Air Fryer Onion Bhaji

Onion Bhaji is a popular Indian deep fried crispy onion fritter served as a appetiser with mango chutney. No Indian fest is complete without them! Air fryer onion bhaji are much healthier than their traditional deep fried alternatives, which makes them even more appealing. These onion bhaji fritters are so easy to make at home. This no fry healthy onion Bhaji recipe is a delicious starter to serve with your takeaway or fake away Indian curry.

There is no need spend time deep frying these bhajis, when you can air fryer them in just 15 minutes. Air fried onion bhajis are super crispy and cooked to perfection. It is also a lot less messy to air fry rather than deep fry them. Learn how to make this Indian snack in the air fryer with simple batter and spices.

PREP 10 minutes

COOK 12 to 15 minutes

SERVES 4 as a starter

KIT you will need an air fryer, baking paper and a large mixing bowl.

Ingredients for air fryer onion bhaji

1 large brown onion, peeled and thinly sliced

Sea salt

1 green chilli, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

1 thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and finely chopped

¼ teaspoon of ground turmeric

½ teaspoon of ground coriander

Half a teaspoon or cumin seeds

Half a teaspoon of garam masala

10g of fresh coriander, roughly chopped plus extra to serve

50g of gram or chickpea flour

Half a teaspoon of baking powder

Mango chutney, to serve (this is optional)

Method

So first peel and thinly slice a large brown onion and put in a large bowl and season well with sea salt. Scrunch the seasoned onions together well with your hands, then cover and set aside for 30 minutes to marinate in the fridge.

After this time, the onions should have released some of the excess water. So squeeze out as much of the remaining water as you can, and then drain off your onions.

Add the rest of the ingredients to the mixing bowl with the onions and combine well. Then add 40 to 50ml of water to your mixing bowl, or enough to create a thick batter.

Heat the air fryer to 190C and line the basket with a square of baking paper or a paper liner. The using two dessert spoons, scoop four mounds of batter into the air fryer drawer, then close the drawer and cook for 12 to 15 minutes. But remember to flip the bhaji’s over halfway through, until the bhajis are cooked through and crisp. So repeat with the remaining batter.

Serve your bhaji’s with mango chutney, if you like. You can keep your air fryer onion bhaji chilled for up to a day and can be re-heated, but it is best eaten fresh.