Crispy Buttermilk Onion Rings

“Crispy, old-fashioned buttermilk fried onion rings recipe! Full of Southern-style flavor.”

Watch me make these Crispy Buttermilk Onion Rings Recipe from start to finish!

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Apparently, I’m on a buttermilk kick! Last week, it was this old-fashioned buttermilk pie, and now today I’m coming at you with this extra crispy buttermilk onion rings recipe. It wasn’t intentional, but I’m certainly not complaining because these onion rings completed my turkey burger lunch like a champ!

I couldn’t wait to share the recipe with you.

Here’s What You’ll Need

INGREDIENTS

• large onion (Sweet onion)
• all-purpose flour
• baking powder
• cornstarch
• smoked paprika
•  garlic powder
• granulated sugar
• seasoning salt
• ground black pepper
• large egg, beaten
• buttermilk
• seasoned croutons crushed (I used butter-flavored)
• Peanut oil for frying

How to make Homemade Onion Rings Recipe

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Slice the onion into 1/4 inch slices and separate into rings. (Keep only the firm, large rings)
2. In a large bowl, combine flour, baking powder, cornstarch, paprika, onion powder, sugar, salt, and black pepper.
3. Coat the rings in the flour mixture and set aside
4. Add the egg to the leftover flour mixture.
5. Add in enough buttermilk to create a thick batter.
6. Dip the coated rings into the batter and let the excess batter drip off.
7. Coat in crushed croutons until completely covered.
8. Heat oil (about 375°F.) and fry until golden brown, flipping once.
9. Let drain on a cooling rack (with a paper towel underneath)
10. Salt lightly as soon as the rings come out of the oil, optional
11. Serve immediately

Choosing The Best Onion for Onion Rings

The best onions for onion rings are sweeter onion varieties like Vidalia and Walla Walla. These onions have a sweet flavor that pairs up great with seasoned coating, and they soften up quickly in the oil.

In a pinch, you can use white onions or yellow onions. I’d avoid red onions, unless you want a really pungent flavor.

Tips on Making The BEST Onion Rings

Serve immediately. Onion rings are always best when served hot out of the oil!

Make Sure The Oil Is Hot. Before placing the onion rings into the oil, make sure it is hot enough (about 365°F). I usually use one of the tiny discarded onion rings and do a test first. The oil will bubble and fry calmly when the temperature is just right. If the oil is not hot enough, you’ll have some soggy onion rings. If the oil is too hot, the coating will brown before the onion is tender.

Season The Batter. The batter is what your onion rings will taste like. Add seasonings to your liking, but be easy on the salt if you also plan on salting them when they come out. I like my onion rings to be a bit on the sweeter, salty side, like this onion rings recipe.

Use Good Oil. For cooking onion rings, I like to use sunflower or peanut oil. Vegetable or Canola oil will work as well, but can sometimes taste heavy.

Drain On a Cooling Rack. You want all the excess oil to drip off the onion rings, so place them on a wire rack for a crispy texture.

How to Keep Onion Rings Hot

If you are making large batches of onion rings and need to keep them warm between batches, here’s how.

Place the cooked onion rings on a wire rack to drain in a single layer, and then place the rack in a 225-degree oven. This will keep them warm and crispy while the other onion rings fry.

Do not cover them. This will trap steam and soften the crunchy coating. Serve within 30 minutes.

Best Dipping Sauces For Onion Rings

• Mississippi Comeback Sauce (my fav)
• Honey Mustard
• Ketchup
• Chipotle Mayonaise
• Burger Sauce
• Barbecue Sauce

How to Store Onion Rings

This onion rings recipe is best served and eaten as soon as they come out of the hot oil. Leftover onion rings are just not the same. However, if you find yourself with too many onion rings than you can eat, here’s the best way to store them.

Place the cooled onion rings in an airtight container and store them in the fridge for 2-3 days.

For best results, reheat them in an air fryer (365°F- 375°F for 5-7 minutes) to restore the crispness. Avoid microwaving them since this can often result in rubbery onion rings. Ick.

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