BLOOMING ONION

Blooming onion is a delicious and crispy appetizer, rivalling the famous Outback Steak bloomin’ onion! Learn how to make a blooming onion so that it has the awesome blossom presentation. 

Bloomin’ Onion 

This copycat recipe is an onion cut to an onion flower, seasoned, battered and deep fried to perfect golden brown. It’s also called bloomin’ onion and tastes similar to onion rings. 

Like outback bloomin’ onion, you can serve this recipe as an appetizer. You can break off pieces using your fingers and dip into the bloomin’ onion sauce. 

How to Make A Blooming Onion

Blooming onion is easy to make, but it can be hard to get the crispy texture when making them at home. This recipe ensures that your homemade blooming onion come out perfectly crispy every time!

Pair it with Baked Chicken Breast, Chicken Fajitas or Beef Stir Fry for a great dinner!

Onion Flower – How to Cut A Blooming Onion

Start with cutting your onion into an onion flower. You can use a blooming onion cutter if you have one, but I find it fairly easy with a regular sharp knife.

Remove the old skin first, and then cut off ½ inch from the pointy stem. Then place the onion cut-side down on a cutting board, and starting about ½ inch from the root, make a downward cut.  

Repeat the vertical cut and make cuts evenly distributed around the onion. I usually cut it into about 12-16 sections. When you turn the onion over, it will look like a flower with many onion petals. You can open it up more with your fingers.

Blooming Onion Batter

Prepare two large bowls for making bloomin’ onion batter. In one bowl, mix together flour, garlic powder, oregano, paprika, cayenne pepper, salt and pepper. In the other bowl, mix together eggs and milk. 

First, place the onion flower into the flour mixture bowl. Lift the onion and shake off the excess, and dip the onion in to the egg wash bowl. Make sure the onion is completely submerged in the batter. 

Lift the onion and place it in the flour mixture again. This doubling dipping process ensures the crispy texture. 

Before you fry your onion, it’s best to freeze it for 30-60 minutes so that the seasoning and batter will stay on during the frying process. 

Fry the Blooming Onion

If you don’t have an air fryer, you can use a large deep pot which can cover the onion flower completely. Heat oil to 350°F, and place your onion into the oil cut-side down very carefully with tongs or slotted spoon. 

Fry for 3 to 4 minutes, and then turn the onion over and fry 3-4 more minutes until the onion flower is nice and golden brown. 

Blooming Onion Sauce

My favorite blooming onion sauce is a very simple one: just mix Thousand Island dressing and creamy horseradish sauce. It tastes exactly like the blooming onion dip you find at outback!

What Kind of Onion to Use for Bloomin’ Onion Recipe

Yellow onion or white onion works best for this recipe as they result in a crispier and tastier onion when deep fried. I usually buy the largest one I can find at the local grocery store. 

Baked Blooming Onion

If you prefer a healthier blooming onion recipe, you can bake the battered onion flower in the oven at 400°F for about 16-20 minutes or until golden brown. Skip the freezing process.

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Blooming Onion

Blooming Onion – crispy and delicious fried onion flower served with the most delicious bloomin’ onion sauce!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish

Cuisine American

Keyword bloomin onion, blooming onion, how to make a blooming onion

Prep Time 20 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 50 minutes

Servings 6 people

Ingredients

Bloomin Onion

• 1 large onion white or yellow
• 2 cups all-purpose flour
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 teaspoon oregano
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 large eggs
• 1 1/2 cups milk
• vegetable oil for frying

Bloomin Onion Sauce

• Thousand Island dressing
• creamy horseradish sauce

Instructions

1. Mix together all dried ingredients in a large bowl.
2. In a separate large bowl, mix together eggs and milk.
3. Remove the papery skin, and then cut off ½ inch from the pointy end of the onion.
4. Place the onion cut-side down on a cutting board and start ½ inch from the root, cut vertically downward.
5. Repeat and you will get about 12-16 sections.
6. Turn the onion over and it will look like an onion flower. Open the onion petals more with your fingers.
7. Place the onion flower in the flour mixture. Lift and shake off excess flour.
8. Place into the egg wash, and return to the flour mixture.
9. Lift the onion and place onto a plate. Freeze for 30-60 minutes.
10. In a deep fryer or pot, heat the oil to 350°F.
11. Place the onion flower into the pot, cut-side facing down. Fry for 3-4 minutes. Turn it over and fry for another 3-4 minutes until golden brown.
12. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
13. Mix the thousand island and creamy horseradish sauce to make the blooming onion sauce.
14. Dip the bloomin onion petals into the dipping sauce and enjoy!

Recipe Notes

Make sure the oil temperature stays close to 350°F during the deep frying process.

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