Whole baked onions turn meltingly soft and sweet in the air fryer, their natural sugars caramelising — a simple, savoury side that needs almost no effort. Here's how.
Key takeaways
Q: How do you bake onions in an air fryer?
A: Trim and oil whole onions, wrap or leave open, and air fry at 180°C (360°F) for 30–35 minutes, until soft.
Q: Skin on or off?
A: Leave the skin on to hold them together; peel back to serve.
The method
Trim the tops and roots but leave the skins on so the onions hold together. Rub with oil, season, and air fry until completely soft and sweet when squeezed — a knife should slide straight in. Open them up, add butter, herbs or cheese, and serve. They're a lovely side for roast meats.
The recipe
Air Fryer Baked Onions
Ingredients
- 4 onions
- 1 tbsp oil
- Butter, herbs
- Salt & pepper
Method
- Trim onions; leave skins on.
- Rub with oil; season.
- Air fry at 180°C for 30–35 minutes.
- Open up; add butter and herbs.
Tips
- Skins on to hold them together.
- Cook until a knife slides in easily.
- Lovely with roast meats.
Frequently asked questions
How do you bake onions in an air fryer?
Trim and oil whole onions with the skins left on, and air fry at 180°C for 30–35 minutes until completely soft and a knife slides in easily.
Do you peel onions before baking?
Leave the skins on while cooking so the onions hold their shape, then peel them back or scoop out the soft centres to serve.
What do you serve baked onions with?
They're a sweet, savoury side for roast meats, or you can stuff and top them with cheese and herbs as a dish in their own right.