Crunchy Baked Onion Rings Recipe (Vegan) - Shane & Simple (2024)

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These crunchy baked onion rings are healthy, LOW IN FAT, golden brown, and absolutely delicious!

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings Recipe (Vegan) - Shane & Simple (1)

It’s that time of year to eat snack foods and veg out (pun intended) on the couch watching football. And, theseCrunchy Baked Onion Rings are the perfect snack food for such an occasion.

Let’s get our onion ring on!

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings Recipe (Vegan) - Shane & Simple (2)

One of my favorite places to frequent when I ate crap was Sonic. You know? That little drive-up and order place. I absolutelylovelovedtheir onion rings. Sometimes, I’d get two large orders of their onion rings and eat them before I even pulled out of the parking lot.

Well, those days are gone and I no longer eat those “deep fried danger circles.” But, I also can’t deny how good those things were!

Onion rings in general are good, but Sonic took them to a completely different stratosphere. They also helped take me to 300 pounds and diabetes.

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings Recipe (Vegan) - Shane & Simple (3)

Fast forward many years later and much healthier, I dreamed of finding a way to recreate one of my favorite foods – the onion ring.

And, I could not be more pleased with these crunchy baked onion rings. (pat on the back)

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Onion Ring Trial & Error

I can’t begin to tell you how many “healthy” onion ring recipes I’ve tried over the last five years. Some were good, but too much work and not practical. And, others might have been simpler but sucked. It became extremely tiring.

Honestly, I had resigned myself to the fact it just wasn’t meant to be. Let’s face it. The task was a bit daunting. A vegan onion ring recipe that was healthy. Baked, not fried. Yet, contained all the characteristics of the fast food version I consumed years earlier. Did such a thing even exist? It couldn’t be done.

Or, could it?

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Tirelessly, I would pour myself into researching onion ring recipes. Day after day, night after night. And, most of the time with less than stellar results.

No matter what I tried nothing came close to those deep fried circles of yesteryear. But, I pressed on because I couldn’t live with myself knowing I had given folks a half-assed onion ring recipe.

I knew the standard I had set for Shane & Simple would be a challenge. But, damn it! My readers and followers deserve the best!

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Onion Ring Success

One day everything changed! I found panko bread crumbs and I realized the secret was not more ingredients, but less.

So, I threw together a simple batter with unsweetened almond milk and whole wheat flour. Tossed in a couple of spices with the panko bread crumbs and voila – a masterpiece was born.

Could it be the onion ring I had been craving for so long was finally a reality? Crunchy, golden brown, savory, delicious and baked! My dream onion ring had become reality. And, that dream was also in my hand covered in ketchup and getting eaten like I was on my way to death row.

The kids loved them. My wife loved them. Friends loved them. I had succeeded. After many years of heartbreak and sorrow the journey was finally over.

I made crunchy baked onion rings.

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Simple & Delicious!

You will be amazed at how simple these things are to make.5 ingredients and about 30-40 minutes of your time is all that’s required.

A simple batter made with unsweetened almond milk and whole wheat flour for dipping. Then, a blend of panko bread crumbs and a couple spices to coat the onions. All that’s left is to bake them in a 450 degree oven for 20-30 minutes until they’re crunchy and golden brown.

That’s it! You’ve got legitimate crunchy baked onion rings.

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Now, you can indulge and not worry about portion size or your thighs. Simply enjoy a delicious stack of onion rings without the guilt.

Best of all there’s no oily mess to clean up. No oil popping out of the skillet. And, your kitchen won’t smell like some greasy joint down the road.

Eat well my friends. Eat well.

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Crunchy Baked Onion Rings Recipe (Vegan) - Shane & Simple (10)

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings

These onion rings are…

  • A great comfort food
  • Crunchy
  • Baked, not fried
  • Low in fat
  • Healthy
  • Simple to make
  • Sweet on the inside, savory on the outside
  • Irresistible

These onion rings are the perfect “watching football food,” rainy day snack food or binge watching your favorite show. They’re great with ketchup, but my Cashew Sour Cream, Tofu Sour Cream, or Cashew Mayo make a great dipping sauce too! Just add a little BBQ sauce or ketchup to make a restaurant style concoction.

Want A Few More Snack Ideas?

  • Five Minute Fat Free Microwave Potato Chips
  • Healthy Tortilla Chips
  • Peanut Butter Balls
  • Game Day Cheese Dip
  • Chocolate Peanut Butter Hummus

If you make this recipe, let me know!Leave a comment,RATE IT, andtaga photo#shaneandsimpleon Instagram. Happy Fall, everyone!

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Print

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings Recipe (Vegan) - Shane & Simple (12)

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings

★★★★★5 from 14 reviews
Print Recipe

These Crunchy Baked Onion Rings are awesome! You only need 5-ingredients and about 30 minutes. They are golden brown, crunchy, healthy, and absolutely delicious. They’re also baked and not fried.

  • Total Time: 35 minutes

Ingredients

Scale

2 large yellow onion, sliced in rings about ¼″.

FOR THE BATTER

DRY MIX

  • 1 cup panko bread crumbs (make sure they are vegan)
  • ½ tsp. smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp. garlic powder
  • ⅛ tsp. salt (optional)

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 450 degrees.
  2. Line a baking pan with parchment paper or silicone baking mat.
  3. Add batter ingredients to bowl and mix until well combine and batter is smooth.
  4. In a separate bow, add “dry mix” and whisk to combine.
  5. Using a fork, dip raw onion ring into batter until entire onion is covered. Shake a few times and allow access to drain off.
  6. Transfer onion ring to bowl with breadcrumbs and coat evenly.
  7. Place onto baking pan and repeat until all onion rings are finished.
  8. Bake in oven for 25-30 minutes or until onion rings are golden brown and crunchy.
  9. Remove from oven and serve with favorite dipping sauce.
  • Author: Shane Martin
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Category: side
  • Method: baking
  • Diet: Vegan

Nutrition

  • Serving Size:
  • Calories: 119
  • Sugar: 0.2 g
  • Sodium: 63.5 mg
  • Fat: 1.8 g
  • Carbohydrates: 23 g
  • Fiber: 3.5 g
  • Protein: 4.7 g
  • Cholesterol: 0 mg

Keywords: onion rings, side, snack, crunchy, healthy, vegan

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings Recipe (Vegan) - Shane & Simple (2024)

FAQs

Why are my onion rings not crispy? ›

Don't skip the frying thermometer though—it's important to make sure you're frying at the right temperature so your onion rings come out crispy, crunchy, and delicious. If the oil isn't hot enough, your onion rings can turn out soggy; too hot, and the oil can start to smoke.

How do you keep batter on onion rings? ›

A trick for getting your breading to stick better and not fall off as much when frying is to cover the breaded onion rings with a damp paper towel for 10-15 minutes after breading while the oil heats up. This helps it get a little bit tacky and stick better so less of it falls off in the hot oil.

How do you keep onion rings from getting soggy? ›

Extra-Crunchy Homemade Onion Rings

The main changes we made were to double-dip the onion rings in buttermilk and flour to make them extra crunchy, and to fry them at a slightly higher temp. We also increased the proportion of cornmeal.

What is the best oil for onion rings? ›

Canola oil or Vegetable oil are the best to use for deep frying. PRO TIP: The onions should rise to the top of the oil almost immediately if the oil is at the right temperature. If it's not hot enough, the onion ring will sink (and likely stick) to the bottom and the batter will fall off.

Why are my crispy onions soggy? ›

The first is to make sure that you aren't overcrowding the pan when frying the onion. A second reason would be that the oil is too low in temperature which results in soggy onions. Also, make sure to drain the fried rings on a paper towel to soak up any residual oil and then onto a plate.

What is the difference between battered and breaded onion rings? ›

Breaded rings are dredged in a dry mixture of flour and seasonings. Add a liquid — like water, beer, or even eggs — to that same blend, and you create a batter. Battered rings are coated in this goopy concoction before going into the fryer.

How do you make Bloomin onions crispy again? ›

Simply preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees, cut the onion in half, and spray it with a small amount of cooking spray or oil to get a bit of extra crispiness. Put it in the air fryer for five minutes on each side, flipping it halfway through, and ... that's it. That's the whole process. It's so, so easy.

Why does my batter fall off my onion rings? ›

When it comes to batter, ensure it's not too thin or it will drip right off your onion ring. Also, make sure your batter is ice cold, as this makes for a lighter coating when it's fried. In contrast, ensure your oil is piping hot at around 360 to 375 degrees Fahrenheit before dropping in your battered rings.

What does soaking onions in milk do? ›

We've often heard the claim that soaking sliced or chopped raw onions in liquid can mellow their harsh taste by drawing out the pungent sulfur compounds known as thiosulfinates that are produced when the onion is cut.

Should onion rings be refrigerated? ›

Storage: Onion rings will last in the fridge for about 3 days. However they will go soggy over time. To restore them to their original best, reheat them in the oven or air fryer.

Can you cut onions ahead of time for onion rings? ›

In the test kitchen, we've established that in applications featuring raw onions, it is best to chop them immediately before you need them. That's because when an onion is cut, the ruptured cells release enyzmes called alliinases.

Why do onion rings taste so good? ›

The cooking process decomposes propanethial oxide in the onion into the sweet-smelling and tasting bispropenyl disulfide, responsible for the slightly sweet taste of onion rings.

Why are my onions still crunchy in sauce? ›

You need to cook them longer, higher temp before simmering or slow cook for alot longer. I sauté the very finely sliced onions on a very low heat for at least 20mins before anything else goes in the pan.

Why are my onion sets soft? ›

The signs of onion soft rot start with softness at the neck of the bulb. As the infection creeps in, the onion will appear water soaked. Then, one or more scales in the bulb will become soft and brown. If you squeeze an infected bulb, it will emit a watery, smelly substance.

Why are my onions still crunchy after cooking? ›

To soften them up, you can add a little hot water to them while they are cooking. Once they are soft, if you want to let them cook longer for a caramelized taste, you turn the heat up a little more until they are golden brown and remove them.

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