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Home » Recipes » Air Fryer

Frozen Onion Rings in Air Fryer

Published: Jul 7, 2022 | Updated: Aug 2, 2023 | Author: Neena Panicker

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Onion rings on a black plate with red and white sauces in background

Air Fryer frozen onion rings are a quick and easy side dish or appetizer. Cooking frozen onion rings in the air fryer is much quicker and the onion rings turn out much crispier than baking them in the oven. Air fried frozen onion rings are also healthier than those cooked in a deep fryer.

Air fryer frozen onion rings on a black plate with red and white sauces in background

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I’m a huge fan of onion rings, but I don’t have the patience to make homemade onion rings. This is where frozen onion rings have come to the rescue.

I occasionally deep-fry onion rings but I generally prefer to bake them in the oven. But I discovered that air fryer frozen onion rings get crispier than baked ones.

Onion rings make for a great appetizer or they can be served as a side dish for hot dogs and burgers or vegetarian burgers. I think they turn out even better than fast-food restaurant onion rings.

I’ve been busy trying out different foods in the air fryer and I’ve found that the air fryer is excellent for reheating frozen foods such as chicken pot pie.

In addition to these crispy delicious onion rings, other great side dishes to try are my air fryer frozen french fries, sweet potato fries, or steak fries.

For kid-friendly snacks, you may like some of my other air fryer frozen foods including air fryer frozen taquitos, air fryer tater tots, chicken tenders, or dino nuggets.

If you’re looking for healthier sides, I also have air fryer recipes for brussel sprouts and cauliflower. And finally, one of my favorite main courses in the air fryer is pork chops!

Tips for Success


For this recipe, I recommend that you preheat your air fryer. My Cosori has a preheat button that allows me to preheat the air fryer before putting in the food.


Don’t defrost the onion rings. Cook them straight from frozen.


I do cook many frozen foods at 400 degrees F but I like to use a lower temperature for these onion rings so they cook evenly. I’ve found that cooking them at high temperature results in an overcooked exterior and undercooked interior.


Keep the air fryer onion rings frozen until you’re ready to cook them.


Don’t fill the air fryer basket too high because the onions may not cook through. I find that I can fit half a bag of frozen onion rings at a time in my air fryer without crowding the onion rings.

I have a few different sizes of air fryers and find that some of them can fit more than others.

If you have one of those smaller air fryers, you may need to air fry the onion rings in a few batches. You can reheat the prior batches for 1-2 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit if they cool down too much.


Every air fryer will vary. The first time you make frozen onion rings inside the air fryer, monitor and check on them 2 minutes before the cooking time is up. Adjust the recipe as needed in the future.

FAQS


Do I need to oil onion rings?

I’ve done it with and without oil. The air fried frozen onions get crispy even without oil but you can spray a little oil (olive oil, avocado oil, or vegetable oil) on the onion rings and the bottom of the basket to make the onion rings even crispier. Don’t use canned cooking spray but rather an oil mister.

Do the onion rings need to be in a single layer?

Keep the onion rings as close to a single layer as you can in order to get perfectly crispy onion rings. There can be a bit of overlap.

How long to air fry frozen onion rings?

Cook them for about 12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, shaking them halfway through. Check on them about 10 minutes in, and take them out if you feel that they’re done.

What brand of frozen onion rings was used in this recipe?

Nathan’s frozen onion rings is my favorite brand. I find they are the best frozen onion rings for the air fryer. My next favorite brand of onion rings is Alexia onion rings. Other popular brands are Red Robin, and Ore Ida onion rings.

What brand of air fryer was this recipe tested with?

This recipe was tested using a basket air fryer (Cosori) and Instant Pot air fryer (Duo Crisp).

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

If they aren’t crisp enough, toss the onion rings and air fry them for an additional 2 to 3 minutes.

Can I reheat air fryer onion rings?

Store leftover onion rings in an airtight container. Reheat onion rings in the air fryer is easy. Air fry them for 2 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit. You may need to spray the onion rings with a little bit of oil if you find that they’re not getting crisp enough.

How to make frozen onion rings in air fryer

Bag of Nathan's thick sliced battered onion rings 16 oz.
Nathan’s onion rings (Alexia, Red Robin, and Ore Ida also work with this recipe).
Air fryer onions rings instructions collage - frozen, being turned with tongs, cooked - in air fryer basket
Left: frozen onion rings, Middle: onion rings being flipped, Right: cooked onion rings
  1. Keep onion rings frozen until ready to use
  2. Preheat air fryer
  3. Place the onion rings in the air fryer basket
  4. Air fry onion rings
  5. Flip the onion rings halfway through the cooking process
  6. Transfer onion rings to a serving platter
  7. Serve these delicious onion rings with your favorite sauce

See recipe details below on how to frozen air fryer onion rings

Onion rings on a black plate with red and white sauces in background

Air Fryer Frozen Onion Rings

Air Fryer frozen onion rings are a quick and easy side dish or snack. Cooking frozen onion rings in the air fryer is much quicker and the onion rings turn out much crispier than baking them in the oven. Air fried frozen onion rings are also healthier than deep-fried onion rings.
5 from 1 vote
PRINT PIN RATE
Prep Time: 3 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
Servings: 2 (½ bag)
Calories: 200
Author: Paint the Kitchen Red
Prevent Screen from Going Dark

Equipment

  • Instant Pot Air Fryer or
  • Traditional Air Fryer
  • Silicone tongs

Ingredients
  

  • ½ bag onion rings or as many as will fit in a row *

Instructions
 

Air Fryer Instructions (See Note!)

  • Place the empty air fryer basket in the air fryer and preheat at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 3 minutes. **
  • Add the frozen onion rings to the air fryer basket, without overcrowding.
  • Air fry for 12 minutes at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, turning them over with tongs or shaking the basket at the 6 minute mark.
  • Transfer the onion rings to a serving platter and serve with ketchup, fry sauce, barbecue sauce or your favorite dipping sauce.

Notes

  • Note: Every air fryer’s cooking time will vary due to wattage, capacity, and other factors. Always check on the food 2 to 3 minutes before the time is up to make sure it’s not burning or overcooking!
  • * Nathan’s onion rings were used in this recipe. However, the same timings can be used for different brands. Nutrition information is for Nathan’s onion rings.
  • Don’t thaw the frozen onion rings before air frying.
  • Every air fryer will vary. The first time you make this recipe, monitor the onion rings and adjust the air frying time as needed.

Nutrition

Serving: 5 rings | Calories: 200 kcal | Carbohydrates: 26 g | Protein: 2 g | Fat: 10 g | Saturated Fat: 2.5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 4.5 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4.5 g | Sodium: 300 mg | Fiber: 2 g | Sugar: 6 g
Course Sides
Cuisine American
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I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

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Hi, I'm Neena Panicker, and welcome! I am the creator, photographer, and author of recipes and tips at Paint the Kitchen Red. I live in the glorious west in Salt Lake City, Utah with my family.

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