Onion Rings
Feb 04, 2021, Updated Jul 23, 2024
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These have been deemed the best homemade onion rings by everyone who has tried them! Dipped in a perfectly seasoned batter, they’re easy to make, extra tasty, and super crunchy. I can’t get enough of this onion rings recipe as an appetizer or as a side dish to our favorite burgers.
Crispy golden-fried onion rings are a perfect pairing with air fryer crab cakes or lobster rolls, just like you’d get at a restaurant.
Best appetizer ever, anyone? It’s hard to find one that beats this homemade onion rings recipe. These onion rings are perfectly seasoned, totally crispy, and you’re going to want to eat them right out of the fryer! Serve them with smash burgers, lobster rolls, or just about any meal. Trust me, making onion rings from scratch will be the most worthwhile 20 minutes of your day.
What’s So Great About This Onion Rings Recipe
- Easy method. The best part about these crispy onion rings is that they’re SO easy to make, with just 4 main ingredients and seasonings.
- Extra crispy. It comes down to great breading and the right frying technique. This onion rings recipe has both!
- 20 minutes. That’s all it takes to have an appetizer on the table that the whole family will love.
- A favorite appetizer. Or side dish! Swap out your classic French fries with crispy battered onions instead, to serve with burgers, hot dogs, or steak. This recipe is kid-approved and a fan favorite on game day in our house.
These Are the Ingredients You’ll Need
Here’s the short list of ingredients you will need to make homemade onion rings. Scroll down to the printable recipe card for the complete measurements and recipe directions.
- Flour – I use all-purpose flour. I haven’t yet tested this recipe with alternative flours.
- Seasoning – Salt, fresh ground pepper, and Old Bay Seasoning. Old Bay is the secret sauce for the BEST onion rings batter. I swear by it!
- Milk – 1% or 2% milk should work just fine.
- Onions – You can use pretty much whatever kind of onion you like. I tend to use white or yellow onions because they fry well. Vidalia onions provide a sweeter taste.
Cutting the Onions for Onion Rings
The trick here is to cut the onions into rings that aren’t too thick so they won’t cook through in time, but also not so thin that they’ll be mushy and flimsy beneath the batter. Uniform slices are key! Here’s my tried-and-true method for cutting onions to make into onion rings:
- Start by removing the peel/top layer of the onion and cutting off the stem.
- Next, carefully cut a small slice off of one side of the onion so that it won’t roll away when you’re cutting the rings.
- Finally, place the onion on the flat side you created, and cut slices that are about ½ inch in width for your rings.
Recipe Tips and Variations
- Canola oil substitute. If you don’t have any canola oil, don’t sweat it! You can also use vegetable oil for frying. But don’t use olive oil, or any other oil that does not have a high smoke point.
- Don’t crowd the fryer. Make sure the onion rings have enough room to get crispy! Take your time with frying each batch.
- For extra crispiness. For the crispiest homemade onion rings, add a little bit of baking powder to the batter. This will also help the batter stick to the onion.
- Bring the heat. A little extra spice can be a great addition to these onion rings. Feel free to throw a bit of paprika or cayenne into the batter if that sounds like something you might like.
- Beer-battered. Make beer-battered onion rings with the batter from my battered fried chicken recipe.
Dipping Sauces
Delicious and crunchy on their own, the only thing that makes these onion rings even better is my favorite dipping sauce on the side. And I have many. 😉
- Ketchup
- Stoneground mustard
- Remoulade sauce (borrowed from my air fryer crab cakes)
- Homemade ranch dressing
- Honey mustard sauce
- Roasted garlic aioili
- Sweet chili sauce
Serving Suggestions
Now that you have a pile of these gorgeous onion rings, what should you serve with them? I like to use them as a topping for cheeseburger sliders or a chef salad—try them on a black bean burger for a delicious, vegetarian twist.
If you’re a fan of salmon, serve them alongside maple teriyaki salmon for a great combo. And remember, anything from smothered pork chops to grilled chicken pairs perfectly with these crispy onion rings!
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Onion Rings Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups canola oil, or vegetable oil, for frying
- 2 large yellow onions, sliced into 1/2-inch slices and separated into rings
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, I've used gluten-free flour and it works just as well
- 1 teaspoon salt
- freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- 1 tablespoon Old Bay seasoning
- 1 cup milk
Instructions
- Prep. Line a plate with paper towels and set aside. Heat canola oil in a large frying pan or saucepan.
- Make a breading station. In a shallow dish, combine flour, salt, pepper and Old Bay Seasoning; whisk to combine. Place milk in a small bowl.
- Dip the onions. Start by dipping the onion rings in flour-mixture then in milk, and back into flour-mixture.
- Fry. Carefully drop several onion rings at a time in hot oil. DO NOT crowd the pan. Cook the rings in batches. Cook for 3 minutes; flip and continue to cook for 1 more minute, or until golden brown.
- Drain. Using a slotted spoon, remove the onion rings from oil and transfer to the paper towel-lined plate to drain.
- Enjoy! Serve with Ketchup, Ranch Dressing, Honey Mustard, or any other favorite condiment.
Nutrition
Nutritional info is an estimate and provided as courtesy. Values may vary according to the ingredients and tools used. Please use your preferred nutritional calculator for more detailed info.
How to Make Onion Rings
You’re not going to believe how simple it is to make these golden-brown onion rings. The only problem you might have is convincing yourself not to make them every day after you taste how delicious they are!
- Prepare for frying. Line a plate with a paper towel (you’ll use this to drain the fried rings), and heat the frying oil in a large, heavy-bottomed pan.
- Set up a breading station. Next, whisk the flour, salt, pepper, and Old Bay Seasoning in a bowl. Add milk to a separate bowl.
- Dip the onions. Dip the onion rings first in the flour mixture, then into the milk, and back into the flour mixture to coat.
- Fry the onion rings. Carefully drop the rings into the hot oil, working in batches. I usually fit 6 at a time. Fry the onion rings for 3 minutes, flip, and cook for 1 more minute, or until golden brown.
- Drain. Using a slotted spoon, transfer the onion rings from the oil to your paper towel-lined plate to drain. Serve with ketchup, ranch, or any of your preferred condiments for dipping!
Air Fryer Onion Rings
If you’re looking for an alternative to deep-frying, try my easy air fryer onion rings. Air fry the rings at 375ºF for 5 minutes per side, also in batches, to avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket.
Storing Leftovers
- Refrigerate. Onion rings are best stored in an airtight container and kept in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
- Freeze. Freeze the homemade onion rings for up to 3 months.
- Reheat. To reheat, pop them in the oven again until they’re nice and crispy.
Great and easy! My husband is hooked! I used my small deep fryer and they were very quickly done.
Perfect! The only thing is mine came out kinda salty. I don’t eat too much salt so that could be it. My 4 daughters LOVED them and was happy daddy wasn’t home to eat them all lol
I’m very glad you enjoyed it! Thank YOU! 🙂
Old bay? Is there a substitute we dont have it here
How hot should the oil be heated?
Hi Helen!
Heat oil to 375 degrees fahrenheit and try not to crowd the pan… do the onion rings in batches.
The directions say “milk-mixture”. What else is in the milk?
Hi Shawn!
That’s a typo – it’s just milk. 🙂