Description
Crispy French Onion Rings turn ordinary onions into crunchy, golden strands with a tasty coating of garlic, paprika and black pepper. They’re thin, a little messy in the best way, and perfect for piling onto burgers, serving alongside a meal, or nibbling straight from the plate.
Ingredients
Units
Scale
- 2 medium onions
- Whole milk, enough to cover the sliced onions
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp onion powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp black pepper
- Oil for deep frying
- Salt, to taste, for sprinkling immediately after frying
Instructions
- Peel the 2 onions and slice them into very thin rings. Separate the rings gently so the flour mixture can coat them evenly. A mandoline can help, but watch your fingers if you use one.
- Place the thin onion rings in a bowl and pour in enough whole milk to cover them. Refrigerate for about 10 to 20 minutes, or place them in the freezer briefly until tiny ice crystals begin forming in the milk. Don’t leave them long enough to freeze solid.
- Remove the onion rings from the milk and spread them over paper towels. Pat them lightly to remove excess milk. They’ll still be a little damp, which helps the flour coating stick, but they shouldn’t be dripping wet.
- Add 2 cups all purpose flour, 1 tsp paprika, 1 tsp onion powder, 1 tsp garlic powder and 1 tsp black pepper to a large pot with a secure lid. Mix everything thoroughly with a fork.
- Add the damp onion rings to the seasoned flour. Cover the pot securely and shake vigorously until the onions are coated. If your pot is small, work in batches so the rings have room to move around.
- Pour enough frying oil into a heavy, deep pot to reach a safe depth for frying, leaving plenty of room at the top to prevent overflow. Heat the oil to approximately 350⁰F (175⁰C). If you don’t have a thermometer, test with a small pinch of flour. It should sizzle immediately without burning.
- Carefully lower small handfuls of the coated onions into the hot oil. They’ll clump together, and that’s part of the charm. Don’t stir or try to separate them immediately. Let the coating set first so the strands hold their shape.
- Fry for about 2 to 4 minutes, turning gently once the underside is golden. Cook until the onions are crisp and golden throughout. The exact time depends on how thinly you’ve sliced them and how much you add to each batch.
- Lift the onion clusters out with a slotted spoon or spider strainer and drain on paper towels or a wire rack. Immediately sprinkle with salt while they’re still hot.
- Let the oil return to temperature between batches, and keep the finished onion rings uncovered while you fry the rest. Serve straight away for the best crunch.
Notes
Prepared, tried, and tested by Melanie
