Sourdough Onion Rings Recipe
Yield: 6
These Sourdough Onion Rings are thick, golden, and extra crispy with the kind of crunch that makes them impossible to stop eating. The sourdough discard batter and homemade sourdough breadcrumbs add so much flavor, making them taste even better than anything you’d order at a restaurant.
Ingredients
Sourdough Onion Rings
- 1 large onion
- 200 grams discard 3/4 cup + 1 Tablespoon
- 32 grams cornstarch 1/4 cup
- 1 gram cayenne pepper 1/2 teaspoon
- salt and pepper to taste
- 140 grams club soda, cold 1 cup
- 120 grams sourdough breadrcumbs 1 cup
- neutral oil, like avocado oil for frying
Dipping Sauce (Optional)
- 120 grams mayo 1/2 cup
- 30 grams ketchup 2 Tablespoon
- 5 grams pickle juice 1 teaspoon
- 2 grams hot sauce 1/2 teaspoon
- 1 gram Worcestershire sauce 1/4 teaspoon
- 1 gram garlic powder 1/4 teaspoon
- .5 gram cayenne pepper 1/4 teaspoon
- 1 gram salt 1/4 teaspoon
Instructions
- In a heavy-bottomed pot or skillet, heat 1–2 inches of oil to 375°F over medium-high heat. I love using this frying thermometer to keep the temperature consistent.neutral oil, like avocado oil
- While the oil preheats, slice the onions into ¼–½ inch thick rounds on a cutting board, then gently separate them into individual rings. Set aside.1 large onion
- Prepare two shallow bowls. In one bowl, whisk together the sourdough discard, cornstarch, club soda, and spices until smooth. In the second bowl, add the sourdough breadcrumbs.200 grams discard, 32 grams cornstarch, 1 gram cayenne pepper, salt and pepper, 140 grams club soda, cold , 120 grams sourdough breadrcumbs
- Working one at a time, dip each onion ring into the discard batter, allowing any excess to drip off for a few seconds. Transfer the coated ring to the breadcrumb mixture and gently toss until fully coated on all sides. Place on a plate or tray and repeat with the remaining onion rings until all are covered.
- Working in batches, carefully place 3–6 onion rings into the hot oil in a single layer. Fry for 2–3 minutes, turning as needed, until golden brown and crisp.
- Using a slotted spoon or tongs, transfer the onion rings to a wire rack set over a paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain excess oil. Repeat with the remaining onion rings, allowing the oil to return to temperature between batches.
- Sprinkle the Sourdough Onion Rings with salt and serve warm with your favorite dipping sauce. Enjoy!
- Dipping Sauce : In a bowl, add the mayo, ketchup, pickle juice, hot sauce, Worcestershire sauce, garlic powder, cayenne pepper, and salt. Whisk until smooth and enjoy!120 grams mayo, 30 grams ketchup, 5 grams pickle juice, 2 grams hot sauce, 1 gram Worcestershire sauce, 1 gram garlic powder, .5 gram cayenne pepper, 1 gram salt
Notes
Tips:
- Don't overcrowd the pot. Fry in small batches of 3 to 6 rings at a time. Adding too many at once drops the oil temperature and you'll end up with greasy, soggy onion rings instead of crispy ones.
- Keep a thermometer in the oil the whole time. The temperature of the oil can fluctuate between batches, so keeping a candy thermometer in the pot lets you know exactly when it's back up to 375°F and ready for the next batch.
- Soak the onions in ice water first. If you find onions too strong in flavor, soak the rings in ice water for about 30 minutes before battering them. Doing that takes the edge off and makes the fried onions noticeably sweeter.
- Add a touch of flour. If the discard batter seems to be too runny and it's not staying on the onions at all, then you might need to add a touch more flour, start with 10 grams (1 Tablespoon) at a time, until the batter reaches the right consistency.
Ingredients & Substitutions
- Onions - I used a large onion (Vidalia) because they're sweeter but a large yellow onion (or a couple of medium sized yellow onions) will work as well. I usually slice the onions into ¼-½” thick slices.
- Sourdough Discard - Runny sourdough starter discard is best as it's easy to whisk into the batter. You can use active sourdough starter, but the onion ring batter might not be as smooth.
- Club Soda - Cold club soda helps create a light, airy batter that fries up crisp instead of dense or heavy. You can substitute it with cold water.
- Cornstarch - A secret ingredient that helps the fried onion rings stay nice and crispy even after they've been fried for a little bit.
- Sourdough Breadcrumbs - I used my homemade sourdough breadcrumbs, but you can also use Panko bread crumbs if you’re in a pinch. After baking the breadcrumbs, I like to run them through the food processor again to make them super fine. These rings are probably the best thing you can do with leftover sourdough bread.
- Salt-Salt sticks better to hot fried food and really brings out the flavor. You can use kosher salt or any coarse salt you have on hand.
- Oil — You need a neutral oil with a high smoke point for frying these sourdough discard onion rings at 375°F. Canola oil and vegetable oil work great. Peanut oil is another solid option if you want a little extra flavor, and avocado oil works well for a healthier alternative.
Nutrition
Serving: 6servings | Calories: 280kcal | Carbohydrates: 29g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 16g | Saturated Fat: 3g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 9g | Monounsaturated Fat: 4g | Trans Fat: 0.04g | Cholesterol: 8mg | Sodium: 414mg | Potassium: 93mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 144IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 45mg | Iron: 1mg
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