Onion rings are a classic snack and side dish that can be hard to resist. Their crunchy breaded exterior and sweet onion interior make for an irresistible combo. While you can certainly make onion rings from scratch, sometimes you just want the convenience of heating up a bag of frozen ones. The good news is that it’s easy to cook frozen onion rings so they turn out crispy and delicious using either an air fryer or conventional oven. Here’s how to do it with both methods.
1. How To Cook Frozen Onion Rings in An Air Fryer
Using an air fryer is one of the easiest ways to cook frozen onion rings to crispy perfection with very little oil. The rapid air circulation in an air fryer crisps up the breading beautifully. Here are the simple steps:
- Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Most models only take 2-3 minutes to fully preheat.
- Remove the frozen onion rings from their packaging and place them in the air fryer basket or tray in a single layer. Don’t overcrowd them as they need the air to circulate for maximum crispiness.
- Set the timer for 8-10 minutes and cook the onion rings at 400°F, shaking the basket halfway through to promoteeven cooking.
- After 8-10 minutes, check if the onion rings are as crispy and browned as you like. Some may prefer them a little more or less done. Every air fryer model can vary slightly in cooking time.
- Once they’re cooked through with a crispy breading, transfer the onion rings to a plate or bowl and season with salt, pepper, or any other desired spices while hot.
- Let the onion rings cool for a couple of minutes before serving. This will give the breading time to set and become extra crunchy.
2. How To Cook Frozen Onion Rings in the Oven
If you don’t have an air fryer, you can still make crispy oven-baked frozen onion rings without a lot of added oil. It just takes a few more minutes of cooking time compared to an air fryer. Here are the steps:
- Preheat your oven to 450°F. At this high temp, the onion rings will get perfectly crispy.
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper or foil coated with non-stick cooking spray. Spread the frozen onion rings out in a single layer, leaving a bit of space between them.
- Lightly mist or brush the top side of the onion rings with oil or non-stick cooking spray. This will help them get nice and crispy during baking.
- Bake for 8 minutes at 450°F, then remove the baking sheet and use tongs or a spatula to flip the onion rings over.
- Return the sheet to the oven and bake for another 6-8 minutes until the onion rings are golden brown and crisped up to your liking.
- Remove the sheet from the oven and immediately transfer the hot crispy onion rings to a bowl or plate. Season with salt, pepper, etc. while hot.
- Let the onion rings cool for just a couple minutes before serving. The exterior will become nice and crunchy!
No matter which cooking method you choose, air frying or baking, cooking frozen onion rings at home is easy and results in a crispy, flavorful treat. With just a bag of frozen onion rings and some basic pantry staples, you can whip up a batch of hot, crispy rings in no time. Adjust cooking times as needed and don’t forget the dipping sauces! Perfectly cooked homemade onion rings are hard to beat.
