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Easy Blooming Onion

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These easy Blooming Onions are double coated with a slightly spicy breading and deep fried to golden perfection. They are better than Outbacks and super simple to make.  Don’t forget the dipping sauce or for a change of pace try them with Yum Yum Sauce (Japanese Hibachi Style) or Southern Comeback Sauce.

These easy Blooming Onions are double coated with a slightly spicy breading and deep fried to golden perfection.

Now you can make your own Blooming Onion right in the confines of your own kitchen at your convenience.   If you like onion rings or onion straws than you are sure to love these crispy onions.  Are you always in a hurry?  No problem make the dipping sauce up to two days in advance and store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator.

Better than Outbacks these Blooming Onions are super simple to make.

Not into deep frying?  They are delicious cooked in an air fryer.  Simply preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees.  Prepare the onion per the recipe instructions however cook it in the air fryer basket for about 10 minutes or until crispy and golden brown.

How do you make a Blooming Onion?

Mixing the sauce

Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, ketchup, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.  Chill this while you prepare the onions.

Preparing the onion

Start by cutting the onions. Cut a small flat spot on the none root end of the onion.  Now remove any dried or damaged peels.  Place the onion flat side down on a cutting board (root side up).  Now using a sharp knife starting about 1/2 inch from the root make a clean slice downward.  Next turn the onion one quarter turn and make another clean slice downward.  Follow that with two more quarter turns and two more clean slices downward.

Now you should have four clean slices down on the onion equally spaced apart. Now cut three to four equal spaced cuts downward in each of those four sections. Then turn the onion root side down and gently fan out those sections.

How do you make a blooming onion

Breading the onion

First in a large bowl big enough to hold the onion whisk together the milk and eggs.  Then in another large bowl combine the flour, paprika, cumin, oregano, thyme, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper and garlic powder.  Now put one of the cut onions in the flour mixture. Using your hands coat the onion with the flour mixture spreading and separating the onion to make sure that it all gets breaded.  Now dunk the onion into the egg mixture.  Then back into the flour mixture using your hands to coat the onion.

An easy recipe for crispy Blooming Onions that is just as tasty if not better than any Outback restaurant. 

Deep frying the onion

Use a heavy pan like a dutch oven and heat the oil to 375 degrees.  Using a skimmer ladle or tongs carefully place the onion root side up in the hot oil.  Fry for about 6 minutes or until a deep golden brown. Next remove the onion to paper towels to drain.  For best results serve promptly with the homemade dipping sauce.

Make a delicious blooming onion for your family today and don't forget the tasty dipping sauce.

Tips for making a Blooming Onion

  • If available use sweet Vidalia Onions
  • Try to maintain a consistent fry temperature of 375 degrees.  Use a candy or deep fry thermometer. Dutch ovens are good heavy pans to fry in.  Because of their thickness they maintain and hold heat well.
  • If you have a deep fryer that is big enough use it.
  • For best results do not crowd the frying pan.  Instead fry in batches.
  • Stay real close when frying the onions.  They will take anywhere from 5-7 minutes to reach a deep golden brown.
  • The sauce can be made up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • These fried onions are best served promptly while they are warm and crisp.
  • Not into deep frying?  Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees.  Load onion into air fryer root side down and cook 9-10 minutes.

Calling all fried onion lovers. Prepare to be wowed with these delicious blooming onions.

Other appetizers you will love!!

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This post was published July 17, 2015 and was republished April 27, 2020 with new content.

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Blooming Onion

Blooming Onions

★★★★★

5 from 31 reviews

An easy recipe for crispy Blooming Onions that is just as tasty if not better than any Outback restaurant.  Make some for your family today and don’t forget the tasty dipping sauce.

  • Author: Beth Pierce
  • Prep Time: 20 minutes
  • Cook Time: 18 minutes
  • Total Time: 38 minutes
  • Yield: 3 blooming onions 1x
  • Category: appetizer
  • Method: deep fry
  • Cuisine: Southern
Scale

Ingredients

Dipping Sauce

  • 1/4 cup mayonnaise
  • 1/4 cup sour cream
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons creamy horseradish
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/4 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper

Fried Blooming Onions

  • 2 eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • 2 cup flour
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 tablespoon cumin
  • 1 teaspoon dried oregano
  • 1 teaspoon thyme
  • 1 teaspoon salt
  • 1 teaspoon ground cayenne pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 3 medium sweet onions
  • Vegetable oil

Instructions

  1. Combine the mayonnaise, sour cream, horseradish, ketchup, paprika, garlic powder and cayenne pepper.
  2. Whisk egg and milk in bowl wide and deep enough to dunk the onion.
  3. Mix flour, paprika, cumin, dried oregano, thyme, salt, cayenne pepper, black pepper and garlic powder in bowl wide enough to fit the onion.
  4. Cut a small flat spot on the none root end of the onion.  Remove any dried or damaged peels.  Place the onion flat side down on a cutting board (root side up).  Using a sharp knife starting about 1/2 inch from the root make a clean slice downward.  Turn the onion one quarter turn and make another clean slice downward.  Follow that with two more quarter turns and two more clean slices downward.  Cut three to four equal spaced cuts downward in each of those four sections. Then turn the onion root side down and gently fan out the sections.
  5. Put the onion in the bowl with the flour mixture. Using your hands coat the onion with the flour mixture spreading and separating the onion to make sure that it all gets breaded.  Now dunk the onion into the egg mixture.  Then back into the flour mixture using your hands to coat the onion.
  6. Heat oil in a heavy pan to 375 degrees. You will need just enough oil to cover the onion. Fry the onions root side up for 5-7 minutes. Drain on paper towels.
  7. Serve promptly with the dipping sauce.

Notes

  • If available use sweet Vidalia Onions
  • Try to maintain a consistent fry temperature of 375 degrees.  Use a candy or deep fry thermometer. Dutch ovens are good heavy pans to fry in.  Because of their thickness they maintain and hold heat well.
  • If you have a deep fryer that is big enough use it.
  • For best results do not crowd the frying pan.  Instead fry in batches.
  • Stay real close when frying the onions.  They will take anywhere from 5-7 minutes to reach a deep golden brown.
  • The sauce can be made up to two days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
  • These fried onions are best served promptly while they are warm and crisp.
  • Not into deep frying?  Preheat an air fryer to 400 degrees.  Load onion into air fryer root side down and cook 9-10 minutes.

Keywords: air fryer blooming onion, blooming onion batter, how to make a blooming onion, how to cut a blooming onion

https://www.smalltownwoman.com/wp-content/uploads/2019/05/Beth-1.pdf

Nutrition Disclaimer: All nutritional information shared on this site is an approximation. I am not a certified nutritionist and any nutritional information shared on this site should be used as a general guideline.

Reader Interactions

Comments

    • Pamela Rexius

      Going to try this but I am also going to use the same dipping proceedure to prep the larger garlic cloves on a toohpick and fry those also. When cloves are cooked they get sweet and creamy as well as fresh chicken nuggets on toothpicks and fry. Serve at game day. Have variety of dips and honey for the nuggets.

      Reply

  4. Marjorie Jugan

    i am going t trythis for the super bowl we always have appys to eat. i will deep fry this in my deep fryer too.

    Reply

  6. Phillip

    I totally destroyed a keyboard with drool over this one! A moment of serendipity, I needed some onion to throw into a recipe and there in the sink was one of those apple sectioner/corer gadgets. Humm, says I. Thump. Did not quite cut all the way through the onion but there was a mini-blooming onion right before my eyes! Wow! How can I put this discovery to use? Well, right here in THIS recipe! I would take care to not cut the onion all the way through and I would

    Reply

  7. Phillip

    as Patti suggests soak the cut onion in warm(?) water to aid the petal spread (don’t know what happened when I went to find out who suggested the water soak) OK, 8 sections instead of 12 but super easy to do. (I like super easy.)

    Reply

  9. Exotic Fruit

    Could you please clarify something?
    Is there an egg in the buttermilk mixture?
    There is no egg in the list of ingredients in the recipe, however,
    in the “make ahead” instructions, you mention an egg mixture.
    Also, if made ahead, are they fried from the frozen state?

    Thank you.

    Reply

    • Beth Pierce

      Are you referring to my Baby Blooming Onions Recipe? There is an egg listed in the ingredients and it is whisked in with milk.

      Reply

  11. April

    I love love LOVE blooming onions, but I’ve always been afraid to try making them myself…..which is probably a good thing, because I would want to eat them nonstop, lol.

    You make it look easy though, so I think I’ll give it a try this weekend! I’m excited!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  16. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

    These blooming onions look absolutely amazing – might have to whip up some for the whole family!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  17. Amy Desrosiers

    I go to Outback just to eat their blooming onion. I think this is a fabulous recipe and I would love to try it ASAP!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  18. Lizet

    This recipe is amazing. We made it last week. It was kind of messy, but so worth it. Great recipe!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  20. Sara Welch

    This is my favorite appetizer to eat when ordering out! Looking forward to making this in the comfort of my own home; looks way better than the restaurant version!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  22. katerina @ diethood.com

    These blooming onions are absolutely amazing!! I need to try this asap!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  31. Bintu | Recipes From A Pantry

    I haven’t had blooming onions in so long – totally need to rectify that. Yours look so delicious!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  32. Kechi

    This looks so mesmerizing, flavorful, and tasty! I do want to make this recipe; thank you so much for sharing detailed instructions! I am making this next week!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  34. Soniya

    Oh wow! This is one of my family favorites and I have. Ever made it at home… with this recipe incandescent now make it at home! Excited!

    Reply

  35. Pris Frank

    This onion looks AMAZING!! I have an air fryer AND a deep fryer and I never thought of making one! I’m totally following your tips here. Thanks for the great idea!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  37. Pam

    I love trying recipes for dishes that we used to only get out in restaurants. It’s a different world these days, but that doesn’t mean we should deny ourselves food we love.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  40. Shelley

    Bloomin’ Onions are such an indulgent treat! My family would love this! (Mmmm … especially with that sauce!)

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  42. Lisalia

    I love this so much.. Like… LOVE it! And it seems so much healthier than the one we eat from our fave local Aussie-inspired restaurant.

    ★★★★★

    Reply

  44. Natalie

    This makes me so happy! It’s one of my favorite appetizers! Didn’t realize it’s not difficult to make!

    ★★★★★

    Reply

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