Making onion rings is a family favorite, and with a good recipe, you can enjoy them anytime. Read this article to learn how to make onion rings right at your home!
The key to making crispy onion rings that are flavorful and delicious is to use a light coating of seasoned flour mixture before frying. This also prevents too much oil from getting absorbed by the onions during cooking.
What are onion rings?
The rings are slices of onion that are breaded by dipping into a mixture of eggs and bread crumbs, then deep fried for many minutes. They can be eaten alone or used as an ingredient in another dish, such as the vegetable soup shown here.
What is the origin of onion rings?
Onion rings were first seen as food to serve with drinks in bars and pubs during the early twentieth century. After World War II, it became more popular to eat onion rings at home, rather than just ordering them at pubs.
The benefits of onion rings
The benefits of homemade onion rings are that they are crispy, flavorful, and delicious. They are also healthier than regular onion rings because you can choose what kind of bread crumbs you want (make sure to use healthy recipes).
You can also use less oil when cooking them than the typical onion rings that are cooked in oil.
Onion rings are also a great source of fiber. A healthy amount of dietary fiber in the diet has many benefits, including aiding digestion and helping keep blood sugar levels stable after eating.
Onion rings also contain Vitamin C. The recommended daily allowance for adults is 75 milligrams per day, but only a small amount of onion is required to get a healthy dosage of Vitamin C.
Onion rings also contain a good amount of Vitamin B6, which plays a role in processing amino acids and creating neurotransmitters in the brain. Onion rings are low in calories, making them an ideal food for people on diets.
Types of Onion Rings
There are three different types of onion rings that one can make.
The three types are thin, thick, and beer battered onion rings.
Thin onion rings are made by slicing the onions thin and dropping them into the oil to fry for a short time; these onion rings take 5 minutes to cook.
Thick onion rings are made by slicing the onions thick and drop them into the oil to fry for a while; these onion rings take 10 minutes to cook.
Beer battered onion rings are made by adding bread crumbs, salt, pepper, garlic powder, paprika; these onion rings take 10 minutes to cook.
Preparation
Before making your own homemade onion rings, it may be helpful to review some tips on how to select an onion and handle it properly.
When selecting an onion:
- Choose firm onions that do not have any soft spots or molding.
- Onions should be free of bruises and green sprouts on the bottom of the bulb.
- Remove the root end before storing.
Instructions for cutting onions include:
- The best way to cut off the top is to place it upright on the cutting board with the root end facing up.
- Cut off an inch above the root end.
- Lay the onion flat on its side and cut in half, vertically.
- Remove any peels that are browned or soft.
- Slice each half into a thin semicircle (about 1/8 inch wide).
Once you have cut the onion into semicircles, your next task is to separate them into rings.
To do this:
- Place one of the flat sides down on the cutting board and make two vertical cuts through the onion, leaving about 1/4 inch uncut at the bottom.
- Make a horizontal cut through the rest of the onion.
- Separate the onion into pieces.
The final task is to separate the core of each ring from the pieces.
To do this, grab one end of a ring and gently pull it apart between your thumb and forefinger. Repeat with remaining rings.
Now that you have separated your sliced onions into rings, choose if you would like to cover them in batter, use a dry mixture or season them on their own.
How to make homemade onion rings
Homemade onion rings are one of the most popular appetizers around, but they’re surprisingly easy to make!
Save time by buying frozen pre-cooked onion rings or pickle slices instead of slicing your own onions. You can also buy onion rings at the store.
Ingredients
- 1 onion per person size
- Eggs
- Flour
- Salt
- Pepper (optional)
Method
Peel the onion and cut into 1/2″ thick rounds.
Lightly whisk together the eggs with some salt and pepper (if desired). Dip the rounds in the egg mixture for a few seconds.
Put the onion rounds in a medium bowl with some flour for 5 minutes. Make sure to shake off any excess flour so they don’t get too thick and doughy when frying.
After letting them sit, fry them in oil for 1 minute per side or until golden brown. Drain on kitchen towels to allow excess oil to be absorbed.
Dipping sauce
Easy recipes for homemade dipping sauce vary depending on the type of onion rings you are trying to make. The creamy, mayonnaise-based sauce is used for sweet onion rings while tangy sauces are best served with beer battered rings.
Breaded onion rings
Breaded onion rings can be a great side dish for your favorite sandwich or burger, but they’re terrible to buy in the store. That’s because most use cornflour and vegetable oil, both of which make them very unhealthy for you and terrible tasting.
First, heat about 3 cups of oil (enough to fill up at least half of a medium pot when it is heated) in a deep pan over medium-high heat.
Next, peel the white onions and slice them into thin rings (about 1/4 inch wide), then dredge them in some wheat flour (or other starch) and beaten egg (1 egg per 2-3 cups of flour). Dredging the onion rings allows for an even coating of breading on the rings.
Fry each batch of onion rings in a saucepan for about 3 minutes or until they turn brown with a golden tinge. This is when you’ll know your onions are done cooking.
Once they have been removed from the pan, place them all onto a plate with two layers of kitchen towels placed underneath to absorb any excess oil.
Now that you know how to make onion rings, you can enjoy them as a side dish with your favorite meal instead of settling for a bag of chips or a less flavorful store-bought breaded onion ring.
Beer battered onion rings
Beer battered onion rings are dipped into beer and coated with flour before frying.
To make these, use an inch-deep pan filled about halfway with vegetable oil. You can also use a deep fryer to make your batter frying process easier. After the oil is hot, coat your rings and drop them in. Batter-fried onion rings’ cooking times vary and it is best to cook a few at a time.
When they turn golden brown remove from oil and place on kitchen towels until all of the batters have been cooked.
From there, you can choose whether you want to serve with a mayonnaise-based dip or a dipping sauce made from ketchup and mayonnaise.
- 1/2 cup milk
- 1 egg, beaten with a fork
- salt to taste
- bread crumbs to coat onion rings before frying them in the oil
In a large mixing bowl add dry ingredients: flour, cornmeal, salt, and pepper. Mix with a fork.
In a large measuring cup, beat eggs and milk together with a fork.
Now it’s time to coat the onion rings:
Put dry ingredients into one shallow bowl and wet ingredients into another. Dip each ring in the dry mixture then coat in an egg wash before dipping again in the flour/cornmeal mixture.
Lift the onions out of the batter with a fork. Allow any excess batter to trickle back into the bowl before dropping the battered rings into the heated oil with care.
When the oil is hot, drop in the remaining onions and cook until they turn golden-brown.
Don’t overcrowd the pan or they won’t deep fry right. Transfer to paper towels to drain. Serve with dipping sauce or ketchup if desired.
Vegan or gluten-free onion rings
There are actually many ways to make onion rings with different ingredients. Here are three of the most popular methods for making vegan onion rings.
I tested three different types of batter for my baked onion rings easy recipe:
- all-purpose flour
- gluten-free flour
- panko bread crumbs (a Japanese style of bread crumb).
The all-purpose batter was a little bland compared to the other two batters, so I would recommend using a gluten-free flour mixture.
Panko bread crumbs also worked very well as a coating for baked onion rings. If you don’t have panko bread crumbs on hand, then regular bread crumbs should work just fine.
A note about the all-purpose flour used in the following recipes. It will make these onion rings gluten-free; however, you can substitute regular all-purpose flour without any problems. I would recommend using half white and half wheat bread crumbs for an extra boost of flavor.
Tips for making the perfect batch of onion rings
- Slice the white onions into long, half inch thick slices.
- In a large bowl, whisk together eggs, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder, milk or buttermilk, and hot sauce until combined. Add salt to taste.
- Pour enough vegetable oil into a deep fryer or a large pot to reach up the onion rings when you stir them around in there.
- Place a wire rack on top of a baking sheet and line it with paper towels so that excess oil can drip off easily once you fry the rings.5.
- Place 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs in one small bowl and 1/4 cup flour in another bowl as well as pepper and salt to taste.
- Dip onion rings in the egg mixture for 10 minutes, then dredge them through the flour and panko breadcrumbs, covering each ring completely.
- Once your fryer or pot of oil has reached 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 Celsius) place a few onion rings at a time in there and fry for two minutes, or until they turn golden brown.
- Place on the wire rack to cool and dry.
- Serve with ranch dressing or ketchup or eat them alone!
Other uses for onion rings
Crispy onion rings can be used as a topping for pizza, just like the traditional method of using sliced onion. The only difference is to make sure not to add them too far in advance or they will lose their crispiness.
They can even be combined with pepperoni and pineapple on a Hawaiian-style sauerkraut pizza.
Onion rings are a popular topping for hamburgers and hotdogs, but these dishes can have onion rings added at any time before serving without having to worry about the crispy texture being lost.
What can I eat with crispy onion rings?
There are many types of dishes that taste great with onion rings. Fried fish, steak, shrimp, and even burgers can be delicious alongside some fried onion rings.
If you are craving a side dish, onion rings go great with any type of grilled meat. Even vegetables taste great dipped in this onion-flavored batter.
Onion rings can be served as an appetizer for dinner or even used as the main course. There is nothing wrong with eating these throughout the day. You don’t have to only eat them as a side dish.
Sautéed onions
Sautéing onions is a great way to use them in smaller pieces. They are wonderful over meats, rice, or even on their own! Here’s what you’ll need:
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 yellow onions, cut into 1/4-inch slices
- 1 teaspoon salt
Heat a large skillet over medium heat. When the pan is hot, add butter and allow it to melt completely. Add onion slices and salt; stir well to coat onions in butter.
Cook 10 minutes, stirring frequently until the mixture begins to soften. Continue cooking for about 20-25 more minutes or until onions are browned to your liking (do not allow them to burn).
Caramelized onions
Caramelized onions are a wonderful way to enjoy your onion. One of the best things about caramelizing onions is that you can freeze them in small portions for future use in the onion rings recipe!
Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 3 large yellow onions, halved and thinly sliced
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium-low heat. When hot, add onions and stir well to coat them evenly with oil; cook 5 minutes or until they begin to soften (add more oil if necessary).
Reduce the heat to low, add water and vinegar. Cover the skillet tightly with a lid or aluminum foil, and cook for about 1 hour or until very tender. Check every 20 minutes to be sure that onions are still moist; if necessary add more water.
Garlic onions
Garlic onions are a great way to enjoy your onion with a little something extra. You can even roast garlic by itself if you’d rather! Here’s what you’ll need:
- 1 large onion, sliced
- 5 cloves of garlic, sliced
- 2 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt (with pepper if needed)
Heat oven to 425°F. Melt butter on a pie plate and add onion and garlic. Roast for about 20-25 minutes, turning every 5 minutes or so until they begin to turn golden on the outside.
Conclusion
There you have it! With just a few ingredients, a little bit of patience, and a little bit of effort, you can make your own crispy onion rings with less fat in the kitchen.
You can even try making them gluten-free or vegan by using different types of flour mixture or by dipping in eggless batters.
Just remember to season them well with pepper and salt when they are still hot, so that the flavor really penetrates.
Different sizes of onion can also produce different flavors, so try a few to find your favorite!
After you’ve cooked your onion rings, it’s a good idea to keep them warm in the oven while you prepare the rest of your meal. They’re best served fresh and hot with dipping sauce on the side.
