Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings (Keto & Low Carb)

These air fryer bacon wrapped onion rings are the appetizer I make when I want something that tastes indulgent but takes almost no effort. Thick onion rings get wrapped in thin-cut bacon, then air fried until the bacon is deep golden and the onion inside turns sweet and tender. Three ingredients, one basket, done in under 25 minutes.

They’re also naturally low carb. There’s no breading and no batter, which means you get all the crunch of a classic onion ring with a fraction of the carbs — roughly 7 grams net per serving. If you’re eating keto, this is one of the few sports-bar appetizers that fits without any substitutions at all.

I’ve made these more times than I can count for game day spreads, and the thing I’ve learned is that they live or die by two details: the thickness of your bacon and whether you flip them. Get those right and they come out perfect every single time.

If you’re after the classic breaded version instead, my copycat Applebee’s onion rings will scratch that itch.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

• Only three ingredients. Onions, bacon, and toothpicks. That’s genuinely it.
• Naturally keto and low carb. No breading, no flour, no sugar — unless you add BBQ sauce.
• Faster than the oven. The air fryer crisps bacon in about half the time, with no grease-splattered baking sheet to scrub.
• Built for a crowd. They’re finger food, they hold their shape, and they disappear off the plate.
• Endlessly adaptable. Change the seasoning, change the dip, or brush them with sauce for a sticky glaze.

Ingredients

• Sweet onions — Vidalia or Walla Walla are ideal. They mellow into something almost caramelized as they cook. Yellow onions work fine; red onions look striking but stay sharper in flavor.
• Thin-cut bacon — This matters more than anything else in the recipe. Thin-cut stretches around the ring and crisps in the time it takes the onion to soften. Thick-cut leaves you choosing between chewy bacon and mushy onion.
• Toothpicks — Wooden toothpicks, soaked in water for a few minutes so they don’t scorch.
• BBQ sauce (optional) — For a sticky, glazed finish. If you’re keeping it low carb, use a sugar-free version, or brush on my Greek yogurt BBQ sauce after cooking instead.

How to Make Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings in the Air Fryer

Step 1: Slice and separate the onions. Cut the onions crosswise into 1-inch slices, then separate them into rings. Keep two rings nested together for each bundle — a single ring is too flimsy and tends to collapse once the onion softens. Set aside the small inner rings for another use.

Step 2: Wrap the bacon. Stretch each slice of bacon slightly as you wind it around the onion, overlapping just enough to cover. Stretching is the trick — it thins the bacon out so it crisps rather than steams. Secure each end with a soaked toothpick.

Step 3: Load the basket. Spray the air fryer basket with olive oil and arrange the wrapped rings in a single layer with space between them. Do not stack or crowd them — bacon needs airflow on all sides to render properly. Work in batches if you need to.

basket before cooking”]

Step 4: Air fry, then flip. Cook at 375°F for 12 to 14 minutes, flipping them at the 7-minute mark. They’re done when the bacon is deep golden brown and crisp at the edges, and a toothpick slides into the onion with no resistance. Thin bacon may be ready closer to 10 minutes, so check early the first time you make them.

Step 5: Rest and serve. Let them sit for two or three minutes so the bacon firms up, then pull the toothpicks out before serving. Serve hot.

Are Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings Keto?

Yes — and that’s the whole appeal. A standard breaded onion ring gets its crunch from flour and breadcrumbs, which is where nearly all the carbs come from. Swapping that coating for bacon eliminates them.

As written, each serving comes in at roughly 7 grams of net carbs (8g total carbohydrate minus 1g fiber). Skip the optional BBQ sauce and that number drops further, since the onion itself is the only remaining carb source. If you’re tracking closely, use a sugar-free BBQ sauce or leave it off entirely and lean on a creamy dip instead.

For more keto air fryer snacks in this vein, try my air fryer frico cups or these crunchy air fryer pepperoni chips.

Tips for the Crispiest Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings

• Stretch the bacon as you wrap. Thinner bacon renders faster and crisps harder. This is the single highest-impact tip in the recipe.
• Use two rings, not one. Nested rings hold their structure. A single ring goes limp and slides out of the bacon.
• Soak your toothpicks. Five minutes in water keeps them from browning or splintering at 375°F.
• Never crowd the basket. Overlapping rings trap steam, and steamed bacon is rubbery bacon. Two batches beats one bad batch.
• Flip halfway. The side facing the heating element crisps first. Flipping evens it out and is the difference between “good” and “gone in five minutes.”
• Serve immediately. These are at their peak within about ten minutes of coming out of the basket.

For more on getting bacon right in an air fryer generally, I’ve put together my full tips for cooking bacon in the air fryer.

Recipe Variations

• BBQ glazed: Brush with sugar-free BBQ sauce during the last three minutes so it caramelizes without burning.
• Spicy: Brush the onion with sriracha before wrapping, or dust the bacon with cayenne and smoked paprika.
• Everything bagel: Sprinkle everything bagel seasoning over the bacon before it goes in the basket.
• Garlic parmesan: Toss with grated parmesan and garlic powder the moment they come out, while the bacon is still hot enough to melt it.
• Maple pepper: Brush with a little maple syrup and crack black pepper over the top — the same flavor idea behind my air fryer maple bacon wrapped chicken breasts.

Can You Make Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings in the Oven?

You can. Arrange the wrapped rings on a wire rack set inside a rimmed baking sheet — the rack is essential, since it lets the fat drip away and the hot air circulate underneath. Bake at 400°F for 25 to 30 minutes, flipping once at the halfway point.

The oven version takes about twice as long and the bacon doesn’t get quite as crisp, but it’s the better choice when you’re making a large batch for a party and don’t want to run five rounds through the air fryer.

What to Serve With Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings

These are built for dipping. My go-to is a cool, creamy sauce to cut the salt — blackened ranch is the one that gets requested most, though copycat Wendy’s BBQ sauce and homemade mayochup both work beautifully.

As part of a bigger meal, they’re a natural alongside copycat Culver’s butter burgers or a platter of air fryer Popeyes-style fried chicken.

How to Store and Reheat

• Refrigerator: Cool completely, then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Sealing them warm traps steam and softens the bacon.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked rings in a single layer on a sheet pan until solid, then transfer to a freezer bag for up to 2 months.
• Reheating: Air fry at 375°F for 5 to 7 minutes, straight from the fridge or frozen. Skip the microwave — it turns the bacon soft and the onion watery.

Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Onion Rings FAQs

Why isn’t my bacon getting crispy? Three usual culprits: the bacon was thick-cut, the basket was overcrowded, or you didn’t flip them. Thin-cut bacon in a single layer, flipped once, solves it almost every time.

My onion rings fell apart. What went wrong? You likely used a single ring instead of two nested together, or sliced the onion thinner than an inch. Onion softens considerably as it cooks and needs that extra structure to hold together.

Can I use thick-cut bacon? You can, but the timing gets tricky — thick-cut needs 18 to 20 minutes to crisp, by which point the onion has gone soft. If thick-cut is all you have, slice your onions a little thicker to compensate.

Do I have to use toothpicks? If the bacon overlaps enough and you place the seam side down, it’ll usually hold. Toothpicks are cheap insurance, especially when you’re flipping them.

Can I prep these ahead? Yes. Wrap them up to 24 hours in advance, cover, and refrigerate. Add a minute or two to the cook time since they’ll be going in cold. They’re best cooked fresh rather than reheated.

Do I need to preheat the air fryer? It helps. Three minutes at 375°F gives the bacon a head start on rendering, which means better crisp in the same total time.

More Air Fryer Bacon Recipes

• Air Fryer Brown Sugar Bacon Knots
• Air Fryer Bacon Wrapped Shrimp
• Air Fryer Maple Bacon Wrapped Chicken Breasts

Browse all my air fryer recipes for more.