Basket Of Onion Rings Recipe

Slice and soak onions

Peel the onions and slice into 1/4- to 1/2-inch rings. Separate into individual rings and place them in a large bowl. Add 2 cups of ice water and 1 tsp salt. Let soak for 30 minutes to crisp the rings and remove some sweetness.

Drain and pat dry

After soaking, drain the onions in a colander and gently pat dry with paper towels. Place on a rack while you prepare batter and dredge so excess moisture drains away.

Mix dry batter ingredients

In a medium bowl, whisk together 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 tablespoon cornstarch, 1 teaspoon baking powder, 1 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon paprika, and 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder until homogenous.

Combine wet ingredients

In a separate bowl, whisk the egg with 1 cup buttermilk (or whole milk) and 3 tablespoons cold beer or club soda. The cold liquid helps create a lighter, crispier batter.

Make the batter

Slowly pour the wet mixture into the dry ingredients, whisking until smooth and free of lumps. Batter should be slightly thick but pourable — similar to pancake batter. If too thick, add 1 tablespoon more milk or club soda. Refrigerate the batter for 10 minutes while you heat the oil; chilling improves crispness.

Prepare dredge mix

In a shallow dish, combine 1 cup all-purpose flour, 2 tablespoons cornmeal (if using), 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 1/4 teaspoon black pepper. Mix well.

Dredge the rings

Working in batches, toss the drained onion rings lightly in the dredge mix to coat — shake off excess. The flour coating helps the batter adhere and creates an extra-crispy crust.

Heat oil

Pour about 1.5 cups of neutral oil into a heavy-bottomed skillet or saucepan (oil depth ~1 to 1.5 inches) and heat over medium-high until it reaches 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small drop of batter: it should sizzle and brown within ~30–45 seconds.

Fry the rings

Using tongs, dip dredged onion rings into the chilled batter, allowing excess to drip back into the bowl, then carefully lower into the hot oil in a single layer without overcrowding. Fry 2–4 minutes per batch, turning once, until golden brown and crisp. Maintain oil temperature between 340–360°F (170–180°C).

Drain and season

Use a slotted spoon to transfer fried rings to a wire rack set over a baking sheet or onto paper towels to drain. Immediately sprinkle with 1/2 tsp finishing salt and, if desired, minced parsley while still hot so salt adheres.

Keep warm (if needed)

If frying multiple batches, keep finished rings warm in a single layer on a baking sheet in a 200°F (95°C) oven while you finish remaining batches to maintain crispness.

Serve

Serve hot with optional lemon wedges and the dipping sauce.

Mix sauce

Whisk together 1/2 cup mayonnaise, 2 tablespoons ketchup, 1 teaspoon hot sauce, 1 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/4 teaspoon smoked paprika, and 1/8 teaspoon salt until smooth. Taste and adjust seasoning. Chill briefly if time allows.