Copycat Outback Blooming Onion in the Air Fryer
The blooming onion appetizer at Outback Steakhouse is one of those dishes you find yourself craving over and over. If you don’t have a trip to the restaurant on your list, or want to make your own version of it the next time you host friends and family, give this Copycat Outback Blooming Onion recipe a try! We make it in the air fryer, which cuts down on how much oil you need to fry it. Don’t worry though, the final result is just as crispy as what you know and love.
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The blooming onion isn’t complete without sauces to dip it in! In addition to ketchup, try out our other favorite sauce recipes like our Greek Yogurt Ranch, Copycat Chick-fil-A sauce, and Chipotle Zesty sauce.
Copycat Outback Blooming Onion Recipe Tips:
+ If you’re gluten free, you can easily use a gluten free all purpose flour in this recipe so you’re able to enjoy it!
+ Be sure to handle your onion with care! If pieces fall off though, it’s not the end of the world. They’re just as delicious if they fall off as they are when they’re all connected. In fact, you may even find it easier to just slice large pieces of onion. Then just follow the rest of the recipes steps, and you can even flip your onion slices halfway through cooking.
Copycat Outback Blooming Onion in the Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet onion
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour, or gluten free all purpose flour
- 1 tbsp paprika
- 1 tbsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/2 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1/2 tsp dried oregano
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- 2 eggs
- 1 cup milk of choice
- cooking spray
Equipment
Instructions
- Cut the top of the onion off and carefully peel the onion. You want to leave the bottom on so it stays in tact.
- Place cut side down on a cutting board. Cut the onion about ¼-½" from the stem all the way to the cutting board. Do so 3 more times until you’ve made 4 evenly spaced cuts. Make 2 more cuts between each cut so you have 12 total. (Watch the video for help on how to do these cuts.)
- In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, cayenne, oregano, and pepper until combined.
- In another mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk
- Preheat the air-fryer for 10 minutes on 350 degrees
- Carefully place the onion into the dry mixture and use your hands to coat the onion, carefully sprinkling between the cuts and layers. Carefully pat any excess off the onion.
- Transfer your onion to the wet mixture and do the same, draining any excess, then transfer back into the dry mixture, using your hands again to coat the onion the best you can. Shake any excess off once again.
- Place the onion in the air-fryer and generously spray with the oil until coated.
- Air-fry for about 20-25 minutes, spraying every 8 minutes if needed.
- Let sit in the air-fryer once done for 5 minutes before removing and serving with desired dippingsauce and enjoy!
This is such a fun take on a restaurant classic. The way you adapted the blooming onion for the air fryer makes it feel much more approachable for home cooks. I also appreciate the detailed prep tips — getting those onion petals evenly coated is usually the trickiest part, and your explanation makes it much less intimidating.
Copycat recipes like this are great because they let you enjoy that bold, crispy flavor without needing to go out. At the same time, I think a lot of people still like to compare the original restaurant version before trying to recreate it. Seeing how it’s described on the menu or what it’s typically served with can actually help guide how you plate or pair it at home.
That’s something I’ve done before with burger chains as well. I’ll check a menu overview first to see flavor combinations and pricing. Sites like https://smashburgermenu.com
are useful for that since it’s an informational site about Smashburger menu items and prices, laid out in a simple format. It helps when deciding whether to experiment in the kitchen or just order the real thing.
Overall, this air fryer blooming onion looks like a solid alternative — crispy, flavorful, and way more convenient than deep frying.
Wow, this air fryer version of the Outback Blooming Onion looks amazing — I never thought you could get that crispy texture without deep frying! 🍽️ I’ve been trying to make more restaurant-style snacks at home, and this recipe definitely goes into my “must try” list.
Speaking of kitchens and menus, I recently came across an informational site for Bojangles — https://bojanglesmenus.us
— where they list all the current Bojangles menu items and prices. It’s been super helpful for planning meals before heading out or ordering takeout, especially when I’m deciding between biscuits, combos, or sides.
Has anyone tried this blooming onion version yet? Or paired it with a classic chicken meal from Bojangles? Would love to hear how it turned out! 😄
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