It’s that time of year when we put on our stretchy pants, watch sporty things (or copious amounts of Netflix), and eat all the comfort food.
Care to join?
Anytime we go out to eat I’m tempted by the appetizer menu.
However, I always end up passing because 1) there aren’t many veg/gluten free options and 2) portion sizes are typically mammoth so there’s no way I’ll be able to finish my entrée with a stack of onion rings already down the chute.
But – but – there is a time and a place for comfort food. And that time is now. When my favorite fall shows return, the weather gets chilly, and I get a serious case of introversion.
These rings are simple to make, requiring just 9 ingredients and 30 minutes to make!
Simply slice onions into rings and dredge in a mixture of brown rice, cornmeal, salt, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper. It’s as easy as that!
To cook, I went for pan frying, because I never met a baked onion ring I liked. In fact, I tested a baked version of this recipe and it was a total no go. Burnt on the outside, stringy on the inside, and the coating fell off (saddest day).
I hope you all LOVE these rings! They’re:
Crispy, crunchy
Savory on the outside
Sweet on the inside
Perfect spiced
Comforting
Indulgent
& Kind of amazing
These would make the perfect snack or appetizer for a day spent watching sporting events or Netflix re-runs, especially when paired with my Whiskey BBQ Ketchup or Vegan Chipotle Aioli (pictured above)!
More Snacks!
Spicy Red Curry Cauliflower “Wings”
Vegan 7-Layer Mexican Dip
Cajun Sweet Potato Fries
Crispy Baked Matchstick Fries,
Kale & Artichoke White Bean Dip
Cheesy Corn & Jalapeño Dip.
Dranks! Pair with my 5-Ingredient Ginger Beer Margarita for the ultimate winning combination.
If you try this recipe, let me know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo #minimalistbaker on Instagram so we can see. Cheers, friends!
Gluten-Free Onion Rings
Ingredients
ONION RINGS
- 1 cup brown rice flour
- 1/4 cup cornmeal
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp each sea salt + black pepper (plus more to taste)
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
- 1 cup unsweetened plain almond or rice milk
- 2 medium yellow onions (sliced into 1/2-inch rings)
- Avocado, grapeseed or canola oil for pan-frying
FOR SERVING optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 200 degrees F (93 C) and line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Place one in the oven (where you’ll place cooked onion rings) and one on the counter (where you’ll place dipped onion rings). Also set out a plate layered with a few paper towels.
- In a large shallow bowl, mix together brown rice flour, cornmeal, cornstarch, salt, pepper, paprika, and cayenne pepper. Also add dairy-free milk to a separate small mixing bowl and set aside.
- One at a time, dip the onion rings in the dry ingredients first, then the dairy-free milk, then back in the dry ingredients until well coated. Place on the parchment-lined baking sheet on the counter and repeat until all rings are dipped. Overlapping them a little is fine.
- Heat a large cast iron or metal skillet over medium high heat and add enough oil to form a scant 1/2-inch layer. Heat for 3-5 minutes, or until a little flour sprinkled in bubbles and browns. At that point, add only as many onion rings will fit comfortably in the pan.
- Fry on both sides for 1-2 minutes, turning down heat if browning too quickly. Flip with a fork and handle carefully as the coating can be fragile at this point.
- Transfer cooked onion rings to the paper-towel lined plate to blot off extra oil, then onto the parchment-lined baking sheet in the oven to keep warm. Continue until all onion rings are cooked.
- Serve immediately with dip of choice – Whiskey BBQ Ketchup or Vegan Chipotle Aioli. Best when fresh.
Notes
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate calculated with 1/2 cup avocado oil per 10 servings and without sides or dipping sauces.
Monica says
The breading did not end up staying on once I started frying them. I was gentle with flipping them. I only had a little batter leftover after so I think I used enough? What else could have led to this?
Sorry that happened, Monica! A couple things that can cause the breading to fall off: 1) if the oil isn’t hot enough or 2) if the pan is overcrowded.
Nicole says
So good!
We’re so glad you enjoyed it, Nicole! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Elizabeth says
Delicious! I made a Vegan Soul Food Feast with these Onion Rings, Black Eyed Peas, Coleslaw and Potato Salad. I used the Leftover Cornmeal Mixture to make Fried Pickles with Organic Sliced Dill Pickles. It was AMAZING. More Vegan Soul Food recipes please ; )
Wow – love this! Thanks so much for the lovely review, Elizabeth! That feast sounds incredible!
Nadine says
Hi. Can I use the air fryer instead of a frying pan?
Thanks!
Hi Nadine, we haven’t experimented with an air fryer, but it should work!
Eve says
I used all purpose flour and some tapioca starch (I thought it would make it stick together and it did) along with the rest ingredients and they came out delicious. Very easy and fun to make. The leftover ingredients were mixed into a pizza dough with yeast and extra flour. Cheers!
Amazing! Thank you so much for sharing, Eve! xo
Anne Morrison says
Can I use gluten free flour instead of rice ?
Hi Anne, we haven’t tried with that substitution, but it might work. Depending on the ingredients in it though (such as tapioca flour), it could turn out a little slimy. Let us know if you try it!
Wendy says
I made these onion rings for supper and we all loved them. They reminded me of the onion rings I like from the restaurant A&W. I ended up dipping and coating them 3 times and then used our deep fryer to cook them. When they came out of the fryer I sprinkled them with Lowry’s seasoning salt and then we dipped them in chipotle aioli. Yummy! Thanks for the recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed them, Wendy! Thanks for sharing! xo
TD says
Lawry’s seasoned salt is NOT gluten free so be careful if you’re celiac!
Wendy says
Thanks for the info! I am Celiac so I appreciate you telling me about this.
B says
Lawrys seasoning salt is gluten-free. I am celiac also. I use it all the time and I’m super sensitive.
shelley says
may I ask how long, and at what settings, did you use for the air fryer?
thanks!
Barbara says
I read your recipes all the time and then adjust them to ah, “nearly vegetarian” status. In this case, I might use almond milk, if I have it. But I’m not opposed to using cows milk if that’s all I have. I would have to grind brown rice to make flour, so I’d sub it out for plain old white flour.
But, here’s my point. Your recipes are delicious, crunchy, flavorful and addictive. I understand your audience is vegetarian or vegan, but consider giving us newbies or people who just need to use up what they have an opportunity to apply your knowledge.
Please consider it. You may want to make a new site or at least a new section for us “half-breeds.” If you’re up for it, I will help however I can.
All the best,
Clever! Thanks for the suggestion, Barbara. In the meantime, if there’s ever a recipe that you’d like to know if a sub would work, feel free to leave a question in the comments or do a search to see what others have tried. If you press “ctrl+f” on a PC or “command+f” on a mac, a find bar should pop up that allows you to search for specific words in the post and comments. Hope that’s helpful!
Evia says
Made this with regular rice flour instead brown. It worked, the coating is super crispy but you have to be really, really careful not to overdo the onions themselves. Best fried on a surprisingly low heat. Also I’d say the amounts for both breading and milk are very, very generous – ended up with more than half of both left over. Might attempt some weird pancakes tomorrow :D
Thanks for sharing your experience, Evia! We hope they tasted good =)
Sara says
This is a brilliant recipe! I modified it a bit because I didn’t have brown rice flour so I used instant potato mash powder and I added some lemon juice to the milk to thicken it. My son is allergic to gluten and eggs so this right up our street. Everyone loved it. Thank you for a great recipe and fantastic recipes.
Love the creativity, Sara! We’re so glad everyone enjoyed it. Thanks so much for your kind words and lovely review! xo
Aydia Johnson says
I found out I’m allergic to corn, are there any substitutions for the corn meal and corn starch you would recommend?
Hi Aydia, we haven’t tried with these substitutions, but perhaps arrowroot or tapioca starch for the corn starch and gluten-free panko for the cornmeal? Let us know if you try it!
Tara Y Forward says
I made this recipe for a Super Bowl snack and it was nothing short of WONDERFUL! My family enjoyed these immensely. Who knew ONE onion could make so many rings!! The coating and texture were spot on-the fresh fried crunch never softened. I couldn’t believe it. Thank you, Minimalist Baker for another great recipe.
We’re so glad you enjoyed it! Thanks for sharing!
Elham says
Do you know if I could sub arrowroot starch for corn starch? How about an all purpose GF flour instead of brown rice flour?
We haven’t tried those substitutions, but they might work! Let us know if you give it a try!
Milan says
I just tried this recipe and it turned out AMAZING!! The flavor was perfect and I couldn’t even tell it was gluten free!! 10/10 would absolutely recommend!! :)
So glad you enjoyed it, Milan! Thanks so much for sharing! xo
Tunisia says
So I got white rice flour, flax meal, tapioca flour and gluten free panko, would those ingredients work for these onion rings too?
Hi Tunisia, we haven’t tried it that way, but maybe white rice flour for the brown rice, gluten free panko for the cornmeal, and tapioca for the cornstarch? Let us know if you try it!
Kristin Haubert says
This is the best onion ring recipe for gluten free onion rings! And the chipotle aioli recipe is amazing as well. Some friends and I got together to do this ‘frying night’ because our husbands had gone fishing and caught a lot of fish. So we decided to fry a bunch of other things as well. I got to make my gluten free onion rings before everything else so the oil was clean. I kept these in the oven until everything else was done. They held up very well in the oven, stayed crispy and everything. By the end of the meal all of the non-gluten free people were eating my onion rings because they were better than the gluten filled ones!!
Thanks for the lovely review, Kristin! So glad everyone enjoyed them! xo
Kimi says
Just made these as a nice afternoon summer snack. Totally scrumptious!
Paul says
The almond milk didn’t hold the mix in the pan, so I added two eggs to the milk with much better results. Vidalia onion, if that makes a difference. Very tasty!
Meredith McCarthy says
Can these not be stored at all? I’d like to use them to top a green bean casserole but it would be nice to make them the night before so there’s less work on Thanksgiving Day. Very excited to make these- thanks!
Hi! They are best when fresh, but you could try making them the night before, but they may not be as crunchy the next day.
Cassie Tran says
Onion rings used to be my favorite fast food side–until I met sweet potato fries. These look incredible!
Michele says
This recipe was delicious. I have tried other gluten free onion ring recipes but this one is the best!
Karina says
You are seriously my new hero, for real! Thank you for amazing recipes every time. You have a gift.
Trisha says
Okay! I am totally hooked on your blog. I made these tonight along with the Red Curry Cauliflower Wings and my hubby (not vegan or g/f) literally said, “I could eat like this everyday”… Thank you!! Thank you for making everyday foods and guilty pleasures accessible to all of us!
Since I’m also corn-free, I sub’ed 1.5 cups of your g/f flour blend in place of the 1/4 c. cornmeal + 1/4 c. cornstarch + 1 c. brown rice flour. Worked like a charm.
Melissa says
I would have to say I did not enjoy making these (the dipping process was a pain) but the end result was delicious!!! Everyone loved them from my husband down to the one year old!
Sophia says
I can’t wait to try this! Just need to get some corn starch. Yum Thanyou for sharing!
Lawren says
The flavor of these onions rings was great but I have to say that the coating didn’t really stick very well when frying and pretty much all fell off when eating them. Not sure if I did something wrong but thought I followed the directions very closely. Anyhow, they were still delicious :)
Mimi says
Lawren,
I had the same issue work the coating falling apart.
Joia says
I literally adore you! Best recipes like ever, I’ll never buy out again LOL
Jocelyn (Grandbaby cakes) says
These seriously look absolutely amazing! I can’t wait to try your gluten free version!!
Coley | Coley Cooks says
These look KILLER! I’m with you on the appetizers at restuarants thing, only I tend to order just apps and skip the entree altogether! Totally bookmarking these. Yum!
Lesley says
Thanks for sharing this
I just made some for my birthday treat
They’re amazing
Lesley
Jenny says
Don’t knw if you’ve ever tried the Korean/Japanese style curry-such as Golden Crry or Vermont curry, but do you think you could make a plant based version? the Golden Curry brand is actually vegan but has MSG in it. I’ve been craving it so bad! Would be glad to help you if needed, too!
Gitta says
“It’s that time of year when we put on our stretchy pants” hahhaha that’s so funny! Everything on your blog comes together a good read, good recipes and beautiful photo’s…so inspiring
Liz says
I’m a bit confused, at what stage do the onion rings go in the oven?
Just as they finish pan frying to keep warm.
Shirley Weeks says
Is it possible to make these in a Insta pot?
I don’t think so unfortunately.
Caroline says
I just made these…. they were great! :-)
Awesome! Thanks for sharing! Next time would you mind leaving a rating? That really helps us out! thanks! xoxo
Plasterer in Bristol says
These were amazing, thank you for sharing
Yay! Thanks for sharing!
Amelia says
So simple! I’ll have to try this. Thanks for the recipe :)
felixine says
my next try… it looks yummy!
Edwina at The Equipped Cook says
These look so delicious. I would love to snack on these. Total comfort food! Can’t wait to try this recipe. Thanks for sharing.
Bethany says
Looks delicious!! Wondering if ground millet (buy whole and grind in your blender or spice mill) would sub well for that cornmeal, Melanie. Millet has a corn-like taste (and is gluten free and easy to digest.) I love to cook it whole to accompany mexican dishes.
Melanie says
Thank-you so much for making a gluten free onion ring recipe! That just made my day because I thought I would have to give them up. Is there something I can substitute the cornmeal and corn starch for? I don’t eat corn. I was thinking of trying arrowroot or tapioca starch for the corn starch, but I don’t know about the cornmeal.
Hannah says
Maybe almond meal (aka almond flour)??
Sub more brown rice flour!
Becky says
First off I want to say I absolutely love your recipes! For this one can I sub the cornmeal since I cant do corn at all?
Thanks!!
Becky
Hi Becky! I’d just leave it out and sub with more brown rice flour and a little arrowroot. Good luck!
Sara @ Last Night's Feast says
These look delicious!
Ope says
I love this meal,even the photos made me salivate
Brooke says
OMG! How do you stay skinny LOL I love your recipes so much. Sometimes I really wish there was nothing to eat that’s gluten free and vegan but fruit and lettuce, but that’s SO NOT THE CASE. >,>
Ha! I share all the food with friends :D Hope you love these! xoxo
Chantal says
Dana how do you do it! Every time I search for a recipe these days, there you are at the top of the list! Great job! Means you are doing something right, that’s for sure! Congrats on such a great website! Your hard work is paying off! Can’t wait to try these rings! Yep, it’s that time of year where are my comforting food cravings come back!
Thank you! xoxo
Monika says
I would love to try these, but I don’t have brown rice flour. Can I substitute plain AP flour?
I think that should work but I haven’t tested it that way. Let me know how it goes!
Kiran says
Delicious recipe. However, I take it you mean 1/4 cup corn starch. Seems like a typo there
Yes! Fixed.
Laura ~ Raise Your Garden says
Ohhhh, there is most definitely always a place for comfort food!!! I’m glad you tested the waters on baking them over pan frying and went with the pan frying. You do whatya gotta do! And at the end of the day, these are still onions and onions are loaded in antioxidents. Onions rings for dinner? Does that sound reasonable??