12 minutes minutes
    Prep time: 1 minute minute
    5 from 1 vote
    Jump to Recipe Add us as a Preferred Source

    With minimal prep & less than 10 minutes of cooking you can make the best Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings. Perfectly crispy and golden, and all ready to serve with your favorite sauce!

    onion rings on a plate with dipping sauces.
    Jump to:
    • Why you will love this recipe
    • What you need to make them
    • How to make them
    • Tips & tricks
    • Recipe FAQ
    • More guides to air frying frozen food
    • Recipe
    • Reviews

    Onion rings are a must on any snack platter. Crispy, golden, with that nice onion bite - all you need is a good dipping sauce, and you've got yourself an appetizer.

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    The air fryer is how you make the best crispy, frozen onion rings. And they're not just the best - it's also so quick & easy to make them this way!

    Why you will love this recipe

    • It's the best way to cook frozen onion rings
    • Quicker than when cooking them in the oven
    • Less greasy than deep frying them
    • Super easy and done in less than 10 minutes + 5 minutes of preheating

    What you need to make them

    ingredients needed to make air fryer frozen onion rings.

    Ingredient notes

    • Frozen onion rings - either store bought or homemade onion rings
    • Vegetable oil is optional, but recommended. You can use olive oil, canola oil, another neutral type of cooking oil or oil spray.

    What are the best frozen onion rings?

    The most recommended brands of onion rings are Trader Joe's, Brew City, Ore-Ida, Red Robin, Market Pantry, Nathan's and Alexia onion rings. All of these are great choices, but any brand of onion rings will work for this recipe.

    Do I need to add oil to onion rings?

    Oil is optional, but I always recommend adding just a tiny bit. This helps the air fryers crisp up really nicely, and also aids in achieving that nice golden color.

    How to make them

    collage showing how to make air fryer frozen onion rings.
    1. Preheat your air fryer to 390°F (200°C) and pour the vegetable oil over the onion rings. Rub it around a bit so they get evenly coated.
    2. Place onion rings in the preheated basket, with as little overlap as possible
    3. Air fry 3 minutes at 390°F (200°C), then flip them and air fry 3 more minutes. If they are large, flip them again, and give them 3 more minutes.

    Tips & tricks

    • Preheat the air fryer for the very best results
    • Don't defrost the onion rings, cook straight from frozen
    • Don't overcrowd your air fryer basket - it's fine if the rings overlap slightly, but you shouldn't have multiple layers. If you're making a lot, cook them in batches.
    • Turn the onion rings halfway for an even cook
    • Adjust cook time depending on the size of the rings - this can vary a lot! I find 6 minutes is great for smaller rings, and larger ones need around 9 minutes.
    • Cook time can vary with different air fryers
    • Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days - but I recommend not air frying more than you will finish
    • Reheat leftovers in the air fryer - air fry 2 minutes at 180°F (360°C), until heated through
    onion rings on a plate with dipping sauces.

    Recipe FAQ

    For more answers to your air fryer questions, check out my complete Air Fryer FAQ.

    At what temperature do you air fry onion rings?

    Air fry onion rings at 390°F (200°C).

    How long do you put onion rings in an air fryer?

    Small and medium-sized onion rings need around 6 minutes, if they're larger they will need up to 9 minutes.

    How do I get really crispy onion rings in the air fryer?

    To get really crispy onion rings, you need high temperature (390°F (200°C)) and not too much oil. I still recommend using a little bit of oil, though, to give them a nice golden color.

    What should I do if the onion rings aren't crispy?

    If the onion rings aren't crispy I recommend adding a few more minutes to the cook time.

    onion rings on a plate with dipping sauces and other appetizers.

    More guides to air frying frozen food

    Looking for more quick & easy air fryer frozen food recipes?

    • Garlic Bread
    • Chili Cheese Nuggets
    • French Fries
    • Pizza
    • Chicken Wings

    And don't miss my complete guide to air frying frozen food, with lots of recommended times and temperatures.

    Did you love this recipe? Rate it five stars!
    ...and let me know what you loved about it in the comments.

    Recipe

    onion rings on a plate with dipping sauces.

    Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings

    5 from 1 vote
    Print Rate
    Course: Appetizer
    Cuisine: North American
    Diet: Vegetarian
    Servings: 2
    Calories: 200kcal
    Prep time: 1 minute min
    Cook time: 6 minutes mins
    Preheating 5 minutes minutes
    Total time: 12 minutes minutes
    Author: Emmeline Kemperyd
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Ingredients

    • 10 frozen onion rings
    • 2 teaspoon vegetable oil
    US Customary - Metric

    Instructions

    • Preheat the air fryer by running it at 390°F (200°C) for 5 minutes.
    • Pour the oil over the onion rings and use your fingers to coat them.
      10 frozen onion rings, 2 tsp vegetable oil
    • Place onion rings in air fryer basket and air fry at 390°F (200°C) for 3 minutes, then turn them and air fry for 3 more minutes. If they are large, turn again and add 3 more minutes. Check if they are done (if not - add more time) then serve!

    Equipment (may contain affiliate links)

    • Air Fryer*

    Notes

    This recipe for air fryer frozen onion rings was created in a Philips HD9252/90 Air Fryer*. Cooking time can vary with your air fryer model.

    Ingredient notes & substitutions

    • Frozen onion rings - either store bought or homemade onion rings
    • Vegetable oil is optional, but recommended. You can use olive oil, canola oil, another neutral type of cooking oil or oil spray.
     

    Tips & tricks

    • Preheat the air fryer * for the very best results
    • Don't defrost the onion rings, cook straight from frozen
    • Don't overcrowd your air fryer * basket - it's fine if the rings overlap slightly, but you shouldn't have multiple layers. If you're making a lot, cook them in batches.
    • Turn the onion rings halfway for an even cook
    • Adjust cook time depending on the size of the rings - this can vary a lot! I find 6 minutes is great for smaller rings, and larger ones need around 9 minutes.
    • Cook time can vary with different air fryers
    • If the onion rings aren't crispy, just add a few more minutes to the cook time
    • Store any leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days - but I recommend not air frying more than you will finish
    • Reheat leftovers in the air fryer * - air fry 2 minutes at 180°F (360°C), until heated through
     
    Nutritional information is an estimate and the exact values will depend on the brand you use.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 200kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 11g

    Nutritional information is approximate and automatically calculated, and should only be viewed as an indication.

    Did you make this? Tag me today!Tag @alwaysusebutter and use the hashtag #alwaysusebutter!

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      How to Cook Frozen Fish Sticks in Air Fryer
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      How to Cook Frozen Turkey Burgers in Your Air Fryer
    • chicken nuggets on a plate with a bowl of ketchup
      Air Fryer Frozen Chicken Nuggets

    About Emmeline Kemperyd

    Emmeline Kemperyd is a writer, food blogger, recipe creator and food photographer and the founder of alwaysusebutter.com. She has 20+ years experience creating and simplifying recipes so they taste good, and are quick, easy, and approachable. She is a regular contributor to MSN and her work has been featured by The Guardian, Well+Good, Vulture, SheKnows, Good Men Project, and The Feed Feed, among others.

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    Hi, I'm Emmeline! I love tasty food, but I'm always in a hurry. And I have the quick and easy recipes to prove it!

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