Best Sautéed Caramelized Air Fryer Onions

I love how Air Fryer Onions get perfectly golden, soft and caramelized, with crispy edges. Air-fried onions recipe is my new favorite way to make sauteéd onions in less than 10 minutes. If you like this onions recipe, try Air Fryer Potatoes and Onions.

Air-fried caramelized onions are full of flavor, they get perfectly tender, and golden brown. I love to top my burgers, chicken, or salads with them. They make a great addition to fajitas, steaks, curries, you name it. Let’s make the perfect recipe for Air fryer sauteéd onions that will cook within 10 to 15 minutes. I recently added the air fryer onions to Homemade French Onion Soup. The texture is divine and the soup is at a whole new level!

What kind of onions to use?

You can use any kind of your favorite onions. I have tried yellow onions, red onions, sweet onions, or Vidalia onions. All with the same great result.

Do onions shrink during cooking? Yes, they do. Onions shrink as they cook, losing about 2/3 of their volume as the water evaporates, so slice more than you think you’ll need.

How to Make Air Fryer Fried Onions

Ingredients:

1 large onion, sliced. Note: Keep in mind that onions shrink as they cook during their caramelization stage (see pictures)

1 TBS oil of choice. I like to use olive oil or avocado oil.

1 tsp seasoning of choice. I currently use Mrs. Dash Seasoning blend or organic veggie spice blend from Costco

1/4 tsp salt and pepper or to taste (optional)

Directions:

1. Slice onions thin or whichever way you like to slice onions.
2. Preheat the air fryer to 400F/200C for 3 minutes
3. In a large bowl add onions, oil, seasoning, salt and pepper, if desired.
4. Mix them well. I use the OXO food basting brush to ensure an even coating with oil and seasoning.
5. Pour onions into your air fryer basket/tray. It is better to cook them directly on the tray/basket, however, you can line the tray with parchment paper. I use unbleached Air fryer parchment paper.
6. Spread the onions in the air fryer basket (tray) in an even layer. Give them some space so they do not overlap.

7. Airfry mode at 400F/200C for 10 minutes, flipping them halfway or until the desired caramelized look. I lowered the temp to 350F and cooked for an additional 3-5 minutes because I love my onions golden brown and caramelized.

Recipe Tips and Notes for the Best Air Fryer Onions

• Make sure that the seasoning and oil are coated perfectly on the onions. You can use your hands for mixing.
• Preheat your air fryer before adding onions to it.
• Give a quick stir to the onions so that they will cook evenly. You can set your air fryer for every 5-minute interval.
• Different air fryers may vary in temperature. So, it can take more or less time.

For Diet Conscious 

The onions are perfect for those on a diet or losing weight. They can use them in salads, soups, frittata, fajitas and more. You can use them on a low-carb diet, however in small amounts.

Serving Tips for Air Fryer Onions

• You can serve these air fryer onions for different dishes.
• Serve them on burgers, hotdogs, and sliders
• Use as a topping in pizzas.
• Use saute onions in pasta.
• Add them to bruschetta top with cheese for delicious flavor.
• Use for the frittata.
• Sprinkle on grilled cheese to enhance the taste.
• Use for salads.