Do you adore onion rings as much as I do? Would you give anything to know how to cook them frozen and get that same take-out or restaurant deliciousness with the perfect crunch every time? Well, I am about to tell you how, and all you have to do is read on.
Air fryers are a great invention and I love this Cosori air fryer. If you know how to use them properly, they cook frozen onion rings to their quintessential best—no messing about with batter and deep-frying. If you get a sudden, last-minute craving for a tasty side dish to go with any meal, air frying from frozen is the way to go.
Not only is there no need for oil, but it takes less time to air-fry them than to preheat your oven.
When I air-fried frozen onion rings for the first time, I began the cooking process about 20 minutes before the other dishes would be ready. I based this on time it would take to preheat my conventional oven and bake the little lovelies. Big mistake!
Luckily, being a careful person when it comes to cooking, I checked them out after four minutes, and to my surprise, they were done. They were ready 5 to 6 minutes before anything else, so I ended up having to reheat them just before serving the meal up.
Luckily, they were still crispily tasty.
If you are dying to know how cook frozen onion rings in an air fryer to absolute perfection, you've come to the right place.
My other half simply adores them. Whenever he orders a side dish, you can bet your bottom dollar it will be onion rings. Back at home, I often find him loading some into our air fryer, which leads me nicely onto the next point …
Originally they were deep-fried - Why now cook them from frozen in an air fryer?
It's a good question and one that deserves a good answer, so here we go.
Deep frying - the conventional method of cooking onion rings - makes them greasy and somewhat unhealthy. Yes, they taste nice, but at what cost to your body?
Air fryer changes everything. Instead of dropping the rings into a deep fat fryer filled almost to the brim with oil, you need more than a tablespoon full.
It gets better. There is no problem with having to throw away pints of used oil, or having to degrease your deep fryer; an air fryer cleans in seconds. Air frying is not only quicker than deep-frying; it's a heck of a lot less expensive too.
How to cook frozen onion rings in an air fryer
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- First, preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 5 minutes. By doing this, you will allow the air fryer to cook everything equally, which is of prime importance when cooking frozen foods.
- Take your favorite brand of onion rings from the freezer and put 6 to 7 ounces into the fryer. If you are using Alexia onion rings, this will equate to about ¾ of the bag.
- Allow them to cook at 350°F for between 5 and 6 minutes. Give the basket a good shake after 4 minutes (optional).
- Remove from the fryer and serve on their own (they will taste great) or a healthy dollop of ketchup or whatever dipping sauce takes your fancy.
One quick tip:
You can put the onion rings into a non-preheated air fryer, but take my advice - you'll get a better result from a preheated fryer. It will only take a few short minutes, and it will be well worth the wait. They will be both tastier and crispier.
What are the best frozen onion rings?
For me, it's hard to beat Alexia frozen onion rings. Why? You don't need to add any oil, and they crisp up beautifully when air-fried. And no, this is not a sponsored post. I bought this brand because my family loves these rings. They are super crunchy in texture and bursting with flavor, never soggy at all.
Which air fryer frozen onion rings should I buy?
When it comes to the question of which are the best type of frozen onion rings to buy, basically, there are two choices. The first is breaded rings. In my book, these are alright.
When it comes to the crunch - literally - I believe that beer-battered onion rings knock all others into submission. They are mega-delicious.
Not only do they look good, but the batter also tastes superb and is splendidly crispy, while the onion inside is tender and succulent. I can't recommend them highly enough, and they are in the same price range as their competitors.
Onion rings look a little dry while cooking. What do I do?
Hmm. I've come across this problem before. Some brands are better than others. The majority of frozen fried foods on sale here in the US are cooked in oil before frozen. The oils contained in the final frozen product are enough for air-frying.
Having said that, adding just a little oil can improve the air-frying process and enhance flavor, especially if you use good-quality vegetable oil, or my favorite, olive oil. I like to apply it with as EVO oil sprayer.
One word of friendly warning -- do not use PAM type sprays. They can damage your air fryer.
How do I reheat onion rings in the air fryer?
I sometimes think that my eyes are bigger than my belly. Another failing of mine is overestimating how hungry my family is. It means there is often a need to reheat food. Thank goodness that air fryers are ace at heating food without losing its crispiness. Check my other post on the best ways to reheat onion rings.
Preheat your air fryer to 350°F. When it's up to temperature, put the leftover onion rings inside and cook for approximately 2 to 3 minutes or until they're warmed through.
When you reheat at a lower temperature, it means that the insides can warm through while ensuring that the outside surface doesn't become over crispy or burnt.
If you spot the onion rings beginning to go a fraction dry during cooking, spray with a few drops of oil with your EVO oil sprayer, and it will moisten them a little. The EVO oil sprayer is absolutely fantastic.
FAQ: Related questions about onion rings:
How long to cook frozen onion rings in the air fryer?
Frozen onion rings only require about 5 to 6 minutes of cooking time in an air fryer. Cook at a temperature of 350°F. Serve while they are still hot with your favorite ketchup or dipping sauce.
Most air fryers take a similar time to cook. Be a little careful, though, as some can be slightly different. The cooking time may need to be adjusted up or down if you have one that is a little more efficient or powerful.
It comes down to trial and error and just getting to know your air fryer in terms of how it actually cooks compared to what it tells you in the instructions.
Don't forget that, on average, air-fryers cook faster than conventional ovens. They take about 25% less time. I always recommend keeping an eye on food as it is cooking. That way, if the food is cooking more quickly, you will be aware and can take action to prevent overcooking or burning.
Can I cook frozen onion rings that have been thawed?
You can still cook frozen onion rings after they have thawed out. However, cooking them from frozen is preferable as it is how they were meant to be cooked.
Can you put frozen onion rings in an air fryer?
This is the way they should be cooked - straight from freezer to air fryer. The results are perfect. The exterior is crispy and crunchy, while the interior is sweet and tender.
Cleaning your air fryer is so simple. All you have to do is wash the basket. No horrible used oil, and no oil splashes. Another plus is you won't smell-out the kitchen.
Do air fryers make food crispy?
It's important to understand that air fryers don't really fry. Leastwise, not in the conventional sense. They don't use oil to heat the food; they use hot air. Bear in mind that oil conducts heat much quicker than air.
It means that food cooked in oil becomes very crispy before the insides have dried out; also, a lot of the oil is absorbed into the food, making it incredibly rich.
Does air fried food taste as good as deep-fried?
Regardless of how you cook your food in your air fryer, it will never be the same as deep or shallow fried food in terms of taste or texture.
Air fryers are, in effect, mini convection ovens and use the circulating hot air for cooking the food. The perforated metal or wire food baskets are designed to increase airflow. Air fryers do the same thing as conventional ovens, only they do it quicker and more efficiently.
Can you put aluminum foil in an air fryer?
This is a question that is often asked, and the answer is, yes, you can use both baking paper and aluminum foil in air fryers. The one proviso is that you should never allow the bottom of the basket to be covered completely.
Can You Put Foil In Bottom Of Air Fryer?
The bottom of an air fryer is where the heating elements are. It is also where the grease and dirt from cooking accumulates. If you put aluminum foil in the bottom of an air fryer, it might block the air circulation, which would result in food being unevenly cooked.
That is why it is better to put any aluminum foil into the bottom of the basket rather than the oven itself.
Tips for using baking paper or tin foil in Airfryer
If you will be using baking paper, ensure it doesn't project beyond the edge of the basket.
You must not entirely cover the bottom of the basket. Air must be allowed to flow throughout the basket in order to cook the food evenly. If you cover the bottom of the basket completely, you will impede the airflow and interfere with your air fryer's cooking performance.
Never put baking paper or aluminum foil into the fryer at the bottom where grease and dirt accumulate. If this area is covered, the air fryer's airflow will get disrupted, and the food will not be cooked evenly.
Do not put baking paper or aluminum foil into your air fryer unless you put food on top of it. Without something to hold down the baking paper or foil might be sucked into the heater and could begin to burn.
Related recipes
Full Recipe
How long to cook frozen onion rings in air fryer
Equipments:
- Air Fryer
Ingredients:
- 13.5 oz Onion Rings (frozen packed)
Instructions:
- Preheat the air fryer to 350°F for 5 minutes. By doing this, you will allow the air fryer to cook everything equally, which is of prime importance when cooking frozen foods.
- Take your favorite brand of onion rings from the freezer and put 6 to 7 ounces into the fryer. If you are using Alexia onion rings, this will equate to about ¾ of the bag.
- Allow them to cook at 350°F for between 5 and 6 minutes. Give the basket a good shake after 4 minutes (optional).
- Remove from the fryer and serve on their own (they will taste great) or a healthy dollop of ketchup or whatever dipping sauce takes your fancy.
Notes:
Please note that all nutrition information are just estimates. Values will vary among brands, so we encourage you to calculate these on your own for most accurate results.
