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Crunchy Baked Onion Rings

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Crunchy baked onion rings pinterest banner.

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

Crunchy baked onion rings on parchment paper.

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

Let’s get our onion ring on!

Crunchy baked onion ring raw slices.

One of my favorite places to frequent when I ate crap was Sonic. You know? That little drive-up and order place. I absolutely love loved their 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 battered on baking pan.

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)

Crunchy baked onion rings cooked on baking pan.

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?

Crunchy baked onion rings on baking pan.

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!

Crunchy baked onion rings on baking sheet in front of window.

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.

Crunchy baked onion rings balanced on table.

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.

Crunchy baked onion rings on parchment paper with ketchup in the center.

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.

Crunchy baked onion rings around ketchup.
Crunchy baked onion rings.

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, and tag a photo #shaneandsimple on Instagram. Happy Fall, everyone!

Crunchy baked onion rings stacked on top of each other.
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Best damn vegan onion rings on parchment paper.

Crunchy Baked Onion Rings


★★★★★

5 from 10 reviews

  • Author: Shane Martin
  • Prep Time: 15 minutes
  • Cook Time: 20 minutes
  • Total Time: 35 minutes
  • Diet: Vegan
Print Recipe
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Description

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.


Scale

Ingredients

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

FOR THE BATTER

  • ⅔ cup unsweetened plant milk of choice
  • ½ cup whole wheat flour (this also works with chickpea flour or oat flour)

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.
  • Category: side
  • Method: baking

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

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @shaneandsimplecooking on Instagram and hashtag it #shaneandsimple

Previous Post: « Vegan Cream Of Mushroom Soup
Next Post: Vegan Green Bean Casserole With Onion Rings »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. michael

    September 28, 2018 at 4:07 pm

    Saw this and just couldn’t wait. Made them and they are unbelievable!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      September 28, 2018 at 4:20 pm

      Thanks so much and pumped you enjoyed them. Thanks for the rating.

      Reply
  2. Emily

    November 18, 2018 at 5:09 pm

    Dude, these are the bomb!!!! Thank you for the recipe!

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      November 18, 2018 at 5:37 pm

      Emily, that’s great! So glad you enjoyed them and thanks for reaching out and sharing!

      Reply
  3. Abby

    November 28, 2018 at 4:53 pm

    They are crunchy, alright. Mine not as pretty as yours because the bread crumb mixture did not adhere too well.

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      November 28, 2018 at 5:40 pm

      Sorry to hear, Abby. Try using a thicker batter…that might help.

      Reply
  4. Lisa

    December 31, 2018 at 3:24 pm

    OMG!!! Shane…you have outdone yourself! Can’t wait to see what you come up with next! Love your recipes!!!

    Reply
  5. Jeff Launiere

    January 17, 2019 at 4:59 pm

    I just made these yesterday and I felt like I was eating the best of the fried onion rings, but instead they were quite healthy. The first onion I used I ended up having too much panko on them and they were not great. I then used the second onion and put them in the batter and then just a light sprinkling of panko. Oh my were they absolutely fantastic. Can’t wait to make them again.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      January 18, 2019 at 8:38 am

      Jeff, that’s great! They usually don’t last too long in this house with 5 kids:) Thanks for reaching out and sharing.

      Reply
  6. Melissa

    February 03, 2019 at 12:37 am

    Do you think I could use coconut flour instead of wheat. Or oat flour?

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      February 03, 2019 at 5:23 am

      I would use oat flour. It sure how coconut four would work or taste with the onions. But, oat should work fine.

      Reply
  7. Nadine Chiarello

    June 06, 2019 at 7:22 pm

    I made it with zucchini and sweet potato and it was delicious. I just flip the vegtables around and cooked them a little longer so they be soft and taste good.

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      June 06, 2019 at 10:19 pm

      Nadine, that’s awesome! I love hearing stories like this. Thanks for sharing!!!

      Reply
  8. Amy

    June 22, 2019 at 9:27 am

    I wonder if these would work in an air fryer?

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      June 22, 2019 at 10:07 am

      I think someone tried it and said it worked. I have yet to try them that way…but, I say go for it:)

      Reply
  9. Debbie

    September 08, 2019 at 8:11 am

    So happy with these! Crunchy and tasty- the whole family loved them. Thanks for all the great recipes.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      September 08, 2019 at 9:43 am

      Wow, Debbie! Thank you. So pumped everyone enjoyed the rings. 🙂

      Reply
  10. Tami

    November 06, 2019 at 2:29 pm

    Haven’t made these yet but planning on using them in green bean casserole for thanksgiving. How far in advance could I make them to use in that recipe? How would they keep best?

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      November 06, 2019 at 2:45 pm

      I would wait until the day you want to use them. Just so they will stay crunchy.

      Reply
      • Tami

        November 06, 2019 at 3:53 pm

        Just made the onion rings…great! Thanks for the tip on making them day of for green bean casserole.

        Reply
        • Shane Martin

          November 06, 2019 at 10:23 pm

          My pleasure, Tami! I hope everything works out well:)

          Reply
  11. Rachel

    March 23, 2020 at 6:55 am

    Could I use regular all purpose flour? It’s all I have right now. Thanks!

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      March 23, 2020 at 11:32 am

      Yes, absolutely!

      Reply
  12. Lindsey

    April 14, 2020 at 6:58 pm

    I have made these two days in a row for myself. My boys discovered them today. I will be adding more onions and panko to my grocery order. Thanks for another great recipe. Stay well!!!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      April 15, 2020 at 1:53 pm

      Awesome! Thank you, Lindsey.

      Reply
  13. Janell

    April 23, 2020 at 1:53 pm

    Made these with pantry items and the guys in this household loved them! Used chickpea flour and gluten-free panko cause that what I had in the pantry. Going into the favorite rotation cycle! Thanks, Shane

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      April 23, 2020 at 3:56 pm

      Awesome, Janell!

      Reply
  14. Linda

    April 24, 2020 at 4:14 pm

    Really good onion rings that are healthy!! Yay! Thanks again, Shane, for another great recipe. (My rings didn’t look as good as yours.) They didn’t seem to coat so well but they were still really good!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  15. Andrea

    May 11, 2020 at 11:46 pm

    These were so tasty! Incredibly crispy. I also added some adobo seasoning to my dry mix. Happy to have found a healthier alternative to an unhealthy obsession of onion rings.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  16. Elizabeth

    September 25, 2020 at 5:54 am

    Shane, could a GF 1:1 flour be used? These sound amazing but due to Celiac I have to alter this recipe and use Bobs Red Mill 1:1. Was curious if you’ve tried GF flours in any of your recipes

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      September 25, 2020 at 10:38 am

      I would try Gluten-Free Oat Flour or corn flour (masa). But, any gluten-free baking flour should be fine.

      Reply
  17. Kathy

    October 18, 2020 at 7:51 pm

    This is a most excellent recipe for onion rings. It took care of two things I dislike about fried rings: greasiness and the onion pulls out when biting into a ring. My oven must be hotter than dialed temp so next time a little less baking to avoid over browning and they’ll be perfect.

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      October 19, 2020 at 10:33 am

      Excellent! Onion rings have always been my weakness:)

      Reply
  18. Melanie Owens

    October 24, 2020 at 8:11 pm

    These are really easy and excellent! My first ever successful onion rings.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
  19. Nancy

    November 13, 2020 at 10:56 pm

    Thank you for sharing this recipe. These onion rings were so crunchy and super tasty!

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      November 14, 2020 at 10:37 am

      Thank you!!!

      Reply
  20. Heather

    November 26, 2020 at 6:37 pm

    My favorite onion ring recipe! These turn out amazing and they’re so simple to make.

    ★★★★★

    Reply
    • Shane Martin

      November 27, 2020 at 9:19 am

      Thank you!!!

      Reply

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