Air Fryer Onion Rings with Frank's Red Hot

This shop has been compensated by Inmar Intelligence and its advertiser. All opinions are mine alone. #FranksRedHotTailgate

Who needs a delicious recipe for tailgating this year? *raises hand* This easy recipe for Air Fryer Onion Rings is a winner. Golden-crisp onion rings? Check. Comfort food classic without the heavy oil? Check. A zippy addictive dipping sauce? Check. Oh, and did we mention we've added the kick of Frank's RedHot® Sauce to both the onion rings and the sauce? Keep reading to get the step-by-step instructions on how to make this your new game day fave.

Air Fryer Onion Rings + Frank's RedHot = Winning Combination

Football season is one of the best times of the year. Not sure if it is the hard-hitting action on the field or the delicious game day snacks on my table. The two go hand in hand.

We've converted a comfort food classic into a light and crispy tailgate must-have with our Instant™ Vortex™ air fryer. Plus we've added the signature tangy heat with Frank's RedHot. Frank's has the best combination of flavor and heat.

Add all the ingredients for this recipe to your Kroger pick-up order. This takes the stress out of shopping, and Kroger has everything you need to eat and drink at your next tailgate. Click + pick up at your local Kroger store. So easy. 

Ingredients Needed to Make Frank's RedHot Onion Rings:

For the Dipping Sauce

• Mayonnaise
• Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce
• Ketchup
• Horseradish
• Sugar
• Paprika
• Garlic powder
• Salt + black pepper

For the Air Fryer Onion Rings

• Sweet white onions - I really love Vidalia onions for this recipe.
• Cornstarch
• All purpose flour
• Seasoned salt
• Eggs
• Frank's RedHot Sauce - Use a little or use a lot.
• Milk
• Panko bread crumbs
• Vegetable oil - Just a wee bit.

TIP: Sweet white onions are the best for this recipe. They are nice and crunchy plus they have a mild, less-pungent flavor.

Tossing the onions in cornstarch helps the onions hang on to the batter a little better. This is an optional step, but I think it also helps the onion rings turn out crispier.

How to Make Air Fryer Onion Rings:

For the Dipping Sauce

1. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small Pyrex® bowl. Taste, reseason to preference
2. Cover and refrigerate until time to serve.

For the Air Fryer Onion Rings

1. First, peel and carefully slice the onions into ¼ to ½ inch slices. Separate the slices into rings. Place the onion rings into a large Pyrex bowl, sprinkle with the cornstarch, toss to coat. Set aside.
2. Then, in a bowl, whisk together the eggs, Frank's RedHot Sauce, and milk until well combined and frothy.
3. Next, in a separate bowl, stir together the flour and seasoned salt.
4. In a third bowl, combine the panko bread crumbs and vegetable oil until combined and crumbly.
5. Preheat your Instant™ Vortex™ air fryer to manufacturer instructions.
6. Next, bread each onion ring. Using a fork or your fingers, dip each onion into 1-the egg mix, 2-the flour mix, 3-the egg mix, and 4-the panko mix. Repeat until all onion rings are coated.
7. Place the coated onion rings in a single layer into the tray or basket of your air fryer. Air Fry at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for about 12 minutes, or until golden crisp. Turn halfway through cooking.
8. Repeat this process until all of the onion rings are cooked. Serve hot with the prepared dipping sauce.

TIP: We used the Instant Vortex Plus 10 Quart Air Fryer Oven for this recipe. Check your model's cooking instructions for the best results.

A kitchen essential for this recipe (and all recipes, for that matter): Pyrex. From measuring to mixing to storing, Pyrex has an item every step of this recipe.

More Recipes to Try:

Skillet Chili Cheese Dip

Reuben Sliders

Ultimate Buffalo Wings

I love the Instant Vortex Plus 10-Quart Air Fryer Oven because of the two cooking trays. Plus it has a drip pan in the bottom for easy cleanup. It also has multiple cooking modes...from air frying to roasting to baking. It even has a dehydrator setting.

Look how crispy these air fryer onion rings turned out. These are not only great on game day but make an excellent side dish at cook-outs.

This recipe makes 6 servings of approximately 4 onion rings per serving. It is easily doubled for tailgating. Plus, you can use the air fryer to reheat the recipe. (See your air fryer's reheating instructions.)

Frank's RedHot Sauce is one of those ingredients I use a lot. From dips to sauces, from chicken wings to tacos. I like to bring the bottle to the tailgate, too. It is a great way for people to add a little extra tangy-heat.

Pick up all 3 varieties of Frank's at your local Kroger:

• Frank’s RedHot Original Cayenne Pepper Sauce 
• Frank’s RedHot Buffalo Wings Sauce 
• Frank’s RedHot Sweet Chili Sauce 

TIP: Pyrex makes snacking portable. Perfect for tailgating at home, at a friend's house, or at the stadium.

Tips + Ideas for Best Results:

• Prepare and assemble all of your ingredients before you get started. This makes the entire process easy.
• Make the sauce first. This gives time for the flavors to blend. Taste and reseason before serving.
• Our recipe used 2 large white onions. You may need 3 based on the size of the onion you select.
• Use a sweet variety of white onion.
• I recommend using salt sparingly, as there is a lot of flavor in Frank's RedHot and in the onion ring sauce.
• You can make these ahead and air fry right before serving. Place the breaded onion rings on wax or parchment paper on a baking sheet. Cover loosely with freezer wrap and freeze. When time to cook, follow your air fryer's recommendations for cooking frozen onion rings.
• Corelle® is perfect for serving. Virtually unbreakable, they are great for family time and tailgating. We are in love with our set of plates, bowls, and serving tray.
• The onion ring dip also makes a tasty veggie dip and sandwich spread.

Sign up for our Buy This Cook That Newsletter for new content. Follow us on Facebook, Pinterest, Twitter and Instagram for our latest + greatest ideas!

📖 Recipe