Kiss goodbye to store bought French fried onions and make your very own from scratch. They are air fried, meaning no deep fat frying is involved making them so much more healthy, free from gluten and vegan friendly. Perfect for a green bean casserole or use for any type of topping.
Similar to crispy onions rings, French fried onions are just as tasty and equally as additive.
But if you're a vegan, health conscious or gluten free then store bought French fried onions can present themselves as not being the best option.
The last thing you need especially with the holidays coming up is the stress of finding a substitute or worse still an alternative.
I got you with this air fried version that tastes just as good, if not better since it doesn't contain any palm oil, fillers i.e dextrose and isn't deep fat fried.
That sounds like a winner to me, so you can go ahead an prep that green bean casserole for thanksgiving because the wait is over!!
Ingredients you need
Onion - you can use whatever onion you want to, yellow, white even red or Spanish onions, it doesn't matter nor will it have an impact on the taste or results.
Almond milk and vinegar - two essential vegan friendly ingredients for making some plant based buttermilk.
Oat bran - This is the outer layer of the oat groat, just before the hull (the inedible part). This helps to form the coating for the onions, I recommend it!
Gluten free flours/starch - I used a combination of flours, brown rice, amaranth and tapioca starch. These are essential for forming the flour blend and will act as a coat.
Seasoning - Use what you like but I like to keep it simple with some paprika, black pepper and pink salt.
The steps
- Preheat the air fryer.
- Add the onions to a medium sized bowl.
- Mix together the milk with the vinegar and leave for 5 minutes.
- Pour the milk over the onions and leave to soak for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, in another bowl, add the brown rice flour, amaranth flour, tapioca starch, oat bran, paprika the black pepper and pink salt.
- Whisk and combine the flour, seasoning and starch.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the milk and toss them in the flour.
- Use a large spoon to completely coat the onions with the flour blend.
- Lightly spray or coat the air fryer basket with oil.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully add the onions to the basket, you may need to do this in batches.
- Air fry the onions at 375F/180C for 8-12 minutes, after 3 minutes stop and shake the basket then lightly spray the tops of the onion with oil.
- Resume air frying stopping and shaking the basket every few minutes.
- Once cooked allow to cool before using accordingly.
Notes and tips
- If you plan on doubling the recipe I suggest making 2 separate batches.
- Once the onions have completely cooled. Store them in an air tight container.
- The onions should last (unused) for up to 4 days if stored correctly, however I do recommend using within the first 24 hours of making them for best results.
- If the onions start to loose their crispiness, simply re-heat them in your air fryer for a few minutes, preheat your fryer first (spray some oil on them) and they should crisp up again.
- I do not recommend freezing these onions.
- Feel free to use this recipe for your green bean casseroles or even a burger topping.
- The air fryer cooking time may vary depending on what model you have.
- You can use another type of plant based milk if you wish i.e Cashew Milk
- It's very important to use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the milk as this will prevent excess deposits of milk dripping into the flour blend.
- Feel free to add additional herbs or spices if you want to.
Other recipes to try
- Homemade Almond Milk
- Browning Sauce
- Annatto Oil
- Vegetable Stock
- Homemade Ginger Syrup
- How To Make A Flax Egg
**Don't forget to comment below and star rate if you have tried my recipes. Let's be friends and engage on YouTube, Facebook and Instagram I also like to pin on Pinterest, where you can find more amazing recipes.**
Air Fryer French Fried Onions (Vegan)
Ingredients
For soaking the onions
- 2 medium sized onions
- 2 cups almond milk
- 1 tablespoon vinegar or lemon works too
To make the flour blend/coating
- ½ cup brown rice flour
- ¼ cup oat bran rice bran works too
- ¼ cup amaranth flour sorghum works too
- 2 tablespoon tapioca starch
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon pink salt
Instructions
To soak the onions
- Preheat the air fryer.
- Add the onions to a medium sized bowl.
- Mix together the milk with the vinegar and leave for 5 minutes.
- Pour the milk over the onions and leave to soak for about 10 minutes.
To make the flour blend and air fry
- Meanwhile, in another bowl, add the brown rice flour, amaranth flour, tapioca starch, oat bran, paprika the black pepper and pink salt.
- Whisk and combine the flour, seasoning and starch.
- Use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the milk and toss them in the flour.
- Use a large spoon to completely coat the onions with the flour blend.
- Lightly spray or coat the air fryer basket with oil.
- Use a slotted spoon to carefully add the onions to the basket, you may need to do this in batches.
- Air fry the onions at 375F/180C for 8-12 minutes, after 3 minutes stop and shake the basket then lightly spray the tops of the onion with oil.
- Resume air frying stopping and shaking the basket every few minutes.
- Once cooked allow to cool before using accordingly.
Notes
- If you plan on doubling the recipe I suggest making 2 separate batches.
- Once the onions have completely cooled. Store them in an air tight container.
- The onions should last (unused) for up to 4 days if stored correctly, however I do recommend using within the first 24 hours of making them for best results.
- If the onions start to loose their crispiness, simply re-heat them in your air fryer for a few minutes, preheat your fryer first (spray some oil on them) and they should crisp up again.
- I do not recommend freezing these onions.
- Feel free to use this recipe for your green bean casseroles or even a burger topping.
- The air fryer cooking time may vary depending on what model you have.
- You can use another type of plant based milk if you wish i.e Cashew Milk
- It's very important to use a slotted spoon to remove the onions from the milk as this will prevent excess deposits of milk dripping into the flour blend.
- Feel free to add additional herbs or spices if you want to.
Jessica Stroup
These look amazing! Trying this weekend!
Charla
Thanks Jessica
Danielle Wolter
This is such an awesome idea! I love love love onions and would probably just eat these plain right out of the air fryer!
Charla
Haha me too Danielle, I'm so guilty of this!
Beth Sachs
Such a great idea! I'll be giving these crispy onions a go in my air fryer soon!
Charla
Please do Beth.
Kechi
Am definitely going to try this; thanks so much for sharing! Never thought I can make them in the Air Fryer! Love it
Charla
You are most welcome Kechi and enjoy!
Savita
This sounds amazing. Can't wait to try this.
Charla
You are most welcome.
Cindy H
How long will these last?
Charla
Hi Cindy, my apologies! They should last about 4 days (I haven't gone past 4 days so far without using them) but they have held up well for a couple of days. I have just updated the notes with this info and thanks for asking!