Up your snack and side dish game with a crowd-friendly recipe for hot, crispy Beer-Battered Onion Rings.
Nothing beats the winter blues quite like a hot tub … of bubbling oil. Your Super Bowl menu has likely taken shape at this point (don’t forget the Nutella Chocolate Football Truffles!), but for all those looking to add a hot, crunchy, salty snack to the lineup, look no further than homemade Beer-Battered Onion Rings.
These circuitous golden brown beauties are an easy treat, starring a pale ale beer batter and thick slices of sweet onion. The carbonation in the beer leads to the lightest, crispiest breading, while a touch of paprika provides a deep golden hue. (Pro Tip: Not a beer fan? Sub in any other carbonated beverage, including ginger ale, club soda or your favorite soft drink!)
After a quick soak in the stovetop jacuzzi, they’re seasoned and served hot with your choice of dipping sauces.
Opt for a side of homemade spicy ketchup to keep your taste buds on their toes. Then sit back and tune in to the tube as you wash them down with (another) cold one. Now you can have your beer, and eat it, too.
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Ingredients
- 2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
- 2 teaspoons paprika
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 1/2 cups (12 ounces) pale ale beer (See Kelly's Notes)
- 2 large yellow or Vidalia onions
- Vegetable oil, for frying
- Spicy ketchup, for dipping (optional)
Instructions
- In a large bowl, whisk together 1 ½ cups of flour with the paprika, garlic powder, salt and pepper. Whisk in the beer until the mixture is well combined. Let the batter rest at room temperature for 10 minutes.
- While the batter rests, cut the tip off of the stem side of the onions then remove the peel. Slice the onions horizontally into 1/2-inch-thick rings and toss them with the remaining ½ cup of flour.
- Add the vegetable oil to a large, heavy-bottomed pot (Dutch oven) to a depth of 2 inches and heat it over medium-high heat until a deep-fry thermometer reaches 375°F.
- Working in batches, dip the onion rings into the prepared batter, shaking off any excess, then immediately drop them into the hot oil. Be careful not to overcrowd the pot. Allow the onions to cook in the oil, flipping them once to guarantee even browning, for a total of about 3 minutes. Remove the onions with a slotted spoon and transfer them to a paper towel-lined plate. Immediately season them with salt. Repeat the coating and frying process, returning the oil to 375°F between batches, with the remaining onions.
Kelly's Notes:
- When measuring beer, don't include the foamy head in your measurement. Pour it down the side of the liquid measuring cup (to minimize the head), and then measure the liquid part only.
- Not a beer fan? Sub in any other carbonated beverage, including ginger ale, club soda or your favorite soft drink.
- Shake off as much of the excess batter as possible when coating the onion rings in order to get the best ratio of onion to batter.
- ★ Did you make this recipe? Don't forget to give it a star rating below!
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Recipe by Kelly Senyei of JustaTaste.com.
They were the best onion rings ever!!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Debbie!
Good recipe, but am confused….why measure out 2cups of flour and then use 1 1/2 cups of flour? What did you do with the other 1/2 cup? Am I missing something?
Hi there! The onions are tossed in the remaining 1/2 cup of flour (step 2) before dipping them in the beer batter. I hope that helps!
Incredible. I was impressed by myself. It was a hit with the family.
Woohoo! This is what I love to read, Beth!
My husband says these are the best onion rings he has ever had! They were perfect and EASY! THANK YOU!!!
Love reading this!
What fun! We love onion rings and have never made them at home….Until now. Great results! Should have made more. Also, I sort of goofed in that I cut the onion well before prepping time and let it sit out too long. RESULTS: The slices and their edges dried out, which prevented the flour from coating the entire onion. Other recipes, read later, suggest a milk bath…I’m adding that step for next time. For now, we’ve special memories of our five star hamburger dinner and your onion rings.
So impressed be we that we purchased your cookbook “The SECRET Ingredient” !
Many Thanks,
JB
Yay! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, JB! Thank you so much for purchasing my cookbook; I hope you enjoy it just as much! :)
This recipe is very good! I would highly recommend it. The batter it tasty and crispy. I did use a regular beer and it still worked perfectly. Try it and enjoy!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Lorna!
great recipe, but when you make larger amounts the instructions don’t change ( 1 1/2 Cups flour, no matter what the number is
Hi Ryan! Thanks so much for bringing this to our attention. We’re working on a tech fix for the scaling!
Crispy…wondeful….deliciousness!!!!
I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Meghan!
Great recipe! Flavorful and crispy
Omg!!! Great recipe. I used it for onion rings,potatoes and now chicken fingers. This is a great and easy recipe. Love it.
Woohoo! I’m thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe, Lana!
Wow i am blown away I have never made beer battered anything and I’m about to do it with all the things!!! Amazing!!
YESSSS! I’m so thrilled you enjoyed the recipe, Emily!
Easy and delicious recipe.
Would bump up the spices to suit our tastes.
I’ll follow the tip on shaking excess batter before frying.
I’m so glad you enjoyed the recipe!
The recipe is good. If I make it again, I will cut thicker rings, be careful about shaking off more batter and probably spice it up a bit more for our taste. It is absolutely something I will try again. Thank you.
You are so welcome, Cheryl! I’m glad you enjoyed the recipe!
We LOVED these! I cut them thinner than suggested after watching the documentary “The Ringmaster” and looking for something similar. I used King Arthur Flour, Voodoo Ranger IPA, Vidalia onions and my deep fryer. They came out golden, beautiful and delicious. They were surprisingly light and not greasy. These were the best onion rings I’ve personally ever made. Thank you so much for this recipe!
Woohoo! You are so welcome, Debbie! I’m thrilled you enjoyed the recipe :)
Have made this batter twice for on,rings and turn out Great. Last night made it for our local B.C. spot prawns .Added a little extra salt [because of the sea food} and changed to smoked paprika. Can not stop smiling. Thanks for the help.
I’m so thrilled you’ve been enjoying the recipe!