So simple, so delicious, and perfect as a side, topping, or snack.
When it comes to side dishes, there are a few items that always come to mind for people: French fries, mashed potatoes, and, my favorite, onion rings. My entire life, I have enjoyed red onions, yellow onions, and white onions. Whether they are raw, grilled, caramelized, or fried, onions have a distinct flavor that I love. When I go to a barbecue restaurant, I always look to see what fried onion side they are offering because nothing complements the sweet, smoky flavor of barbecue sauce like a salty, crispy fried onion—especially these onion straws.
Onion straws and their cousins, onion rings, have been around for decades. I’ve always seen some variation of “crispy onions” on menus at steakhouses and barbecue restaurants, but in the last few decades, the phrase “onion straws” has taken over and can be seen at a variety of other restaurants, including sports bars and neighborhood grills. You will also commonly find onion straws on salad bars and buffets, and once you try them, it is inevitable that you will want to have a supply of them at home. I like to have onion straws as a snack on their own, similar to potato chips, but you can also use them to top salads, soups, casseroles, grain bowls, or a steak.
Is This Onion Straws Recipe Healthy?
Are any fried foods really healthy? On a base level, no, but just like onion rings and French fries, these are a treat meant to be enjoyed in moderation.
This onion straw recipe can be easily made vegan by simply swapping out the buttermilk for a plant-based alternative. Just add one tablespoon of lemon juice or apple cider vinegar to one cup of the plant-based milk of your choice. Voilà—vegan buttermilk.
What Are The Best Onions For Onion Straws?
The key to the perfect onion straws is the sweetness of your onion. This recipe calls for yellow onions, which, when raw, are slightly sweet with a balanced astringency, but when cooked, they become sweeter as they caramelize. I have personally used Vidalia and white onions at times because of their sweetness level, which brings out all the salty and savory flavors from the crispy coating. While keeping the onions sweet is important, the onion itself is less important than the cut of the onion; you need to make sure your onions are cut very thinly for the best results.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
I will say that I prefer enjoying the onion straws when they’re fresh and hot. However, if you have leftovers, let them cool to room temperature and put them into a sealed, airtight container. You can then store them in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 3 months. When you are ready to enjoy your leftovers, transfer them to a baking sheet and reheat them in the oven at 425°F until they have once again crisped and are heated all the way through.
Serving Suggestions
As I said earlier, nothing complements an onion straw as well as the sweet smokiness of homemade BBQ Sauce. You can easily use onion straws as a topping on these Cajun Burgers With Sweet Potato Buns or piled on top of a Keto Steak With Garlic Butter Mushrooms to not only add a delicious crunch and saltiness, but also to soak up the juices from the beef. I also like to eat them plain as a snack dipped into a little Avocado Ranch Dressing.
Ingredients
- 2 large yellow onions thinly sliced
- 1 1/2 cups buttermilk
- 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Soak the thinly sliced onions in buttermilk for at least 30 minutes to tenderize and add flavor.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, garlic powder, paprika, salt, and black pepper.
- Heat vegetable oil in a deep fryer or large pot to 375°F.
- Dredge the soaked onion slices in the flour mixture until well coated.
- Fry the coated onions in batches until golden brown and crispy, about 2-3 minutes.
- Transfer the fried onion straws to a paper towel-lined plate to drain excess oil.
- Serve the onion straws immediately while hot and crispy.
Nutrition Info:
Nutrition information are estimates only and may vary based on the specific brands, ingredients, and portion sizes you use. This data is provided for informational purposes only.
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