For as long as I can remember, I’ve loved onion rings.
As a kid, we’d go to the A&W drive-in for root beer floats and onion rings. Those were the days when you’d order from a parking space and a server would bring out your order on a tray to the car window.
Anyone else remember that? It was pure junk food that I don’t care to eat today, but it brings back fond memories of my father taking us out.
Until now I’ve never recreated an onion ring recipe at home. I’ve also never cooked with deep frying (it scares me). When we do order onion rings at restaurants now, my memories of eating them are better than the actual thing. Do you know what I mean?
I still love the idea of onion rings, but really don’t care for that greasy, heavy version anymore.
So, I wanted to makeover one of my favorite foods from childhood in a way that I could really enjoy again – and in a way that my family would enjoy too.
Not just a vegan onion ring, but a crispy, tasty, vegan onion ring recipe that is actually healthy.
Introducing my OVEN-BAKED ONION RINGS!
… and by George, I got it!
The secret to these oven-baked onion rings comes down to a few things:
- First, presoaking the sliced onions. Since the onion rings are baked, this step helps soften that raw flavor, for a more mellow, sweeter baked onion ring.
- Second, the magic of aquafaba. Yep, our beloved plant-based diet egg-white sub shines again! I actually haven’t been been focusing on developing aquafaba recipes per se, but here it just seemed like the perfect fit – and it is. So, don’t skip the soaking – and don’t skip the bean water.
- Finally, the extra step of separating the breadcrumbs helps keep these oven-baked onion rings crispy. The 3-step coating takes a little bit of patience, but will be well worth it, I promise! Okay, enough talk. Time to eat some good vegan food!
Please let me know what you think of these, guys!
x Dreena
Oven-Baked Onion Rings
Ingredients
- 1 large or 2 medium onions
- 1/3 cup chickpea flour
- couple pinches sea salt
- 1/2 - 3/4 cup aquafaba chickpea brine; the liquid from a can of chickpeas
- 1 - 1 1/2 cups fine bread crumbs of choice, I like panko
- 1/2 tsp sea salt
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika or regular paprika, but smoked much tastier
Instructions
- First, slice and soak the onions. Slice in rings, and place in a bowl covered with ice-cold water. Prepare 2 baking sheets with parchment paper and preheat oven to 450 degrees. Let soak for 1/2 hour. Drain and pat dry with paper towels. Place the chickpea flour with the sea salt in a ziploc bag. Put the chickpea brine in a bowl. Finally, combine the breadcrumbs, sea salt, and paprika in a third bowl. Once mixing through, transfer roughly half of this mixture to another bowl. (The onion rings will be coated in three steps - first in the chickpea flour, then the chickpea brine, and finally the breadcrumbs. Separating the breadcrumbs into two batches will help keep them dry so they will adhere to the onion rings. So, work with one bowl of breadcrumbs and then about halfway through the coating process, move on to that second bowl of breadcrumbs.)
- Place the soaked/dry onions in the ziploc bag, seal, and shake to coat the rings. Remove, and dip each ring in the chickpea brine (discard any remaining), and next into the breadcrumb mixture. Place rings on the baking sheets. Bake for 15 minutes. After that time, rotate the trays (from bottom to top), flip the rings, and bake another 10-15 minutes until golden and crispy! Serve.
Recipe Notes
Serving suggestions: Serve with a dressing or dipping sauce like Wonder Spread, Maple-Chipotle Chickpea Dressing, Nut-Free Caesar, or a natural ketchup.
photo thanks to Marika Collins
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Misty
These sound fantastic. Where did you find bread crumbs that have no oil in them? I haven’t found any yet.
Jules Shepard
I never met an onion ring that I didn’t like! These look delightful!
Merna
Would I be able to use cornmeal?
Dreena
You can try it, I’m thinking it might be a little crunchy. Try to get the very fine cornmeal – like the corn flour by Bob’s Red Mill. Let us know how it works!
Nutrimom
I can’t remember the last time I had onion rings. Now I have no more excuses 🙂
Kathy
Do you wisk up the bean liquid?
Dreena
no, just use straight
Mary
Hi, these sound amazing! Hubs is allergic to peas – including garbanzo/chickpeas. Can I use liquid from other beans like navy or black? And chickpea flour – what might I sub for that? Would love to make these for his bday! Thanks!
Dreena
yes, I think you can use the bean liquid from navy or white beans, not a problem. As for the flour… I’m thinking red lentil might be the best sub if you can use it – but I haven’t tested it.
Jacqueline Carter
Absolutely, I cannot have any oil because it makes me sick to my stomach. I have had this since I used to diet and after when I was pregnant. I have a lot of foods to stay away from. I was very sick when pregnant and was not able to eat because I would vomit up everything, even jello and orange juice. I didn’t even look pregnant. My stomach to this day will not eat any meat because of the terrible visions of slaughtering animals.
Andrea E
Wow, I remember the A&W Drive-in! We were such root beer fans! And onion ring fanatics! I have an incredible recipe that involves seltzer, but i’ll give these a try too.
Nancy Nowak
Can I use the liquid from chickpeas that I cook myself in my INstant pot? Thank you!
Dreena
Indeed! Just need to use the cooking liquid rather than the soaking liquid. Have fun!
Debbie
I definitely have very good memories of going to A&W with my family while I was growing up. My brother , sister and I would get into our pyjamas and with us in the back seat and my Mom and Dad in the front, off we went to A&W for those little mugs of root beer and sharing some fries or onion rings. It was almost magical how Dad ordered through the speaker by our car and out came a server with these tasty treats and that little mug of sweetness. Good memories.
Lee @ Veggie Quest
Dreena, these look so good! I love onion rings but haven’t eaten them in years, since deep-fried anything doesn’t agree with me now that I’m eating healthier. But these? Yum! Pinning this right now. 🙂
Alisa Fleming
Chickpea flour is my favorite coating for gluten-free needs in our house, and I simply love that you doubled down with aquafaba, too!
Rebecca August
Nice to see you using aquafaba, Dreena! 🙂
Bethany
YES!! My family and I used to go apple picking each fall, with a trip to A&W on the way home for a Bag O’ Burgers, onion rings, and root beer. Ostensibly, the apple picking was just an excuse to justify driving an hour each way to eat junk. But man, was that TASTY junk!!
Dreena
oh, lovey memory! I’ve never been apple picking, and was just talking with our daughter about it – think we need to plan that this year. Stuff of childhood. 🙂
Stephanie Weaver, MPH, CWHC
Wow! I will have to try these if I can find good GF bread crumbs. Looks absolutely amazing. I know what you mean about the taste not living up to the imagined taste. Lots of childhood favorites are like that.
Dreena
Thanks Stephanie! Yes, funny how that is. It’s the emotions tied to the foods more than the food itself, I guess.