Making Crispy Onion Rings Without A Deep Fryer

If you're craving crispy, crunchy, and tender onion rings but don't have a deep fryer, don't fret! You can still make delicious fried onion rings at home with just a few simple steps and easily accessible ingredients. All you need is a large onion (or two), flour, eggs, milk, breadcrumbs, and oil for frying. The process is straightforward: cut the onion into rings, coat them in a flour mixture, dip them in an egg batter, and then coat them with breadcrumbs before frying in hot oil until golden brown. It's a quick and easy way to satisfy your onion ring cravings without needing a deep fryer!

Cut onions into rings

To cut onions into rings, start by selecting the type of onion you want to use. Any onion will do, but the variety you choose will affect the overall flavour of your onion rings. Sweet onions, such as Vidalia, Walla Walla, and Maui, will produce sweet and mild results, while red onions will give a more potent and pungent flavour. If you want nice big slices, go for a large onion.

Once you've chosen your onion, use a sharp knife to cut it into slices that are about 1/4-inch to 1/2-inch thick. You can also cut them into petals instead of rings if you prefer. Be sure to cut the onion carefully, as you want to end up with intact rings.

After slicing, separate the onion slices into individual rings using your hands. You can now proceed to coat the rings in your chosen batter or breading.

Prepare the coating

You will need three small bowls for the coating. In the first bowl, place flour. You can also add some seasoning to the flour, such as Italian seasoning, garlic salt, garlic powder, or Cajun seasoning. In the second bowl, whisk together eggs and milk. You can also add mayonnaise to this mixture. In the third bowl, place the breadcrumbs. You can use regular breadcrumbs, or for a more authentic taste, use Panko breadcrumbs. If you can't find Italian-style breadcrumbs, you can make your own by mixing plain breadcrumbs with garlic powder, onion powder, dried parsley, salt, and pepper.

Some recipes suggest soaking the onions in ice water before coating them. This can help reduce the strong onion taste and make them sweeter. If you are using a mild or sweet onion, you can skip this step.

Heat oil

Heating the oil is a crucial step in making fried onion rings. It is important to use an oil with a smoke point above 375°F, such as avocado, safflower, peanut, soybean, corn, sunflower, canola, or vegetable oil. This is to prevent your oil from burning and affecting the taste of your onion rings.

When heating the oil, use a deep-fat fryer or a large saucepan. You will need about 1-2 inches of oil in your pan, heated to 365-375°F. This will take a few minutes, depending on your heat source and the amount of oil you are using. It is important to monitor the temperature of the oil to ensure it does not get too hot or too cold. Use a clip-on thermometer to help with this.

Once your oil has reached the desired temperature, you can start frying your onion rings. Place the coated onion rings carefully into the hot oil, working in batches if necessary. Fry for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until golden brown.

After frying, place the onion rings on a paper towel-lined plate to absorb any excess oil. This will help to ensure your onion rings are crispy and not greasy.

Fry the onion rings

Now it's time to fry the onion rings. If you're using a deep-fat fryer, heat around 1 inch of oil to 375°F. If you don't have a deep fryer, a small saucepan will do. You'll need about 2 inches of oil in the pan, heated to 375°F over medium heat.

Once your oil is hot, it's time to start frying. Carefully place a few onion rings into the hot oil. You don't want to overcrowd the pan, so work in batches if you're making a large quantity. Fry the onion rings for 2-3 minutes on each side, or until they're golden brown.

Keep an eye on the oil's temperature, especially if you're frying in batches. The oil temperature will drop when you add the onion rings, so make sure it comes back up to 375°F before adding more. If the oil isn't hot enough, your onion rings will absorb too much oil and become soggy.

Once the onion rings are golden brown and crispy, remove them from the oil and place them on a plate lined with paper towels. This will help to absorb any excess oil.

Sprinkle with salt, if desired, and serve immediately with your favourite dipping sauce. Enjoy!

Drain and serve

Once you've fried your onion rings, it's important to drain off any excess oil. Line a plate with paper towels and place the onion rings on top. This will help to absorb any excess grease and moisture.

If you've fried your onion rings in batches, you can keep the first batch warm in the oven while you finish frying the rest. Preheat your oven to 350°F and place the onion rings on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.

Once drained, the onion rings are ready to serve! Season with salt, if desired, and serve with your favourite dipping sauce. Some popular options include ranch, burger sauce, garlic aioli, and ketchup.

Onion rings are best served hot and fresh, but if you have any leftovers, allow them to cool completely before storing them in an airtight container in the refrigerator. They will keep for up to three days but will become soggy, so you'll need to reheat them in the oven or air fryer to crisp them up again.

Frequently asked questions