Crispy Gluten Free Onion Rings

Name: Crispy Gluten Free Onion Rings
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Cuisine: onion rings
Ingredients: 1 onion; 1 cup oat milk (or other favorite milk); 1 cup gluten free oat flour (cashew flour is also a great option); 1 teaspoon garlic powder; 1 teaspoon smoked paprika; 1 teaspoon salt, divided; sunflower oil for frying

April 24, 2017 (last updated March 4, 2021) // 6 Comments »

This post may contain affiliate links. Please read my disclosure policy.

Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe

This is a side view of battered and fried onions in a red basket with parchment paper. One onion is being dipped into a small bowl of ketchup. — Gluten free onion rings are crispy and delicious! The breading is made with oat flour and simple to whip up for a quick vegan snack or appetizer!

The other day I impulsively got onion rings at a restaurant. I’m not a huge onion ring enthusiast so my impulsive order was very uncharacteristic.

I mean… mayyybe once in college I got a bloomin’ onion at Outback with some friends. But generally speaking, it’s not one of my go to eats.

And yet there I was with my onion ring order THRILLED. And, if I’m being honest, I questioned why this wasn’t a staple in my life. Onion rings are amazing. Why did no one tell me?

This vegan and gluten free onion rings recipe is so easy to make… maybe too easy.

It’s battered with an oat flour mixture combined with some spices to make a bomb batter to bathe those onion babies in.

A hand is dipping a fried battered onion into a small silver cup of ketchup. The basket is lined with parchment paper and filled with more onion rings.

Ingredients for gluten free onion rings:

Onion. The star of the show! I use yellow onions. I haven’t tried this recipe with red onions, but you can definitely give it a shot!

Oat milk. You can use you milk you like! Regular dairy milk or almond milk works here too!

Oat flour. I’ve been loving oat flour lately, but you can definitely try another flour here. Cashew flour is a great option if you’re looking for a nut flour. I’ve tied this recipe with almond flour and the breading doesn’t work as well as the others.

Spices. We’re using garlic powder, smoked paprika, and salt.

Sunflower oil. For frying it up! You can use another mellow flavored frying oil.

This is an overhead view of breaded onions in a red basket with parchment paper. A small silver cup filled with ketchup is also in the basket. A blue tea towel is in the top left corner of the image.

How to make vegan & gluten free onion rings:

Slice. Slice your onion into 1/4″ rings and gently separate the layers from one another.

Make the batter. Whisk together the ingredients in a shallow bowl and set aside.

Heat the oil. You want the oil to come up 1/4 – 1/2 inch deep in the pan. Turn the heat to medium-high and heat until the oil is hot.

Batter the rings. Coat the onion rings in the better, flipping them to cover both sides.

Fry. Place the onion rings into the hot oil and cook until golden brown, about 3 minutes, flipping halfway through.

I’m not sure if this is a “first pancake” kind of situation but for some reason my first batch is always the worst. So, I usually do one solo onion ring as a sacrifice for my first batch and then do 5 – 7 rings in the following batches.

Remove. Use a fork to gently remove the onions and place onto a plate lined with a paper towel.

Sprinkle with remaining salt as soon as it comes out of the oil and cooling on the plate.

This is a side view of onion rings in a red basket with parchment paper. A small silver cup filled with ketchup is also in the basket.

A hand is holding a fried onion ring. A red basket with parchment paper is blurred in the background and filled with more onion rings.

Can I store leftover onion rings?

I mean, you can but onion rings are best day of! Store leftovers in the fridge in an airtight container for about three days. Reheat in the oven and enjoy!

More easy appetizers to try: