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BLANK ยป Recipe Index ยป Appetisers

Air Fryer French Fried Onions (Vegan)

Modified: Jan 22, 2026 ยท Published: Oct 4, 2024 by Charla

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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.

Dish of onions with a blue cloth

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.

Overhead shot of the fried onions

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

Ingredients you need to make air fryer French fried onions
  • 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

Steps 1-4 soaking the onions in almond milk
  • 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.
Steps 5-8 coating and cooking the onions
  • 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 (you may find it easier to put the flour and onions in a zip lock bag and shake it instead).
  • 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 lose 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.
  • Feel free to use a ziplock bag instead of putting the flour in a bowl and simply add the onions to the bag, secure and shake it.
  • Don't slice the onions too thick nor should you slice them too thin, you want them sliced somewhere in between.
  • 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.
Onions in a dish

Other thanksgiving recipes to try

  • Sweet Dairy Free Cornbread
  • Stove Top Candied Yams
  • Mashed Potato Stuffing
  • Sweet Potato Casserole Without Marshmallows
  • Air Fryer Chestnuts
  • Vegan Nut Roast
  • Vegan Sweet Potato Mac and Cheese

**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.**

onions in a dish

Air Fryer French Fried Onions (Vegan)

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.
5 from 5 votes
Print Pin Rate
Course: Appetiser
Cuisine: American
Prep Time: 20 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
Total Time: 30 minutes minutes
Servings: 4 people
Calories: 172kcal
Author: Charla

Ingredients

For soaking the onions

  • 2 large onions sliced
  • 2½ cups almond milk (591ml)
  • 2 tablespoon vinegar )or lemon works too

To make the flour blend/coating

  • ½ cup brown rice flour (80g)
  • ¼ cup oat bran (30g) rice bran works too
  • ¼ cup amaranth flour (30g) sorghum works too
  • 2 tablespoon tapioca starch (16g)
  • 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 (you may find it easier to put the flour and onions in a zip lock bag and shake it instead). .
  • 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.

Video

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 lose 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.
    • Feel free to use a ziplock bag instead of putting the flour in a bowl and simply add the onions to the bag, secure and shake it.
    • Don't slice the onions too thick nor should you slice them too thin, you want them sliced somewhere in between.
    • 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.

Nutrition

Calories: 172kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 3g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Sodium: 314mg | Potassium: 196mg | Fiber: 4g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 249IU | Vitamin C: 4mg | Calcium: 182mg | Iron: 2mg
Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!

More Appetiser Recipes

  • Eggplant Boats (Vegan)
  • Crispy edamame beans in a bowl
    Air Fried Edamame Beans
  • A stack of roti
    Keto Roti Recipe with Almond Flour
  • cauliflower mash in a bowl
    Roasted Cauliflower Mash

About Charla

I'm Charla. Caribbean foodie & Certified Health Coach. Welcome to the heaven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

Comments

  1. Ian A. Bramble says

    August 27, 2024 at 11:59 am

    i'd noted you'd said this recipe should work with whole wheat flour. Are the brown rice and amaranth flour to make it gluten free?

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 27, 2024 at 5:23 pm

      Hi Ian, Yes, that is correct.

      Reply
  2. Stephanie says

    August 15, 2024 at 8:29 pm

    Since I don't have a problem with gluten, can I use whole wheat flour instead of the unusual flours mentioned?

    Reply
    • Charla says

      August 15, 2024 at 10:25 pm

      Hi Stephanie, yes, if should work just fine with whole wheat flour.

      Reply
      • Ian A. Bramble says

        August 27, 2024 at 11:57 am

        Charla, thanks for that; i was a little worried about having to buy more flours!

        Reply
  3. Jessica Stroup says

    November 01, 2021 at 12:38 pm

    5 stars
    These look amazing! Trying this weekend!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      November 01, 2021 at 12:49 pm

      Thanks Jessica

      Reply
  4. Danielle Wolter says

    November 01, 2021 at 10:43 am

    5 stars
    This is such an awesome idea! I love love love onions and would probably just eat these plain right out of the air fryer!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      November 01, 2021 at 11:59 am

      Haha me too Danielle, I'm so guilty of this!

      Reply
  5. Beth Sachs says

    November 01, 2021 at 10:39 am

    5 stars
    Such a great idea! I'll be giving these crispy onions a go in my air fryer soon!

    Reply
    • Charla says

      November 01, 2021 at 12:00 pm

      Please do Beth.

      Reply
  6. Kechi says

    November 01, 2021 at 9:56 am

    5 stars
    Am definitely going to try this; thanks so much for sharing! Never thought I can make them in the Air Fryer! Love it

    Reply
    • Charla says

      November 01, 2021 at 9:57 am

      You are most welcome Kechi and enjoy!

      Reply
  7. Savita says

    November 01, 2021 at 9:03 am

    5 stars
    This sounds amazing. Can't wait to try this.

    Reply
    • Charla says

      November 01, 2021 at 9:03 am

      You are most welcome.

      Reply
  8. Cindy H says

    October 25, 2021 at 3:55 pm

    How long will these last?

    Reply
    • Charla says

      October 25, 2021 at 4:07 pm

      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!

      Reply
5 from 5 votes

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Hey, I'm Charla!

I'm an avid Caribbean foodie. Welcome to the haven of gluten and dairy free recipes as well as modernised healthier alternatives to some of your favourite Caribbean recipes.

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