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vertical photo of a close up of a air fryer cheesy onion ring held between thumb and forefinger with a plate of onion rings and a bowl of mayonnaise in the background
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Air Fryer Cheesy Onion Rings

Onion rings are a great favorite, and have been for many years. Add cheese to them and these Air Fryer Cheesy Onion rings will blow you away. Crispy on the outside and beautifully soft and juicy on the inside, they are sure to be a big hit with all the family.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
2 servings

Ingredients

  • 2 Large Yellow Onion
  • 8 oz Mozzarella Cheese or Cheddar Cheese
  • 1/2 cup cornstarch
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 tspn paprika
  • 1 tspn turmeric
  • 1/2 tspn garlic powder
  • 1/2 tspn salt
  • 1/2 tspn pepper
  • 1/4 cup water you may need more
  • 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/2 cup Mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp sweet chili sauce
  • 1 tbsp garlic minced

Instructions

  • Slice onion horizontally into 1 - 1/2 inch thick slices. Using the widest rings first, separate the layers. Pair every other layer of the onion. You want an onion-layer-sized space between the rings. Save remaining smaller onion slices for compost, freeze for vegetable broth or another recipe.
    vertical photo showing sliced onion rings on a wooden board
  • Slice the cheese into 1/8 inch thick slices, then cut the slices to match the height of the ring.
    vertical photo showing sliced onion rings and cut cheese on a wooden board
  • Place the slices of cheese between the rings filling the void. You may need to slice smaller pieces of cheese to fill any gaps.
    vertical photo showing sliced onion rings with slices of cheese between 2 rings on a wooden board
  • In one shallow dish, mix the cornstarch, flour and spices. Add water until the mixture resembles a thick batter.
    vertical photo showing cornstarch, flour and spices in a bowl, outside the bowl is cheese-stuffed onion rings all on a wooden board
  • In another shallow dish add the crumbs. Dredge the assembled rings carefully through the batter, fully coating them. Then place the coated rings in the panko crumbs fully coating. Fill any space not coated with crumbs. It's best to coat the assembled rings one or two at a time.
    vertical photo showing a cheese-stuffed onion ring in the batter, and an onion ring in the panko crumbs
  • Place the coated rings in your oil-sprayed air fryer basket. Spray the top of the rings with oil.
    vertical photo showing 8 air fryer cheesy onion rings arranged in a single layer in an air fryer basket
  • Cook at 400F/205C for 15 minutes. Flip gently halfway through the cooking.
    vertical photo showing 8 air fryer cheesy onion rings in an air fryer basket cooked
  • While the rings are cooking, mix the mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce, and minced garlic in a bowl for the dipping sauce.
    vertical photo showing mayonnaise, sweet chili sauce and minced garlic in a white bowl with a spatula. a bowl of sweet chili sauce is in the background. All on a white marble surface.
  • Let the rings cool a little before serving.

Notes

Pro Tip: This recipe can be made in the air fryer unit with a basket or the air fryer oven. If you are using the air fryer oven, use the middle rack and select the "Air Fry" function.
Pro Tip: Check your food as it cooks. Each air fryer runs a bit differently. Sometimes airfrying is a trial and error process. Check your food as it cooks to learn your air fryer better! When cooking a new recipe or food items be sure to check your food often to help avoid over/under cooking.

Nutrition Information

Calories 977kcal | Carbohydrates 125g | Protein 14g | Fat 46g | Saturated Fat 7g | Polyunsaturated Fat 26g | Monounsaturated Fat 10g | Trans Fat 0.1g | Cholesterol 24mg | Sodium 1159mg | Potassium 429mg | Fiber 7g | Sugar 23g | Vitamin A 287IU | Vitamin C 12mg | Calcium 166mg | Iron 5mg
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