These easy Baked Onion Rings are super crispy and only require 4 ingredients! Perfect for serving with burgers, chicken, sandwiches, and so much more.
Homemade Onion Rings
You’re going to want to make these Baked Onion Rings again and again! They are SO easy–Even beginner cooks and busy parents can tackle this delicious recipe. You only need four ingredients, so it’s a pretty cheap, convenient side dish, too!
Don’t worry about needing an air fryer or a gallon of grease. These onion rings are baked in the oven with a thin layer of spray oil! These are healthier than the fast food version, so you can enjoy them more often!
Ingredients for Onion Rings
Here’s a quick overview of what you’ll need for this recipe. For exact measurements, keep scrolling down to the printable recipe card below.
- Vidalia Onions – These are the best for onion rings because they have a great sweet flavor that contrasts perfectly with the breading. Maui or Walla walla onions would also work. If you only have white or yellow onions available, soak them about 20 minutes in ice water to give them a milder flavor.
- Eggs – These are best for keeping the breading on the onion rings. If you’re egg-free, heavy cream will work most effectively.
- Zatarain’s Seasoned Fish Breading – This is the key ingredient that makes these so easy! All the seasoning is already included, and this crisps up PERFECTLY with a spray of oil! They make several different flavors, so you could use this method for a beer-battered, Cajun, or other flavored onion rings, too.
- Spray Oil – This is extremely important. You can use your preferred oil (canola, coconut, olive, avocado, etc.), but the spray gives the thin layer perfect for crisping up the breading. To save money, consider using a refillable oil spray bottle!
How to Make Onion Rings in the Oven
This is an incredibly easy recipe that you’ll want to make again and again! Here’s a step-by-step guide to making this delicious side.
Slice and bread the onions
While the oven preheats to 400 degrees F, beat two large eggs in a medium-sized bowl. Set this aside, then pour the fish breading into a plastic bag and set it aside.
Slice off the ends of the onions and discard. Remove the tough outer layer and also discard. Slice into thick slices, carefully separating each ring. Use a fork to dip the onion slices into the bowl of eggs. Make sure to fully submerge the ring, coating it very well. Lift up the onion, allowing the excess egg to drip off, then toss the onions into the fish breading. Close and shake the bag, coating each ring with the breading.
Place the onion rings in a single layer on a baking sheet, making sure there’s no touching or overlapping. You will likely need 2 baking sheets or to make these in batches to ensure each one has enough room. This is the only way to ensure they get super crispy.
Spray and bake onions
Once all the breaded onions are properly spaced on the baking sheets, carefully spray very well with cooking oil. This is extremely important–The spray gives a perfect, thin coating of oil that allows the breading to crisp up. Do not skip this step.
Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven, baking 10-12 minutes until they’re golden on the bottom. Flip and continue baking an additional 5-6 minutes or until they’re deliciously crispy! Cooking time will be greater if your onions are sliced thicker or if your pan is crowded.
Why Vidalia onions make the BEST onion rings
Technically, you can oven-fry any type for onion rings, but not all onions are the same! For the best, classic onion ring flavor, you want to choose a strong but sweet variety like Vidalia onions. This will balance out the savory breading and provide a full-bodied flavor. Vidalia onions are perfect for this task. They have a lovely, sweet bite, and the rings hold up very well to the breading process. These are my all-time favorite onions for onion rings.
Unfortunately, Vidalias are a type of yellow onion that can usually only be found seasonally and regionally. If they aren’t available, try a Maui or Walla Walla — They’re both smaller than Vidalia onions but still sweet. Yellow onions tend to be sweeter and milder than white onions, so most people prefer those. If you only have strong, pungent onions, try soaking them in ice water for about 20 minutes to mellow out the flavor.
What to serve with onion rings?
Crispy, crunchy onion rings are perfect beside a juicy Bacon Cheeseburger, Air Fryer Hot Dogs, or easy Tomato Sandwiches. Obviously great for summer, but it works year-round, too! It’s a fun side with one-pan meals like this Steak & Cheese Skillet or Cajun Shrimp & Sausage Skillet. It’s a great movie night snack with some Zucchini Fries and Cornflake Chicken Tenders.
Of course, a great dipping sauce is essential with onion rings! You may go with a classic ketchup or mustard, but I LOVE switching it up with a queso or aioli.
Popular copycat dip recipes
Tips and Tricks for the BEST Baked Onion Rings
- Use the right onions – Most people prefer sweeter onions like Vidalias, Mauis, or Walla Wallas. The light, sweet flavor provides a nice contrast with the salty seasoning and earthy onion flavor.
- Soak strong onions – If you can’t get sweet onions for your rings, you can still adjust the strength of the onion flavor! If using a white onion or other strong variety, simply soak onion slices in a bowl of ice water. This mellows the flavor and makes it more palatable to those who don’t love a super intense oniony flavor.
- Spray well – The oil is what gives these onion rings the right texture! A light, aerosol spray is the perfect way to coat the breading without possibly wiping/brushing it off. You can use an oil in a spray can or buy a reusable sprayer for oil.
If you like these homemade onion rings, you’ll love these side dish recipes:
- Bacon Cheddar Cauliflower Tots – These take healthy cauliflower and crunchy bacon, then they’re baked together to crispy perfection (or go for frozen tots for the busy nights)
- Air Fryer Sweet Potato Fries – These give a sweet-and-salty boost to any and every meal! If you’re low carb, try these Keto Fries instead. There’s always frozen fries if you’re in a rush, too!
- Smashed Brussels Sprouts with Queso – Don’t worry about any bitterness; these roasted and crispy sprouts are great for snacking (try with aioli if that’s more your vibe)
- Italian Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms – These are a classic and always go quickly at parties! They’re easy to prep ahead of time, too (don’t forget to try them in the air fryer).
- Keto Pretzel Bites – These low-carb bites are perfect for snacking with the included cheese sauce or with some easy beer cheese dip!
- Keto Mozzarella Sticks – Perfectly crunchy on the outside, gooey and melty cheese on the inside! This gluten-free + low-carb version is easy to meal prep (or you could cook the frozen version in the air fryer!)
Baked Onion Rings
Equipment
Ingredients
- 2 Vidalia onions sliced
- 2 large eggs beaten
- 1 1/4 cup Zatarain’s Seasoned Fish Breading
- Spray Oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
- Beat two large eggs in a bowl and set aside. In a large plastic bag add the fish breading and set aside.
- Slice the ends of the onions and discard. Remove the outer layer and discard.
Slice the onions into thick slices. Carefully separate all of the onion rings. - Use a fork and dip the onion slices into the egg, being sure to fully submerge and coat well. Toss the onions into the fish breading and be sure it is coated completely.
- Place the onion rings on a baking sheet, be sure the rings do not touch, or they will not get crisp. This will likely take two large baking sheets.
- Spray the onions well with cooking oil (This is key! Do not skip!)
- Bake the onion rings 10-12 minutes until they are golden on the bottom, flip and bake an additional 5-6 minutes or until they are crispy.
- Please remember cooking times will depend on how thickly you sliced your onions and how crowded your pan is. Remove the onions from the oven when they are golden brown and crispy.