Golden Perfection: How to Make the Best Onion Rings at Home

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Onion rings or fries? It’s a tough choice, but for me, onion rings always win as the ultimate side dish—whether I’m at a diner or a burger joint. The good news is, you can now make these irresistibly crispy and savory onion rings right at home with just a few simple ingredients! No need to wait for your next restaurant visit to enjoy this crispy perfection.

These onion rings turned out absolutely perfect! I’ve made them in the past, but it’s been so long that I forgot just how much I love this recipe. Not only are they delicious, but I also find myself with extra onions sitting in my pantry, only to end up tossing them before I get a chance to use them. If you’re in the same boat, then this recipe is ideal for you! The best part? Most of the other ingredients are common pantry staples, making it an easy and fuss-free dish to whip up anytime.

Key Ingredients: 

• Onions: Of course, you’ll want to use yellow onions for this recipe—nothing beats their perfect balance of sweetness and tang. That said, I’ve never tried it with red onions, so if you decide to give that a go, let me know how they turn out! I’m always curious to hear how different variations work.

• Baking Powder: Baking powder gives your onion rings that extra crunch. If you’re worried about them not being crispy enough, you can also add about a teaspoon of cornstarch to the mix. Both ingredients help absorb any excess oil, ensuring your onion rings come out perfectly crispy every time.

• Buttermilk: Buttermilk is often the go-to choice for frying recipes, and for good reason. Its thicker consistency helps seasoning and breading stick better, while its higher fat content and acidity contribute to that perfect golden-brown crunch. If you don’t have buttermilk on hand, I recommend using whole milk instead of skim or 2% for the best results.

• Seasonings: If you’re looking to use up some seasonings in your pantry, now’s your chance! In my opinion, you can’t go wrong with how you season your flour, but if you’re looking for a little guidance, I personally love using salt, pepper, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika in most of my recipes. If you’re not a fan of even the slightest kick, feel free to leave out the paprika. 

• Cooking Oil: I always use canola oil when deep frying—it's a must for that perfect crisp! That said, I know deep frying isn’t the healthiest choice for an everyday diet. I like to enjoy treats like these every once in a while, especially when sharing them with family and friends. If you want to skip the oil, you can try baking or air frying them, but just a heads-up—they won’t have quite the same crispy, golden goodness!

  

  
  

  How to Make Onion Rings 

  • Whisk together your flour, baking powder, and seasonings in a bowl, then set it aside. Note: I’ve found it’s best to prep your flour mixture first for two reasons. One, cutting onions can sting your eyes—no one wants to suffer through that longer than necessary! Two, the longer your sliced onions sit out, the drier they get. While you typically don’t want too much liquid when frying, fresh-cut onions allow the first coat of flour to stick much better.

  • Slice the onions by cutting off one end, then cut the onion into slices about ¾ inch thick. The thickness is up to your personal preference, so feel free to adjust based on how thick you like your rings. Just remember, you’ll be pulling apart the slices, so each slice should give you about 3-4 onion rings. Note: I prefer to cut the stem end of the onion for cleaner slices.

    

    

    

  • Now, dip your onion into the flour mixture and set outside. Note: This is where a less dry onion is going to come in handy. 

  • Add your egg to the remaining flour and whisk the mixture to get a sense of its thickness. Gradually add your buttermilk until the batter reaches the right consistency—think thick brownie batter. You want it to be thick enough to coat the onion rings without being too runny.

    
    
    

    
    
    

  • If your stove takes a little while to heat up, feel free to start heating the oil while you prep your ingredients. If you’re like me and want to get things moving, go ahead and heat the oil now. My stove can be a bit finicky, so I usually adjust the temperature between medium-high and low-medium. Note: You’ll know the oil is ready when you splash a little water onto your fingertips and flick it into the oil. If it bubbles, you're good to go and can start frying.

  • Take your floured onion rings and dip them into the batter. At this point, you can go ahead and drop them into the oil until they’re golden brown, or you can take it a step further for an even better crunch. After dipping the onion rings in the batter, coat them in breadcrumbs before frying. Note: I highly recommend adding the breadcrumb coating for a better bite and texture—it gives the onion rings an extra crunch. If you choose to skip the breadcrumbs, don’t worry, the batter still fries up nicely. However, the texture will be more like a funnel cake, which, personally, I’m not a fan of.

  • When frying, it's ideal to use a deep frying pan. Since I didn’t have one, I opted for my largest frying pan instead, and it worked out perfectly! If you find yourself in the same situation, just keep an eye on your onion rings. Use a fork to flip them over so both sides become golden brown and the onion rings cook through evenly.

  • Once the onion rings are done cooking, place them on a paper towel lined plate and voila! Note: You can top your onion rings with sea salt, fresh herbs and serve with your favorite dips as well.

    
    

Give this recipe a try and let me know how it turns out! I’d love to hear your thoughts and any tips you have for making the best onion rings at home. Feel free to share in the comments or message me if you have any fun twists of your own!

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Crispy Onion Rings

servings: about 15

prep time: 15 minutes cook time: 15 minutes

total time: 30 minutes

Onion rings or fries? It’s a tough choice, but for me, onion rings always win as the ultimate side dish—whether I’m at a diner or a burger joint. The good news is, you can now make these irresistibly crispy and savory onion rings right at home with just a few simple ingredients! No need to wait for your next restaurant visit to enjoy this crispy perfection.

Ingredients:

• 2 onions

• 1 cup (120g) flour

• 1 teaspoon baking powder

• 1 cup (8oz) buttermilk

• 1 egg

• 1 cup (100g) breadcrumbs

• salt

• pepper

• onion powder

• paprika

• garlic powder

• cooking oil

  
  

Instructions:

1. Whisk flour, baking soda, and seasonings in bowl. Set aside.

2. Cut onion into 3/4 inch slices.

3. Cover onion slices with flour mixture. Set aside.

4. Whisk egg into flour mixture. Add buttermilk until a thick batter consistency.

5. Heat oil in a deep frying fan.

6. Dip the onion into the batter then press into the bread crumbs and slowly drop into the oil.

7. Fry until golden brown, See How to Make Onion Rings

8. Place onion rings on a paper towel lined plate and serve with ranch, ketchup, or your choice of dipping sauce!