Crunchy Fried Onion Strings
Apr 20, 2021, Updated Feb 23, 2022
How many ways can you eat crunchy fried onions? I’d need another set of hands to start counting! These crunchy fried onion strings are a burger’s best friend, an indulgent salad topper, a snack you’ll dream about and even wake up in the middle of the night to go munch on (of course, I don’t have any experience…wink wink).
If you like onion rings, but crave a crunchier version that shatters in your mouth with crispy goodness, you’re in for a real treat.
Make these onion rings when you’re home alone so you don’t have to share them with anyone else.
My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!
Makes: fried onions from 1 medium-large yellow onion
Prep time: 30 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Total time: 45 minutes
The Ingredients
1 medium/large yellow onion, thinly sliced (use a mandolin if possible)*
½ cup buttermilk
½ cup all-purpose flour (you can sub gluten-free flour if needed)
2-3 cups vegetable/canola oil
*You can use a sweet or red onion, but I like yellow onion the best!
The Steps
Let yellow onion slices soak in buttermilk for 20 minutes.
Remove onions from buttermilk, shaking off excess buttermilk. In a separate bowl or plate, dredge onions in flour, separating onion slices from each other as best as possible. Onions should be sticky to touch.
To fry: in a medium skillet (stainless steel works best), add ½ – ¾ inch of vegetable/canola (about 2-3 cups of oil). Use a meat thermometer to heat oil to 325 to 350 degrees. I find that you can maintain this temperature by keeping your burner on medium/high heat.
Fry onions in small batches for 3-6 minutes per batch, using a slotted spoon to flip onions occasionally for even browning. Remove onions from oil at desired golden brown color with slotted spoon, letting fried onions rest on a paper towel lined plate. Season generously with salt.
To store: Let fried onions cool completely. Store in an airtight container for up to 3 days in the refrigerator.
The Steps with Video
My STEP-BY-STEP VIDEO below will help guide you through the recipe. Subscribe to my YouTube channel for recipe videos every week!