Nothing spells comfort food like crispy, golden Beer Battered Onion Rings.
Whether it’s a weekend treat or you're looking to impress at your next get-together, these crunchy fried onion rings are loops of joy and an all-time favourite.
So, let's get stuck into creating beer batter onion rings with a recipe that promises crunch in every bite!
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Homemade Onion Rings
We'll delve into more detail about the necessary equipment, key ingredients, cooking tips and step-by-step instructions to create these beer-battered crispy onion rings below after the recipe card.
📖 Step by Step Recipe
Beer Battered Onion Rings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 White Onions
- 500 ml ice cold water
- Vegetable Oil - for deep fat frying
- fresh herbs - to sprinkle on top
Base Coating
- 100 grams plain flour
Beer Batter
- 200 grams plain flour
- 75 grams cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon Baking powder
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- 1-2 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 340 ml Beer
Instructions
- Cut 2 White Onions into 1cm rings.
- Separate the rings, use only the big complete rings and save the inner rings for another dish.
- Place your onion rings into a large bowl with 500 ml ice cold water and put aside to chill.
Make Beer Batter
- Place dry batter ingredients into a large mixing bowl, 200 grams plain flour, 75 grams cornstarch, ½ teaspoon Baking powder, ½ teaspoon paprika, 1-2 teaspoon Salt, 1 teaspoon Black Pepper and ½ teaspoon garlic powder. Mix these together.
- Pour in 340 ml Beer.
- Use a whisk beat the beer batter until smooth. Set aside for later.
Dip Onion Rings
- Drain the chilled onion rings and dry them with kitchen paper towel.
- Place 100 grams plain flour into a shallow bowl or plate. Coat each onion ring with flour in the bowl.
- Then, place it onto a wire rack. This base coat of flour helps the batter to stick to the onion.
Frying
- Pour plenty of Vegetable Oil into a deep, heavy-based pan over medium-high heat, bring oil to 175℃/350℉. Or use a deep fat fryer.
- Preheat oven to 100℃. Place a wire rack on a tray (this will be used to keep the onion rings warm between batches.)
- Once at the right temperature, use a fork to dip the floured onion ring into the batter to coat it fully with the beer batter.
- Transfer into the oil and repeat with more onion rings. Do not overfill the pan. Cook in batches of 4 to 5 rings at a time. Keep an eye on the oil temperature.
- After a couple of minutes turn the ring over using a clean fork or a skimmer
- When crispy and golden brown. Remove onion rings from the oil with a clean fork.
- Place on the wire rack and place into the preheated oven to keep warm whilst you cook the rest. Repeat until all onion rings are cooked.
- Serve with an extra sprinkle of salt and a sprinkle of fresh herbs
Video
Nutrition
This post was originally posted on 17/02/2024. It has been updated with more advice on ingredients and how to make Beer-Battered Onion Rings. We moved the recipe card up in the post on 13/06/2024 to make it more user-friendly.
We also have a onion loaf recipe that might interest you!
Equipment
Before we start, make sure you have everything you need:
- Deep Fat Fryer optional
A deep-fat fryer is the easiest way to deep-fry onion rings, as it will maintain the correct temperature for you. No deep fat fryer? No worries. A heavy-bottomed pan with a thermometer to ensure oil is at the correct temperature does the trick just fine for deep frying.
To prepare your onions, you will need a chopping board and a sharp knife. A couple of large mixing bowls are also necessary for chilling the onion rings and preparing the batter.
Use a skimmer or metal slotted spoon to safely transfer the onion rings into and out of the hot oil. A wooden-handled fork will work fine, too! Once cooked, a wire rack over a baking sheet is handy for placing the golden-brown onion rings on.
Ingredients
Roll up your sleeves and gather these simple ingredients to make great onion rings:
Onions
It is important to choose the correct onions to make the best onion rings!
- Sweet Onion
- Spanish Onion
- Large White
They have a milder flavour and higher sugar content than other varieties that caramelise beautifully when deep fried, offering a subtle sweetness that perfectly compliments the crisp batter.
Brown, pink or red onions can be used instead as they are slightly sweet.
Flour
Plain Flour (all purpose flour) is incorporated into the batter and used to lightly coat the onion rings before battering. The reason behind this double application is simple yet crucial for that perfect crunch we all love.
When you lightly coat the onion rings with flour before dipping them into the batter, it creates a dry, rough surface that allows the wet batter to adhere more effectively.
Incorporating cornflour into your onion ring batter can significantly enhance the crispy texture and prevent sogginess, contributing to a lighter, airier batter, resulting in a crispy and golden brown crust once fried.
Baking Powder
Adding baking powder to our beer-battered onion rings may seem unusual. Baking powder is a leavening agent that reacts with ingredients, producing carbon dioxide gas. When added to the batter, this reaction occurs during frying, resulting in light, crispy onion rings.
Beer
The beer in the batter adds flavor and carbonation, further enhancing the baking powder's effect. This double action ensures that each bite is airy and crunchy.
For our beer battered onion rings, we chose to use Birra Moretti, an Italian lager which has a subtle malty sweetness that beautifully complements the natural sweetness of the onions.
Choose a light-bodied beer or lager to prevent the batter from becoming too heavy. If you want to make it without beer, use soda water, seltzer water, club soda, or ginger ale instead.
Seasonings
Adding seasonings to the batter's dry mix makes this a great recipe! Salt and pepper provide that essential savoury kick, while garlic powder adds a subtle depth of flavour. Paprika lends a smoky warmth, making each bite a delight.
You can adjust seasonings to suit your taste. Another favourite of ours is all-purpose seasoning, cayenne pepper or onion powder! Feel free to experiment and find your perfect flavour mix!
Oil
You can use any oil suitable for deep frying.
Instructions
Get ready to dive into fried heaven with these easy-to-follow instructions.
Prepare Onion Rings
Begin by slicing your large onions into thick rings (approx 1 cm thick slices). Keep only the larger, complete rings for this recipe.
The inner parts of the onion can be saved and used in any other recipe that calls for onions!
Submerge the onion rings into 500 ml ice water to chill.
Make Beer Batter
Mix plain flour, cornstarch, baking powder, paprika, garlic powder, salt, and black pepper in a large bowl to make your beer batter.
Add beer into your dry ingredients, stirring with a whisk until you achieve a smooth batter.
Set aside to let the batter rest.
Onion Rings Flour Base Coat
Whilst the batter rests, drain and pat dry chilled onion rings with kitchen paper towels.
Dip and twist each onion ring into the plain flour. This helps the batter stick to the onion ring.
Shake off excess flour, and then arrange on a wire rack.
This step is crucial to ensure the batter stays on the onion ring. Always double-coat with flour as a base and within the batter. Nobody enjoys it when the onion slips out while biting into a cooked onion ring.
Heat your vegetable oil in a deep fryer or heavy-based pan until reaching 175℃/350℉.
Preheat your oven to 100℃ and prepare a wire cooling rack over a tray ready to place your perfectly crispy onion rings.
Dip and coat floured onion rings thoroughly with the beer batter using a fork.
Carefully lower the battered rings into the hot oil. Fry in small batches of 4- 5 rings for an even cook and to prevent them from sticking together.
Keep an eye on the oil temperature with your cooking thermometer.
After a couple of minutes, flip them to cook both sides evenly.
When they are golden brown, use your skimmer or a clean fork to remove the rings.
Place them on the wire rack and into the oven to keep warm. Repeat until all beer batter onion rings have been cooked.
As you can see these fried onion rings turned out great! Serve hot with a sprinkle of salt and some fresh herbs for garnish.
Serving Suggestions
These beer-battered onion rings are fab as a starter or appetiser with a dipping sauce. Try BBQ, Ketchup, Ranch Dressing, or Garlic Mayo.
As a side dish, our onion ring recipe pairs perfectly with our juicy tomahawk steak and homemade coleslaw or our spicy chicken burger to elevate your meal further.
They're the perfect sidekick to many main dishes here are a few more suggestions
Storage
If you have leftovers, the good news is they store well. Keep your extra onion rings fresh and crispy by storing them in an airtight container in the fridge or freezer and reheating them in the oven or air fryer!
They can be reheated from chilled or frozen.
More Steak Sides
Hungry for more? Check out our other side dishes that pair perfectly with steak and bring out the best at your dining table.
Did you know there is a national onion ring day on the 22nd June every year!
There you have it - the ultimate Beer Battered Onion Rings Recipe, making sure your homemade onion rings are the talk of the town!
Savita says
These beer-battered onion rings are hands down the best I've ever had! The crispy, golden exterior gives way to perfectly tender, sweet onions inside—it's pure perfection.
Luke and Kay says
Hi Savita, thank you for your 5-star review! We're thrilled to hear that our beer-battered onion rings were a hit for you. The secret to their perfect texture and flavour is in the batter and we're glad you enjoyed it. Thanks again for choosing our recipe and happy cooking!
Amy Liu Dong says
Wow! This is such a great-looking onion ring recipe! It looks delicious and the texture looks perfect making this so enticing and very tempting! Loved it!
Luke and Kay says
Thank you so much for the feedback, Amy! We're thrilled to hear that our Beer-Battered Onion Rings caught your eye and made your mouth water. We strive to create easy-to-follow recipes that are both tasty and visually appealing. We hope you give this recipe a try and enjoy it as much as we do! Happy cooking!