Ingredients:
1 large onion (sweet or yellow)
1 cup all-purpose flour
1 teaspoon paprika
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (adjust to taste)
Salt and pepper to taste
2 large eggs
2 cups panko breadcrumbs
Cooking spray (preferably olive oil spray)
Dipping Sauce (optional):
1/2 cup mayonnaise
2 tablespoons ketchup
1/2 teaspoon paprika
1/2 teaspoon horseradish (optional)
A pinch of cayenne pepper
Instructions:
Preheat your air fryer to 370°F (190°C).
Prepare the onion: Cut off the top of the onion (about 1 inch) and peel the skin, leaving the root end intact. Place the onion, cut-side down, and make four equally spaced vertical cuts without cutting all the way through to the root. Turn the onion over, and gently separate the “petals.”
In a shallow dish, mix the flour, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and pepper.
In another dish, beat the eggs.
In a third dish, place the panko breadcrumbs.
Take each onion and dip it in the flour mixture, making sure it’s well coated. Shake off any excess flour.
Next, dip the onion into the beaten eggs, allowing any excess to drip off.
Finally, coat the onion with the panko breadcrumbs, pressing the breadcrumbs onto the onion to ensure they stick.
Place the breaded onion into the preheated air fryer basket. Lightly spray it with cooking spray, which will help it crisp up.
Air fry the onion for about 15-20 minutes or until it’s golden brown and crispy. You may need to flip it once or twice during cooking to ensure even browning.
While the onion is cooking, you can prepare the dipping sauce by mixing all the sauce ingredients in a bowl.
Once the blooming onion is done, carefully remove it from the air fryer using tongs and place it on a serving plate.
Serve the air fryer blooming onion hot with the dipping sauce.
