• Onion • Buttermilk • Egg • All-Purpose Flour • Cornstarch • Smoked Paprika • Salt • Black Pepper • Garlic Powder • Panko Bread Crumbs • Oil, for frying
Start by slicing off the top of a large onion with a sharp knife, then peel away the outer layers of papery skin. Carefully slice the onion into discs that are between ¼" and ½" wide on a cutting board, then separate them into individual rings.
Gather three shallow bowls or shallow dishes. In one, combine flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, salt, pepper, and garlic powder. Pour the buttermilk into another dish, and add the Panko breadcrumbs to the third.
Dredge in flour, then buttermilk. The onion slices are usually moist enough to pick up a nice amount of the spiced flour mixture on their own...
... But you can always soak the onions for 30 minutes in the buttermilk, drain well, and then dip them in the flour before dipping a second time in the buttermilk.
Coat in breadcrumbs. Let the buttermilk drip off the onion rings for a sec before transferring them to the bowl of breadcrumbs. Toss to coat the onion rings all over.
Heat 1- to 2-inches of oil to between 350 and 375 degrees Fahrenheit over medium-high heat. The oil temperature might need to be adjusted as you add the onion rings to it, so just watch it and try to keep it in that range so the onion rings fry properly.
Fry onion rings. Work in batches to from 4-6 onion rings in a single layer at a time without overcrowding the pan. Fry each batch of onion rings for 2-3 minutes or until they are golden brown and crisp.
Carefully transfer them with tongs or a slotted wire spatula for frying to a wire rack set over a baking sheet lined with paper towels to soak up any excess oil that drips off. Repeat until all of the onion rings have been fried.
Serve with your favorite dipping sauce! We especially love onion rings with good old ketchup, BBQ, or fry sauce (a delicious combination of equal parts ketchup and mayo).
This side dish is perfect for summer BBQs, Memorial Day, and 4th of July celebrations!
We like extra crunchy onion rings made with Panko breadcrumbs best over beer battered onion rings. Both are delicious, but sometimes the battered onion rings seem too limp and soggy compared to the shatteringly crisp golden exterior of this easy onion ring recipe that can be made with just a handful of staple ingredients.