Beer Battered Onion Rings Recipe
I’m super excited to make onion rings now because Vidalia onions are available in grocery stores here in Nebraska! I have to admit the season sort of sneaked up on me, but I am delighted!
Vidalia onion rings are a treat! Here, sweet Vidalia onions get a dip in a light, crispy beer batter, then are quickly fried in a skillet; no need to drag out the deep fryer!
Nothing could be easier! It only takes three ingredients to make the batter! Mix equal amounts of beer and flour, add some salt, and stir or whisk until the batter is nice and smooth. One medium onion made a heaping plate loaded with crispy rings. It was MORE than enough for my husband and me to eat in one sitting!
I must thank my friend Cathy for sharing her easy recipe because we LOVE onion rings, especially when they are light and crisp like these!
But I did not want to think about getting my deep fryer out of the cupboard where things go when I seldom use them! Do you have one of “those” cupboards?
And the thought of messing with disposing of the oil made me hesitate to try them!
Hooray! I was sold on the idea when she told me she makes them in a skillet using only about a half-inch of oil!
I used Vidalia onions because they are crisp, sweet, and very low in the typical acidity you find in onions. Slice them thin and separate the rings so they cook quickly. You can use any onion to make these rings, but if Vidalia onions aren’t available, I suggest using a sweet onion variety.
Make The Simple Batter With Just 3 Pantry Ingredients
Okay, maybe you don’t keep beer in the pantry, but most of us have flour and salt on hand. As for the beer, choose one that has a flavor that pleases you; usually, a pilsner or lager will work best. Yes, you can use a non-alcoholic beer if you prefer, although any alcohol in the beer disappears during cooking.
The biggest contribution beer makes to the cause of light and crispy onion rings is carbonization, not flavor. The bubbles in the beer enhance the crispiness as they escape from the batter during frying. The carbonization in beer also makes the batter slightly more acidic, retarding the formation of gluten, and that helps keeps the batter from becoming tough.
Whisk the beer, flour, and salt in a small bowl. I started with a cup of flour and beer and had batter left over. However, I needed enough batter to immerse each ring, so I don’t think I could have made any less.
One medium-sized onion made a heaping plate of Vidalia onion rings; depending on the audience, I would estimate it made four servings. We couldn’t finish them all as much as we would have loved to have polished off the entire batch!
Dip each onion ring into the batter, shake off any excess, and then put them into the hot oil.
I used an electric skillet with about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil set at 375 degrees. If you use a pan on the stove, use a medium-high setting and turn it down if the rings are browning too quickly. Here’s a handy guide for temps on an electric stove.
Don’t crowd the rings; turn them when the bottom side looks brown. Give them plenty of room to brown on all sides.
These rings are nearly perfect! Look how the light batter puffs up all crispy and golden brown!
Remove the rings when nicely browned and drain them on paper towels. Eat them while they are hot! If you are like us and make too many, here is an article that explains three ways you can reheat them!
Do you love onion rings as much as we do? What do you dip them in? How do you like your onion rings? Thick or thin? Do you like them breaded or beer-battered? We’d love to hear what kinds are your favorite and what you want to eat with them! If you have extra Vidalia onions, we think you’d love these onion burgers or this Vidalia onion potato salad!!
Questions I often get for this recipe:
What type of beer should I use for beer-battered onion rings?
A light lager or pilsner is a good choice for beer-battered onion rings. These beers have a mild flavor that won’t overpower the onions.
Do I need to use ice water in the batter for beer-battered onion rings?
Yes, the ice water helps to make the batter light and crispy.
How hot should the oil be when frying beer-battered onion rings?
The oil should be heated to 375 degrees Fahrenheit (190 degrees Celsius) before you start frying the onion rings.
How long should I fry beer-battered onion rings?
Fry the onion rings for 2-3 minutes, or until they are golden brown and crispy.
What is a good dipping sauce for beer-battered onion rings?
A spicy ketchup or a ranch dressing are both good choices for dipping sauces for beer-battered onion rings.
Can I make beer-battered onion rings ahead of time?
Yes, you can make beer-battered onion rings up to 24 hours ahead of time. Simply store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator.
How do I reheat beer-battered onion rings?
You can reheat beer-battered onion rings in a 350 degree Fahrenheit (175 degrees Celsius) oven for 10-15 minutes, or until they are heated through.
My beer-battered onion rings are not crispy. What’s wrong?
This could be because the oil is not hot enough or you are not frying the onion rings long enough.
My beer-battered onion rings are greasy. What’s wrong?
This could be because you are using too much oil or you are not draining the onion rings properly on a paper towel-lined plate after frying.
My beer-battered onion rings are falling apart. What’s wrong?
This could be because you are not cutting the onions into evenly sized rings or you are not coating them evenly in the batter.
Printable Recipe:
Easy Beer Battered Vidalia Onion Rings
Here is an easy recipe for light crispy onion rings made with a three-ingredient beer batter and fried in a skillet with oil.
Ingredients
- One medium to large Vidalia onion cut into thin rings. You can use any sweet onion in the off-season!
- One cup all-purpose flour
- One cup beer
- 1 1/2 tsp salt
- Vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Heat about 1/2 inch of vegetable oil in a skillet. Set electric skillet at 375 degrees. If using a skillet on the stove, use a medium-high setting.
- In a small bowl, whisk beer, flour, and salt into a smooth batter.
- Separate rings of sliced onion.
- Dip rings into batter and remove. Shake off excess.
- Put rings into oil and fry until the bottom side is golden brown. Do not crowd.
- Turn and fry until golden brown.
- Remove and drain on paper towels.
If you enjoyed this recipe, please share it on your social media! I would love for more people to try this delicious and easy-to-make dessert. If you have any questions or feedback, please feel free to leave a comment below. I would love to hear from you! Shhh… Join our secret foodie group on Facebook.
MORE OF OUR QUICK AND EASY FAMILY-STYLE RECIPES:
The Ultimate Bread and Butter Pickle Recipe
Danish Style Cucumber Salad
The Number 1 Practically Perfect Poppy Seed Bread
Oven-Baked Steak With Brown Gravy
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You can substitute apple juice for the beer. The acidity in the juice is similar to that of beer and works just as well!
That’s a great tip, thank you. The truth is I seldom have either one on hand but I’m really happy to know that! 😉