Air Fried Pearl Onions (Printable Version)
Crispy golden pearl onions roasted in the air fryer with olive oil and herbs. A quick, flavorful side ready in 25 minutes.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 1 pound pearl onions, peeled
→ Seasonings
02 - 2 tablespoons olive oil
03 - 1 teaspoon sea salt
04 - 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
05 - 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme (optional)
# Directions:
01 - Set the air fryer to 375°F and allow it to preheat for 3 minutes.
02 - In a large mixing bowl, toss the peeled pearl onions with olive oil, sea salt, black pepper, garlic powder, and dried thyme until every onion is evenly coated.
03 - Place the seasoned onions in a single layer inside the air fryer basket, ensuring even spacing for proper air circulation.
04 - Cook for 12 to 15 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until the onions are golden brown with a crispy exterior and tender center.
05 - Transfer the hot pearl onions to a serving dish and present immediately as an appetizer or side.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- Pearl onions transform from fiddly little orbs into sweet, golden bites with almost no effort beyond peeling them.
- The air fryer gives them a shatteringly crisp exterior while keeping the centers soft and almost creamy.
02 -
- Do not skip peeling the onions completely because the papery skins will burn and turn bitter in the air fryer, ruining the whole batch.
- Shaking the basket vigorously halfway through is the single step that separates unevenly cooked onions from perfectly golden ones on all sides.
03 -
- Dry the blanched onions thoroughly with a kitchen towel before tossing with oil because excess water is the enemy of crispiness in an air fryer.
- A light coating of oil is all you need since too much will leave them greasy rather than golden and shatteringly crisp.