Easy Gluten and Dairy Free, Vegan, Homemade French Fried Onion Rings

This is a simple and fast way to make your own crispy french-fried onions. Whether you need the Gluten-Free option in a pinch and don’t want to make a special trip to the store, or just don’t have the option readily available in your area, these crispy onions are sure to please.

Ingredients:

• Onions of your choice (I used both red and yellow onions.)
• 1/2 cup unsweetened almond OR hemp milk for a nut free option
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (I prefer Hungarian paprika.)
• 1 cup Gluten Free flour of choice (Both Cup for Cup and King Arthur Brand worked well as did King Arthur Brand Bread Mix.)
• Oil for deep frying: you will need enough to cover the bottom of your pan by at least 1 inch deep. (I like to use grape seed oil, but you can use whatever you have on hand. Keep in mind some oils have lower smoking points and are not suitable for deep frying. It is recommendation that you use an oil with a smoking point of 400° F or higher for deep frying. *For safety tips and the smoking points of common cooking oils, please see bottom of post.

Combine your flour, paprika, salt, and pepper in a bowl and mix well. Pour the almond or hemp milk into a second bowl. Set both bowls aside.

Slice your onions into rings, try and keep your slices on the thinner side if possible.

Cool science tip: When cutting onions, light a candle nearby or a stove burner if you have a gas stove. The flame burns off the sulfur compounds released by the onions. Cold onions also tend to release less gas so refrigerating your onions prior to cutting also helps to make the job a little more tear free. 🙂

Place the onion rings in the almond milk to soak while you get your oil heating up. Then using a fork take your onions rings out of the milk and toss in the seasoned flour mixture until coated.

If oil has heated up, (you can tell this by placing an onion ring into the oil see if it bubbles) or if using a thermometer you will want to achieve and hold your temperature around 357° F. Carefully add your coated onion rings one at a time. Let each ring fry; flipping it with your fork if needed. Watch the rings carefully, you will find they tend to cook very fast!

Use either a fork or slotted metal spoon to remove finished rings and place on a paper towel lined plate to cool. I have found, I never have any leftovers, but if you do or want to make them in advance, these onion rings will store in an airtight container or zip-lock baggie in the freezer for several months.

Enjoy!

Have Fun and Stay Safe, the Homesteading Hen

These pair nicely with our Green Bean Casserole recipe found here. —> Gluten and Dairy Free, Vegan, Green Bean Casserole

*Deep frying can be an easy and simple process, but as with anything it has a few standard safely points worth noting. Deep frying with oil safety tips:

• When deep frying with oil, try to keep distractions to a minimum.
• Never deep fry with toddlers/preschoolers in the kitchen.
• Never let your oil overheat.
• Avoid getting any sort of water into your oil, otherwise it will cause the oil to splatter like crazy.
• Wear tight fitting or short sleeved shirts.
• Always place your food into the oil carefully and in a direction away from your body.
• Don’t just drop food items from high up and allow to splash into oil etc.
• If things go wrong and you spill your oil and cause an oil fire, never pour water on it. This will only cause the fire to spread. Turn off the burner and use a kitchen-safe BC fire extinguisher or dump a generous amount of flour onto the fire to suffocate it.

*Estimated smoking points of common oils and fats:

• 200°- 250° F Butter (Dairy) Smoking point varies with batch.
• 320° F Walnut Oil
• 350° F Extra Virgin Coconut Oil
• 350° F Sesame Oil
• 370° F Lard (pig fat)
• 375° F Extra Virgin Olive Oil
• 400° F Canola Oil
• 400° F Vegetable Oil
• 425° F Grape Seed Oil
• 430° F Almond oil
• 485° F Ghee (Dairy)
• 510° F Avocado Oil

Smoking point is affected by the refining process, so extra virgin olive oil and virgin olive oil have different smoking points.