This air fryer blooming onion has all the crunch and flavor without all the oil.
A blooming onion is a classic American appetizer that everyone loves! It features an onion cut in a very specific way so it opens up like a flower.
It’s then doused in a seasoned marinade before being breaded. Then the onion is deep-fried until crispy.
This is an incredibly delicious meal but it is very oily so we have made an air fryer version to fix this issue.
Not only is our version less oily, but it’s also bursting with unique flavor. The marinade is flavored with honey and sriracha to create the perfect sweet heat.
The breading uses panko crumbs which are very crispy. The whole dish is finished off with a creamy sesame dipping sauce that makes it impossible to resist.
Why you will love this Blooming Onion recipe…
Honey Sriracha Air Fryer Blooming Onion
Equipment
Ingredients
For the onion:
- 1 large sweet onion (Vidalia or yellow)
- 2 cups buttermilk (or milk with 1 tbsp vinegar)
- 1 tbsp sriracha
- 1 tbsp honey
Breading:
- 1 cup all-purpose flour
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs (extra crunch!)
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp salt
- ½ tsp black pepper
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper (optional for extra spice)
Sesame Dipping Sauce:
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp sriracha (adjust to taste)
- 1 tsp honey
- 1 tsp rice vinegar
- ½ tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Ingredients
- Cut about ½ inch off the top of the onion (not the root end).
- Peel the outer skin, then place the onion root-side down.
- Using a sharp knife, make 4 cuts down from the top, leaving about ½ inch uncut near the root.
- Continue making smaller cuts between the larger ones to create petals (about 12-16 sections total).
- Flip the onion over and gently separate the petals.
- In a bowl, whisk together buttermilk, sriracha, and honey.
- Submerge the onion, cover, and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes (or up to 2 hours for extra flavor).
- In another bowl, mix flour, panko, paprika, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne.
- Remove the onion from the buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
- Generously coat the onion with the dry mixture, making sure to get in between the petals.
- Preheat the air fryer to 375°F (190°C).
- Spray the onion lightly with cooking spray to help crisp up the coating.
- Place it in the air fryer basket root-side down.
- Air fry for 15-18 minutes, checking halfway through and lightly spraying with oil if needed.
- In a bowl, whisk together mayo, sesame oil, soy sauce, sriracha, honey, rice vinegar, and garlic powder.
- Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and mix well.
- Remove the blooming onion from the air fryer. Drizzle with extra honey and sriracha for extra flavor.
- Serve hot with the creamy sesame dipping sauce on the side!
Nutrition
Serving Suggestions
This blooming onion is the ideal appetizer or snack for a game-day party. It accompanies grilled or BBQ meats perfectly! Serve with a cold beer or zesty cocktail.
Expert Tips 🧑🍳
Storage Suggestions
Blooming Onion FAQs
Why do you soak a blooming onion in water?
This is to allow the onion to soften and remove excess bitterness. In this recipe, we use a flavorful marinade instead of water.
How to preheat an air fryer?
Set your air fryer to the desired temperature and allow it to heat up for 10 minutes before adding the food.
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