Blooming Onion with Dipping Sauce (Air Fryer)

Outback Steakhouse serves 40,000 Bloomin’ Onions every day - that’s about 62 million calories’ worth of the chain’s famous appetizer: a giant onion that’s cut to resemble a flower and deep-fried. If you haven't tried it, you’re in for a treat - it’s the most delicious take on onion rings that is served with a zesty, creamy dipping sauce. Here a copycat recipe made healthier by cooking it in the air fryer.

Dipping Sauce:
½ cup mayonnaise
½ cup sour cream
3 Tbsp. ketchup
2 Tbsp. prepared horseradish
1 tsp. ground paprika
1 tsp. granulated garlic
½ tsp. dried oregano
¼ tsp. ground cayenne pepper
1 tsp. sea salt
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground

Blooming Onion:
1 large sweet onion, such as Vidalia (~ 1 lb)
2 cups all-purpose flour, unbleached
1 tsp. ground cayenne pepper
2 Tbsp. ground paprika
½ tsp. dried thyme
½ tsp. dried oregano
½ tsp. ground cumin
½ tsp. black pepper, freshly ground
2 large eggs
2 cups buttermilk or whole milk
extra-virgin olive oil in a spray bottle

Dipping Sauce:
Combine all of the dip ingredients in a bowl and whish until combined. Cover and refrigerate for 30 minutes or overnight.

Prepare the Onion:
Cut off ½" from the pointy stem end of the onion, then peel. Place the onion cut-side down. Starting ½" from the root, make a downward cut all the way through to the board. Repeat to make four evenly spaced cuts around the onion. Continue slicing between each section until you have 16 evenly spaced cuts. Turn the onion over and use your fingers to gently separate the outer pieces.

Prepare the Batter:
Whisk the flour, cayenne, paprika, thyme, oregano, cumin and black pepper in a bowl. In a another small deep bowl, whisk the eggs and buttermilk.

Place the onion in a separate bowl, cut-side up and pour all of the flour mixture on top. Cover the bowl with a plate, then shake back and forth to distribute the flour. Check to make sure the onion is fully coated, especially between the "petals." Lift the onion by the core, turn over and pat off the excess flour; reserve the bowl of flour.

Using a slotted spoon, fully submerge the onion in the egg mixture (spoon on top, if necessary). Remove and let the excess egg drip off, then repeat the flouring process. Refrigerate the onion while you preheat the air fryer.

Preheat an air fryer to 350°F (180°C/160°C fan, Gas Mark 4).

Remove the onion from the fridge and place in the air fryer. Spray with the oil to thoroughly coat (this will help with the browning). Cook for 20 minutes, spray again and rotate if necessary, then cook for the remaining 15 minutes.

Serve with dipping sauce.

Makes 6 servings.

Cook's Notes:

• Onion: We used a 1 lb onion for this recipe and it fit perfectly in our air fryer. If you have a larger air fryer (or smaller onions) feel free to make more than one blooming onion at a time - just be sure there is about an inch of space around each onion.
• Spray Oil: spraying the blooming onion before its first spell in the air fryer and again after 20 minutes really helps to nail down the crisp that we all know and love.
• Coating: when battering your onion, be sure to really get in there (gently) and coat each onion petal with both the wet and dry batter.