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    BLANK » Recipe Index » Appetizers

    Gluten free air fryer onion rings

    Last Updated January 8, 2023. Published July 2, 2019 By Charla 16 Comments

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    You have got to try this homemade rendition of onion rings. I'm talking about a non deep fat fried version of onions rings with a lightly seasoned gluten free coating so more-ish and make the perfect appetiser or healthy snack.

    The crispiest gluten free air fryer onion rings you will ever make

    Air fryer onion rings

    Hands up if you're a fan of onion rings? I LOVEEEEEE onion rings, a small fact about me is that they are my food heaven.

    If I could gnaw at one thing for the rest of my life I think onion rings would be high up there on the list.

    That's why I made it mandatory to make a gluten free version using my trusty air fryer.

    These onion rings are very much foolproof and tasty too thanks to the seasoned breadcrumbs.

    The kids and adults will both enjoy this quick and easy appetiser.

    Ever since I purchased my air fryer I've made soooooooooo many recipes in it. I seldom use my oven now unless I'm making a huge batch of food (one of the drawbacks about an air fryer).

    Today I'm showing you how to make onion rings that aren't ladened with oil from deep fat frying.

    You can enjoy your guilty pleasure without fretting too much about excess fat or other unhealthy ingredients like these Air Fryer Apple Wedges or these Spicy Air Fryer Peanuts.

    All you need to do is follow my instructions, I cannot stress how important it is to follow everything to the tee in order for this recipe to work.

    There will be no shortcuts unless I list them so please follow the recipe in it's entirety to avoid disappointment because I've tested this recipe for a longgggg time before finally sharing it with you all.

    Air fryer onion rings

    How to make air fryer onion rings

    Air fryer onion rings Steps 1-8

    • Spray the air fryer basket with oil and set aside.
    • Place the sliced onion rings in a medium sized bowl
    • Start by preparing the buttermilk, pour the almond milk and lemon into a medium sized bowl and allow it to congeal for 5 minutes.
    • Add all of the listed ingredients for the batter in the bowl with the buttermilk and beat into a smooth batter then place it directly next to the onion rings.(see picture 1)
    • In another bowl add all of the ingredients for the breading and thoroughly combine so the seasoning is evenly mixed in. Leave a teaspoon in the bowl as you will need this to transport the onion rings into the basket. Then place this bowl next to the bowl of batter.(see picture 2)
    • Place your air fryer basket towards the end, next to the breading bowl.
    • Take each (use a pinching motion with index finger and thumb) onion ring and dip in the batter, you may need to dip a few times to ensure the batter is completely applied. Double check the batter has adhered and shake off any excess before moving onto the next step. (see picture 3)
    • Still holding the battered onion ring in a pinching motion, place the onion ring on top of the breading. Now spoon the breading onto the ring (DON'T ROLL), toss the breading inside the inner rim too. Flip the onion ring over if you need to ensure it's fully coated. It should stick without dislodging and shake off any excess crumbs (see picture 5-6)
    • Place the spoon inside the onion ring and carefully place it onto the spoon so it balances. (see picture 7)
    • Carefully lower the onion ring into the fryer basket and repeat with the rest of the onion rings.(see picture 8)
    • Spray the top of the onion rings
    • Place the basket in the air fryer, set the unit 190C/375F for 8-10 minutes. Turn half way through.
      The the crispiest gluten free air fryer onion rings you will ever make

    Notes and tips

    • Use gluten free panko breadcrumbs, they make the crispiest coating ever. Alternatively, GF cornflakes (crushed) or fine cornmeal, or regular breadcrumbs works too.
    • I only use the 3-4 layers per onion ring as the centre is too small to form decent rings. Reserve the inner layers for cooking another dish,
    • If the breadcrumbs are white add ½ teaspoon of turmeric to authenticate them.
    • Cooking time may vary depending on your model. I have a Philips XL which takes 8-10 minutes to become crispy so use the cooking duration as a baseline.
    • Double, triple check that the batter/breading has stuck, if there's not enough on the onion ring, recoat again but don't over saturate or let the batter drip before coating or the breading will clump. So shake off any excess batter that's dripping.
    • Serve immediately or the same day for best results. I like to make these when I know for sure that I'm going to eat them. They aren't as crispy or hold up well the next day, so cook what you need at any given time and eat straight away.
    • You can veganise the recipe by using flax eggs instead.

    Air fryer onion rings

    More air fryer recipes

    • Jamaican fried chicken
    • Parsnip Fries
    • Air fryer chicken nuggets
    • Tasty air fryer hamburgers
    • Air fryer chicken wings 
    • Air fryer shrimp
    • Air Fryer French Fried Onions
    Air fryer onion rings

    Gluten free air fryer onion rings

    Air fryer onion rings - these onion rings are game changers and so foolproof even your non gluten free friends/family won't know the difference.
    4.50 from 8 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetiser, Snack
    Cuisine: American
    Prep Time: 25 minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes
    Total Time: 30 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 254kcal
    Author: Charla

    Ingredients

    • 2-3 large onions spanish onions, if possible, sliced about ½ inch thick

    For the batter

    • 1 cup of gluten free flour 130g
    • ½ cup of almond milk + 1tbsp of lemon 4 oz/100ml
    • 1 large egg
    • 1 teaspoon of himalayan pink salt

    For the breadcrumbs

    • 1 cup of GF breadcrumbs GF panko works best (130g)
    • ¼ cup of gluten free flour 30g
    • 1 teaspoon of black pepper
    • 1 teaspoon of thyme
    • 1 onion powder
    • ½ teaspoon garlic granules or powder
    • ½ teaspoon of turmeric optional, for colour

    Instructions

    • Spray the air fryer basket with oil and set aside.
    • Place the sliced onion rings in a medium sized bowl
    • Start by preparing the buttermilk, pour the almond milk and lemon into a medium sized bowl and allow it to congeal for 5 minutes.
    • Add all of the listed ingredients for the batter in the bowl with the buttermilk and beat into a smooth batter then place it directly next to the onion rings.
    • In another bowl add all of the ingredients for the breading and thoroughly combine so the seasoning is evenly mixed in. Leave a teaspoon in the bowl as you will need this to transport the onion ring into the basket. Then place this bowl next to the bowl of batter.
    • Place your air fryer basket towards the end, next to the breading bowl.
    • Take each (use a pinching motion with index finger and thumb) onion ring and dip in the batter, you may need to dip a few times to ensure the batter is completely applied. Double check the batter has adhered and shake off any dripping batter before moving onto the next step.
    • Still holding the battered onion ring in a pinching motion, place the onion ring on the breading. Now spoon the breading onto the ring (DON'T ROLL), toss the breading inside the inner rim too. Flip the onion ring over if you need to ensure it's fully coated. It should stick without dislodging and shake off any excess crumbs
    • Place the spoon inside the onion ring and carefully place it on the spoon so it balances.
    • Carefully lower the onion ring into the fryer basket and repeat with the rest of the onion rings.
    • Spray the top of the onion rings
    • Place the basket in the air fryer, set the unit 190C/375F for 8-10 minutes. Turn half way through

    Notes

    • Use gluten free panko breadcrumbs, they make the crispiest coating ever. Alternatively, GF cornflakes (crushed) or fine cornmeal, or regular breadcrumbs works too.
    • I only use the 3-4 layers per onion ring as the centre is too small to form decent rings. Reserve the inner layers for cooking another dish,
    • If the breadcrumbs are white add ½ teaspoon of turmeric to authenticate them.
    • Cooking time may vary depending on your model. I have a Philips XL which takes 8-10 minutes to become crispy so use the cooking duration as a baseline.
    • Double, triple check that the batter/breading has stuck, if there's not enough on the onion ring, recoat again but don't over saturate or let the batter drip before coating or the breading will clump. So shake off any excess batter that's dripping.
    • Serve immediately or the same day for best results. I like to make these when I know for sure that I'm going to eat them. They aren't as crispy or hold up well the next day, so cook what you need at any given time and eat straight away.
    • You can veganise the recipe by using flax eggs instead.

    Nutrition

    Calories: 254kcal | Carbohydrates: 51g | Protein: 8g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 41mg | Sodium: 640mg | Potassium: 95mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 83IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 81mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Tag me Today!Mention @ThatGirlCooksHealthy or tag #ThatGirlCooksHealthy!
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    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.

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jan

      March 03, 2023 at 12:10 am

      I plan to try this recipe tomorrow. Do you or does anyone have a few favorite GF favorite preferred flours ?
      Thanks. Jan

      Reply
      • Charla

        March 03, 2023 at 5:28 pm

        Hi Jan, I've started using my own GF flour for most recipes now. Here is My GF flour blend . In terms of storebought - King Arthur, Cup4cup (this is GF but contains dairy) and Krusteaz are quite popular choices.

        Reply
    2. Beth

      August 03, 2020 at 2:29 pm

      5 stars
      Yummy! My husband and I love onion rings! This recipe is perfect for us! Can't wait to make these!

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 03, 2020 at 2:49 pm

        No problem Beth. You are welcome.

        Reply
    3. Helen

      August 03, 2020 at 2:19 pm

      5 stars
      This is a great idea for a healthier version of onion rings, and very tasty too. So easy to make. They would make a perfect movie snack with some homemade dip.

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 03, 2020 at 2:50 pm

        Yes it would Helen and thank you!

        Reply
    4. Linda

      August 03, 2020 at 1:59 pm

      5 stars
      I live with an onion ring lover so finding great onion rings I can make for him is always on my list. And since I use my air fryer as much as possible too these were a must to try. And they came out just like you predicted - crunchy on the outside and soft flavorful onion on the inside. My husband thanks you!

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 03, 2020 at 2:07 pm

        No problem Linda. You are welcome.

        Reply
    5. Gina

      August 03, 2020 at 12:20 pm

      Love the GF spin to these. I need to make a batch ASAP!

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 03, 2020 at 12:37 pm

        Thank you!

        Reply
    6. Danielle Wolter

      August 03, 2020 at 11:37 am

      5 stars
      I love how thorough the instructions are. This is a great recipe and comes out just perfect!

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 03, 2020 at 11:41 am

        Thanks Danielle. I'm so glad you were able to follow the instructions to perfect these onion rings.

        Reply
    7. Linda Kint

      August 02, 2020 at 1:52 pm

      1 star
      Batter would not stick no matter what I did. Recipe Fail

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 03, 2020 at 2:49 pm

        Sorry it didn't work for you.

        Reply
    8. Gemma

      August 19, 2019 at 1:50 pm

      5 stars
      Just made these to accompany my lunch best decision I've made all day !!
      Thanks for sharing this recipe will be making again.

      Reply
      • Charla

        August 19, 2019 at 8:55 pm

        Thank you! I'm so glad you liked it

        Reply

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    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. Learn more about me

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