Ever wondered hot to reheat a bloomin' onion? Well, the best way is the way that works best for you. There are multiple different ways you can try depending on the equipment you have and the effort you put in. Regardless of your method of choice, we'll provide you with a step-by-step guide to help you along the way!
Since you are here, check out how to reheat orange chicken as well!
A typical meal at Outback Steakhouse usually consists of a starter basket of their deliciously sweet brown bread and butter, followed by a warm crispy Bloomin Onion, and a full helping of steak, potatoes, and veggies. Maybe even a dessert after for good measure.
If you've never been able to finish the whole meal from start to finish, you are not alone. And if you're like me, then you love taking those leftovers home and enjoying the flavors again!
Reheating that leftover Bloomin’ Onion can be tricky if not done the right way. Follow along with this article to find the reheating method that works best for you.
How to Reheat a Bloomin Onion in the Air Fryer
For me personally, this is the best method for reheating a smaller portion of a Bloomin Onion. The onion will reheat evenly but will only need a fraction of the time that it takes in the oven. The only problem is if the onion is too big, and the air fryer basket is too small, certain edges of the onion might burn and not heat thoroughly.
What You Need:
- Air Fryer
- Kitchen Tongs
- Paper Towel
How To:
- Start by placing the Blooming Onion in the air fryer basket. If your onion petals are standing too tall, they might burn. Pull the individual pieces from the center and lay them down flat to relieve the height.
- Turn on the "air fry" setting on the air fryer at 350F, and press start. Cook for 5-10 minutes. You want to "air fry" instead of "bake" or "reheat" because air frying will not only reheat the center but will also give the outside layer a crispy texture.
- While you're waiting, take a piece of paper towel and lay it over your leftover to-go container from the restaurant or a clean plate. The reheating process will bring out some of the excess oil and the paper towel can help remove it.
- Once it's ready, pull out the onion using kitchen tongs and place it over the paper towel on the plate. Use the edges of the paper towel to dab the edges to get even more oil. Let it sit for 1 minute to cool and enjoy with your dipping sauce!
How to Reheat a Bloomin Onion in the Oven
Similar to the air fryer, using the oven method is one of the best options for reheating a Bloomin Onion, especially if you have a whole one or even multiple Bloomin’ Onions.
What You Need:
- Conventional Oven or Toaster Oven
- Oven-safe Dish
- Parchment Paper
- Wire Rack (optional)
- Oven Mitts or Cloth Towel
- Paper Towel
How To:
- The first thing you do is preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Pull out your Bloomin Onion, baking sheet, parchment paper, and wire rack if you have one. Using the wire rack gives better results as it allows the excess oil to drip off as it cooks instead of the onion just sitting in it.
- Put the wire rack on top of the baking sheet and then put the onion on top of the wire rack. Throw them in the oven once it's hot and cook for 10-15 minutes. Check periodically.
- While you're waiting, take a piece of paper towel and lay it over your leftover to-go container from the restaurant or a clean plate. The reheating process will bring out some of the excess oil and the paper towel can help remove it after.
- Once it's ready, carefully pull out the baking sheet using oven mitts or a cloth towel and put it on the stove. Let the onion cool for a minute before grabbing it with your hands or you could use kitchen tongs if you have them.
- Place your Bloomin Onion on the plate with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
Side Note: Some people online suggest heating up your Bloomin Onion in the oven using a different way. They say to cover the onion with aluminum foil for the first 10-15 minutes to make sure the middle is hot. Then to remove the foil and turn on the broiler for another 2-3 minutes. This would work fine; we just think our method achieves the same great result in less time.
How to Reheat a Bloomin Onion in the Microwave
The microwave method is the easiest way to reheat your leftover Blooming Onion. It won't give the best results, but as a last resort, it is a great way to save time for a quick lunch or midday snack.
What You Need:
- Microwave Oven
- Microwave-safe Dish
- Damp Paper Towel
How To:
- Place your Bloomin Onion on a plate and cover with a damp paper towel. Then put that in the microwave.
- You'll want to microwave your Bloomin Onion in intervals to make sure it heats evenly throughout and to avoid overheating in some areas. Cook it for about 45 seconds the first time. Then flip it over and cook it for 30 seconds the second time. If it needs more, flip it over again and cook for another 30 seconds.
- Remove the plate from the microwave and then remove the paper towel cover. Let it sit for a minute before enjoying allowing the hot oil to cool. Sit down with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!
How to Reheat a Bloomin Onion on the Stove
To reheat your Bloomin Onion on the stove is a little bit more work but still an effective method for getting good results.
What You Need:
- Frying Pan
- Paper Towel
How To:
- Start by putting the pan on the stove and turning it on, then pull apart the cold Bloomin Onion into individual pieces. You should do this step to ensure that all sides and pieces are heated evenly.
- Drop the breaded onion pieces into the pan and start to cook on medium heat. There's no need to add any extra oil because there's plenty in the breading already.
- While that is cooking, take a piece of paper towel and lay it over your leftover to-go container from the restaurant or a clean plate. The reheating process will bring out some of the excess oil and the paper towel can help remove it.
- After 4-5 minutes, grab the handle of the pan and shake up the pieces, or use a wooden spatula to flip them over. Cook for another 4 minutes or until the batter is crispy and golden brown.
- Grab the handle of the pan and pour the pieces onto the paper towel over the plate. Let it cool for 1 minute, then enjoy!
How to Reheat a Bloomin Onion in the Deep Fryer
Reheating a Bloomin Onion in the deep fryer is not the easiest option but it is great if you want your Bloomin Onion to taste brand new and restaurant quality.
What You Need:
- Deep Fryer
- Enough oil to fill the deep fryer
- Kitchen Tongs
- Paper Towel
How To:
- Start by pulling out your deep fryer and pour in enough oil that it meets the fill line on the inside of the deep fryer. Turn on the deep fryer to 400 degrees.
- Once the oil is hot and the deep fryer has indicated that it's ready, grab the top of the Bloomin Onion with the kitchen tongs and gently lower the onion into the hot oil.
- While that is cooking, take a couple sheets of paper towel and lay it over your leftover to-go container from the restaurant or a clean plate. The paper towel will help remove the excess oil.
- After 3-5 minutes, grab the Bloomin Onion with the kitchen tongs and check the color and crispiness of the onion and batter.
- Once it's hot and crispy, pull it out and place on the paper towels that are on the plate. You can even grab a few extra and dab the top and sides to remove even more oil.
- After it has sat for 1 minute, it is ready to serve. Grab your leftover sauce and enjoy!
Tips for Making your Leftover fried Onion Better
- More Sauce! One of the best parts about eating a Bloomin Onion is the dip that comes with it! Before leaving the restaurant, be sure to order more. If you didn't, there are plenty of articles online explaining how to make it and we even have an abbreviated recipe down below.
- Start Reheating from Room Temperature: By pulling out your leftover Bloomin Onion 30 minutes prior to reheating, you're giving it time to warm up naturally which will help with the overall reheating process. Don't worry if you didn't do this, reheating from cold will still, it will just take a little bit longer.
- Don't Overcook! The worst thing that could happen is you burn your Bloomin Onion during the reheating process and ruin it. Be sure to pay close attention throughout the time it is heating up to ensure it turns out perfect.
How to Store Leftovers?
If you don't plan on eating your leftover Bloomin Onion within the next day, you should definitely transfer it from the to-go container you got from the restaurant and into a better option.
Take out the plastic wrap from the cabinet and wrap up the Bloomin Onion a few times over. Then put that in a glass container with a lid that has a good seal and store that in the fridge. If you don't have plastic wrap, you could use a Ziploc bag instead, but still put it into a second container. If you do use the Ziploc bag, try to remove as much air as possible to keep the onion fresh for longer.
How Do I Make More of the Sauce that Goes With this Appetizer?
The Bloomin Onion sauce is a creamy sauce with a spicy kick! It consists mainly of horseradish, ketchup, mayonnaise, and cayenne pepper and seasonings. If you don't have all of these ingredients, you can makeshift a similar one by just including a few.
Most households at least have ketchup and mayo. If you do, start by mixing equal amounts of those together in a small bowl. If you don't have ketchup, mayo by itself should still be fine.
Add horseradish and cayenne if you have either. If not, look for anything spicy in your seasoning cabinet or fridge. Red chili flakes, sriracha, or any hot sauce could be a substitute. Pour a small amount into the mayo mixture and start to stir. Taste and add more of the spicy ingredients if the sauce needs more.
Lastly, add seasonings to make it extra flavorful. A few examples are:
- Black Pepper
- Garlic Powder
- Cumin
- Smoked Paprika
Stir to combine the added seasonings. Give it a taste test, and if it's ready, then enjoy!
What is a Bloomin Onion?
A Bloomin Onion is a deep-fried, flower-shaped onion dish. It is the staple appetizer at the American restaurant Outback Steakhouse. It starts with a colossal onion at least 4 inches wide. That onion is then cut into the shape of a flower, battered with a spiced seasoning blend, and deep-fried to perfection. When it's done it's actually an impressive-looking dish. If you've never had it before I highly recommend you try one.
The Best Guide on How to Reheat Bloomin Onion
How to Reheat a Bloomin Onion 5 ways!
Equipment
- Air Fryer
- Kitchen Tongs
- Paper Towel
Ingredients
- bloomin onion
Instructions
- Start by placing the Blooming Onion in the air fryer basket. If your onion petals are standing too tall, they might burn. Pull the individual pieces from the center and lay them down flat to relieve the height.
- Turn on the "air fry" setting on the air fryer at 350F and press start. Cook for 5-10 minutes. You want to "air fry" instead of "bake" or "reheat" because air frying will not only reheat the center but will also give the outside layer a crispy texture.
- While you're waiting, take a piece of paper towel and lay it over your leftover to-go container from the restaurant or a clean plate. The reheating process will bring out some of the excess oil and the paper towel can help remove it.
- Once it's ready, pull out the onion using kitchen tongs and place it over the paper towel on the plate. Use the edges of the paper towel to dab the edges to get even more oil. Let it sit for 1 minute to cool and enjoy with your dipping sauce!
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