Bite-sized onion rings that turn basic holiday dishes into irresistible masterpieces? Oooh yes! That’s crispy fried onions in a nutshell. This homemade, healthier (no deep frying!) take on French’s Crispy Fried Onions is vegan, optionally gluten-free, and SO easy to make!
Ready in just 10 minutes with 5 simple ingredients, they’re perfect for whipping up day of when you need them for the holiday table. We can’t wait for you to try them! Let us show you how it’s done!
Origins of Crispy Fried Onions
Crispy fried onions are a beloved ingredient in many cuisines — that’s how you know they’re good! In Southern cooking, they’re deep fried and called French fried onions, while in Scandinavia they’re a common garnish used by street vendors. They’re also popular on mujadara in the Middle East and biryani in India.
In many Asian countries (including Indonesia, Taiwan, and Thailand), a similar creation made with shallots goes on everything from rice and satay to gado gado and more!
How to Make Gluten-Free Fried Onions
These crispy little wonders begin with thinly and evenly slicing an onion (or shallot) then tossing the slices in a mixture of brown rice flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. While some methods for crispy fried onions use a batter, we kept this version super simple!
Next, it’s time to get frying! It’s important to leave plenty of space between the onions for maximum crispiness. Make sure to work in batches and use a large skillet.
More tips for success?
- Wait until the pan is HOT to add the onions
- Turn up the heat if they aren’t browning
- Reduce the heat if they’re browning too quickly
- It might seem counterintuitive, but too much oil can cause them to be soggy
We hope you LOVE these gluten-free fried onions! They’re:
Crispy
Salty
Savory
Versatile
Quick & easy
& Taste like mini onion rings!
They’re a delicious topping for green bean casserole, creamed spinach (recipe coming soon), pasta, salads, and beyond!
More Helpful Holiday How-Tos
- How to Cut a Pomegranate
- Vegan Gluten-Free Cream of Mushroom Soup
- How to Make Vegan Buttermilk
- How to Cut Butternut Squash
If you try this recipe, let us know! Leave a comment, rate it, and don’t forget to tag a photo @minimalistbaker on Instagram. Cheers, friends!
Easy Gluten-Free Fried Onions
Ingredients
- 3/4 cup thinly sliced white or yellow onion* (1/2 small onion yields ~3/4 cup or 80 g)
- 1 Tbsp brown rice flour* (or all-purpose flour if not GF // see notes for other flours)
- 1/4 tsp garlic powder
- 1/4 tsp each sea salt and black pepper
- 1 Tbsp avocado or olive oil (plus more as needed)
Instructions
- To ensure evenly cooked and crispy onions, you want the onion slices to be very thin (about 1/16-inch) and as even in size as possible. We recommend cutting the onion in half (or quarters if it’s large), then slicing with the cut side on the cutting board. Or, you could use a mandolin.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine the rice flour, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Add the sliced onions and toss to coat, breaking up any slices of onion that are sticking together.
- Meanwhile, heat 1/2 Tbsp oil in a large skillet (preferably cast iron) over medium heat. Test the oil by sprinkling in some flour. It should make a sound but not burn.
- When the oil is hot, add about half of the onions in a single layer (overcrowding the pan will result in soggy onions // if using a smaller pan or making a larger batch, adjust accordingly).
- Fry until golden on both sides, about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, and reducing the heat as needed to avoid burning. Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate in a single layer and repeat with the remaining 1/2 Tbsp oil and the onions.
- They’re delicious on green bean casserole, creamed spinach (recipe coming soon), pasta, salads, and beyond!
- Best when fresh. They lose their crispiness once cooled.
Video
Notes
*Substitutes for brown rice flour: If not gluten-free, all-purpose flour works well. Chickpea flour works well but doesn’t get quite as crispy as brown rice flour. Arrowroot flour made the onions a little soggy and didn’t create a crispy coating. We’d recommend avoiding other starches like tapioca, corn, or potato.
*Adapted from our Lemony Arugula Salad with Crispy Shallots.
*Nutrition information is a rough estimate.
Beatrice says
Do you think I could freeze these?
We think they would be soggy when reheated, unfortunately!
Beatrice says
Thanks for the reply! Do you think they could be made a day ahead if they will be put back into the oven the next day to bake on a casserole?
Hi Beatrice, if they’re going into the casserole (vs. on top), that works because the crispy texture won’t be important in that situation. If you want them to be crispy, you’ll want to make them fresh. Hope that helps!
Ann Bridges says
I am
Gonna make these – what about GF AP flour??
Hi Ann, brown rice flour works best for crispy results. We haven’t tried it with GF all-purpose, let us know how it goes!
Bethany says
Can this fried onion recipe be made in an air fryer? Can flour be used if we are not GF? Thank you so much.
Hi Bethany! We haven’t tried this recipe in an air fryer, but it might work. We would suggest spraying some oil on the onions before frying. Regular flour should work!
Bethany says
Thank you very much.