🧅 Crispy Blooming Onion Petals 🌸

A spectacular restaurant-style appetizer made easy at home! Instead of trying to fry a whole onion, these separate onion petals are dredged in a perfectly seasoned, smoky batter, coated in crunchy breadcrumbs, and air-fried or baked until ultra-crisp. Served with a signature spicy dipping sauce! 🧅✨

• ⏱️ Prep Time: 20 minutes

• 🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes

• 🍽️ Servings: 4 servings

🛒 Ingredients

For the Onion Petals:

• 2 large sweet onions (like Vidalia) 🧅

• 1/2 cup all-purpose flour 🌾

• 2 large eggs (beaten) 🥚

• 1/4 cup milk 🥛

• 1.5 cups Panko breadcrumbs 🍞

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 🌶️

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder 🧄

• 1/2 teaspoon cayenne pepper (optional for heat) 🔥

• Salt and black pepper to taste 🧂

• Cooking oil spray 🛢️

For the Signature Dip:

• 1/2 cup mayonnaise 🥣

• 1 tablespoon ketchup 🍅

• 1 tablespoon creamed horseradish 🧄

• 1/2 teaspoon paprika & a pinch of cayenne 🌶️

👩‍🍳 Detailed Instructions

1. Cut the Petals: 🧅 Peel the onions and cut off the top stems, leaving the root intact. Cut each onion into quarters, then cut those quarters in half to make 8 wedges per onion. Carefully separate the layers of the wedges into individual, curved “petals.”

2. Set Up the Breading Line: 🥣 Organize three shallow bowls side-by-side:

   • Bowl 1: Mix the flour, smoked paprika, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper.

   • Bowl 2: Whisk together the eggs and milk.

   • Bowl 3: Pour in the crispy Panko breadcrumbs.

3. Coat the Petals: 👩‍🍳 Toss the onion petals into the flour mixture until they are completely dusty. Next, dip them thoroughly into the egg wash. Finally, drop them into the Panko breadcrumbs, pressing firmly so the crumbs stick to both sides of each petal.

4. Air Fry or Bake: 🔥

   • Air Fryer Method: Preheat your air fryer to 190°C (375°F). Place the petals in a single layer in the basket, spray generously with cooking oil, and cook for 10-12 minutes, shaking gently halfway through, until deeply golden and crispy.

   • Oven Method: Arrange on a lined baking sheet, spray with oil, and bake at 200°C (400°F) for 15-18 minutes.

5. Mix the Dip & Serve: 🍽️ While cooking, whisk all the dipping sauce ingredients together in a small bowl. Serve the hot, crunchy onion petals immediately centered around the cool, spicy sauce!