Easy and insanely delicious Baked Onion Rings – a healthy version of an old comfort food classic!
Gahhhhhhh! Few things make me more giddy than a lightened up version of a traditionally calorie-laden classic. Particularly (especially) when they taste as good if not better than the original less-than-healthy version.
And that is exactly why I’m so darn excited to present you with these baked onion rings.
Just look at them and all of that golden crispy perfection. (If you have an iPhone or similar device with emoticons, please imagine the little yellow smiley face with hearts in place of eyes…. yeah that’s me.)
So what’s the secret to these perfect onion rings without all the fat and calories of the typical Burger King order? Nothing. No secret needed. We are talking about big fat rings of yellow onion, tossed in a seasoned flour mixture, then dipped in a simple egg wash, and lastly dredged in panko breadcrumbs. Technically, yes, you can use regular bread crumbs but I highly recommend (read: beg of you!) that you use panko breadcrumbs because I think they yield a crispy onion shell that more closely resembles authentic fried onion rings.
I guess if I had to say there was a secret to these, it would be the chili powder. You must add the chili powder to the flour mixture. It doesn’t make your onion rings spicy, (which for me, is a bit of a disappointment, but for those of you who aren’t spicy-food-fans this is a good thing) but it adds a bit of flavor you definitely do not want to miss.
The only question is….
What favorite sauce will you be dipping these beauties in??
Baked Onion Rings
Ingredients
- 1 large yellow onion
- ⅓ cup flour
- 1 teaspoon seasoning salt
- ½ teaspoon chili powder
- 2 cups panko breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons water
- nonstick spray
- dipping sauce of choice
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 450. Line a baking sheet with foil and spray heavily with nonstick spray.
- Peel off the outermost layer from the onion and discard. Cut off the ends (sparing as much of the onion as possible) and slice the rest of the onion into thick rings. Separate the rings and place in a bowl of water.
- Place panko crumbs in a medium bowl. In a second bowl, stir flour, seasoning salt, and chili powder. In a third bowl whisk together eggs and water.
- Take one onion ring and toss it in the flour, being sure to coat well. Next, dip it in the egg mixture, being sure to coat all side. Lastly, Toss the ring in the panko crumbs to coat. Place on prepared baking sheet. Repeat process with remaining rings.
- Spray the rings with nonstick spray (optional, but it helps to get them crispy) Bake rings for 10-15 minutes until golden brown. Remove from oven and serve with your favorite dipping sauces. (ketchup, bbq sauce, sweet chili sauce, etc. My favorite is 1/4 cup mayo + 1/4 cup ketchup + 1 teaspoons sriracha sauce!)
These look good. I love onion rings but try to eat very little deep fried things.
I love that this is lightened up, but still crunchy and delicious!
Exactly! A little indulgence without the after-guilt 😉
Oh my gosh, all the emoticons over this! Since the fried batter–the least healthy part, of course–is my favorite part I am all about a lightened version! Pinned!
Question please. I’ve never made onion rings so I’m not familiar with the process at all. Why do they need to soak in the water? And then before I put them in the flour do I dry them off? I really want to make these just need to make sure I’m doing it correctly. Thank you!!
Hi Terri, The onions can dry out after you cut them. If they don’t have enough moisture on the outside, the flour mixture will not stick to them. This is why I like to just set them in a bowl of water after cutting them (you could also use buttermilk) and then just before dipping them in the flour mixture, I drain the bowl, pick up an onion ring and shake off the excess water, then dip in the flour. If they aren’t thoroughly coated with flour, the egg mixture won’t adhere and then your outer shell of panko crumbs will only stick in certain places. 🙂
Thank you!! I appreciate your help and comments. I’m excited to make these now.
I loveeeee me a crunchy onion ring, but I rarely let myself order them for obvious caloric reasons. Now I don’t have to feel guilty!!
Oh I’m with you, It’s like Oh I want those bad… but I know that my hips will be angry with me…. decisions decisions…. 😉