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Air Fryer Crispy Mini Blooming Onions for Guilt-Free Snacking recipe card

Air Fryer Crispy Mini Blooming Onions for Guilt-Free Snacking

Healthy, crunchy mini blooming onions with a zippy dipping sauce made right in the air fryer.
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Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 22 minutes
Servings: 4 mini blooming onions
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American
Calories: 150
Ingredients Method Notes

Ingredients
  

Ingredients
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 tbsp paprika
  • 1 tsp garlic powder
  • 1 tsp onion powder
  • 1 tsp cayenne pepper
  • 1 tsp kosher salt
  • 1 tsp black pepper
  • 2 medium sweet onions Vidalia
  • cooking spray
  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tbsp ketchup
  • 1 tbsp prepared horseradish
  • 1 tbsp lemon juice
  • 1/8 tsp kosher salt
  • 1/8 tsp black pepper

Method
 

  1. Preheat the air fryer to 380°F for 5 minutes.
  2. Peel the onions. Trim a thin slice off the root end so each onion stands, then cut off the top.
  3. Make the bloom: with the onion root side down, cut vertical slices about 3/4 inch apart, stopping about 1/2 inch from the root so it stays intact. Rotate and repeat, then gently fan the petals open.
  4. In a medium bowl, whisk together flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.
  5. Pour buttermilk into a separate bowl. Dip each onion into buttermilk, letting excess drip off.
  6. Press each onion into the seasoned flour, working flour between the petals. Tap off excess and gently re fan the petals.
  7. Place onions in the air fryer basket with space around them. Spray the tops evenly with cooking spray.
  8. Air fry for 10 to 12 minutes, carefully shaking the basket or rotating the onions halfway through, until deeply golden and tender at the center.
  9. While the onions cook, stir mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl.
  10. Rest onions for 2 minutes, then serve hot with the dipping sauce.

Notes

- For a buttermilk substitute, mix 1 cup milk with 1 tbsp lemon juice and let sit 5 minutes.
- Store leftovers airtight in the refrigerator for 2 days; reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 5 minutes and respray lightly with cooking spray halfway through.