Best Crispy Baked Onion Rings

Absolutely oil-free and delicious, these Crispy Baked Onion Rings are a much healthier take on the classic greasy version. These will keep you coming back for more!

This crunchy, tasty, and completely guilt-free recipe was created by Dr. Michael Greger, MD with NutritionFacts.org. He has many more delicious recipes in his book, How Not to Die Cookbook.

Onion rings were a favorite of mine growing up, but I thankfully (and heartfully) gave up my taste for those greasy, oily, deep-fried, fatty monstrosities. The onion rings in this recipe come out pretty close to perfection.

–Dr. Michael Greger, MD

Healthy baked onion rings

So what makes these onion rings healthy? First of all, it’s the lack of artery-clogging grease that traditional onion rings have. I know you remember how greasy your fingers got when you ate those things. This recipe uses only wholesome ingredients without eggs or dairy which makes them vegan as well.

Another amazing onion recipe to try is these amazing Baked Blooming Onions.

Ingredients needed

All of the ingredients in this recipe are healthy, wholesome, and low-fat.

• Red onions
• Oat flour
• Chickpea flour
• Plant milk
• Rice vinegar
• Cornmeal
• Bread crumbs
• Seasonings

The recipe card at the bottom of the page has the full list of ingredients with measurements and instructions.

Gluten-free onion rings

It’s really easy to make this recipe completely gluten-free by switching out one ingredient. Dr. Greger uses whole-grain bread crumbs in his, but those could easily be switched to a gluten-free version like these from Appel Foods.

All of the other ingredients needed are already completely gluten-free. Just make sure to read the label on your cornmeal to make sure that nothing else has been added to the mix.

How to make baked onion rings

Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking and set aside.

Peel the outer skin from the purple onion and cut into 1/2″ slices. Separate the slices into rings. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.

In a shallow bowl, combine the oat flour, chickpea flour, almond milk, and vinegar, stirring to blend well.

In a separate shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, bread crumbs, nutri­tional yeast, Savory Spice Blend, and paprika, mixing well.

In a row, line up the bowls of onion rings, batter, breading mixture, and the prepared baking sheet. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coat­ing it all over. Transfer the onion ring to the breading, tossing to coat. Use a clean, dry hand to sprinkle the breading onto the onion as needed.

Place the coated onion ring on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining ingredients, arranging the rings in a single layer. Use a second baking sheet, if needed. You should have enough batter and breading for about twenty onion rings.

Bake for 10 minutes; then remove from the oven and carefully turn over the rings. Bake for about 10 minutes longer, or until crisp and nicely browned. Serve hot.

Excerpted from the HOW NOT TO DIE COOKBOOK by Michael Greger, M.D. with Gene Stone. Copyright © 2017 by Michael Greger with Gene Stone. Reprinted with permission from Flatiron Books. All rights reserved. Recipes by Robin Robertson. Photography by Antonis Achilleos.

Tips & substitutions

• Onions- Other types of onions can also be used such as yellow or white onions.
• Gluten-free- For those that are avoiding gluten, simply substitute the bread crumbs for something like these made by Appel Foods.
• Bread crumbs- Dr. Greger says to use whole-grain, oil-free, and salt-free bread crumbs. I honestly have not been able to find any. The best option I can see is to make your own by toasting your favorite whole-grain bread and then pulsing it in your blender or food processor until you get the right consistency.
• Almond milk- Any plant milk can be used in place of almond milk.
• Spice blend- This recipe calls for Dr. Greger’s Spice Blend, and you really need to give it a try. It’s delicious for seasoning many other recipes and foods as well. It’s super easy to make.

Dipping suggestions

Since these onion rings are made so healthy, you’ll want to keep that trend going with some low-fat delicious dipping options like these.

• Chipotle Ranch Sauce
• Vegan Ranch Dressing
• Honey Mustard Sauce
• Homemade Ketchup

For those of you new to the whole food plant-based lifestyle, we’ve created a FREE 7-Day Plant-Based Menu Planner to help you get started!

This post may contain affiliate links. Read my full disclosure here.

If you try this recipe, please let us know how you like it by rating it and leaving a comment. We love to hear from you!

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Crispy Baked Onion Rings

Yield: 4 servings

Prep Time: 15 minutes

Cook Time: 20 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

Absolutely oil-free and delicious, these Crispy Baked Onion Rings are a much healthier take on the classic greasy version. These will keep you coming back for more!

Print

Ingredients

• 1 large red onion, cut into 1/2" thick slices
• 2/3 cup oat flour
• 1/4 cup chickpea flour
• 1 cup almond milk
• 1 teaspoon rice vinegar
• 1/3 cup cornmeal
• 3/4 cup bread crumbs
• 1/3 cup nutritritional yeast
• 2 tablespoons Savory Spice Blend
• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Line a large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper to prevent sticking and set aside.
2. Peel the outer skin from the purple onion and cut into 1/2" slices. Separate the slices into rings. Transfer to a bowl and set aside.
3. In a shallow bowl, combine the oat flour, chickpea flour, almond milk, and vinegar, stirring to blend well.
4. In a separate shallow bowl, combine the cornmeal, bread crumbs, nutri­tional yeast, Savory Spice Blend, and paprika, mixing well.
5. In a row, line up the bowls of onion rings, batter, breading mixture, and the prepared baking sheet. Dip an onion ring into the batter, coat­ing it all over. Transfer the onion ring to the breading, tossing to coat. Use a clean, dry hand to sprinkle the breading onto the onion as needed.
6. Place the coated onion ring on the prepared baking sheet and repeat with the remaining ingredients, arranging the rings in a single layer. Use a second baking sheet, if needed. You should have enough batter and breading for about twenty onion rings.
7. Bake for 10 minutes; then remove from the oven and carefully turn over the rings. Bake for about 10 minutes longer, or until crisp and nicely browned. Serve hot.

Notes

Tips & substitutions

• Onions- Other types of onions can also be used such as yellow or white onions.
• Gluten-free- For those that are avoiding gluten, simply substitute the bread crumbs for something like these made by Appel Foods.
• Bread crumbs- Dr. Greger says to use whole-grain, oil-free, and salt-free bread crumbs. I honestly have not been able to find any. The best option I can see is to make your own by toasting your favorite whole-grain bread and then pulsing it in your blender or food processor until you get the right consistency.

• Almond milk- Any plant milk can be used in place of the almond milk.
• Spice blend- This recipe calls for Dr. Greger’s Spice Blend, and you really need to give it a try. It’s delicious for seasoning many other recipes and foods as well. It’s super easy to make.

Excerpted from the HOW NOT TO DIE COOKBOOK by Michael Greger, M.D. with Gene Stone. Copyright © 2017 by Michael Greger with Gene Stone. Reprinted with permission from Flatiron Books. All rights reserved. Recipes by Robin Robertson. Photography by Antonis Achilleos.

Recommended Products

As an Amazon Associate and member of other affiliate programs, I earn from qualifying purchases.

• 
  Chickpea Flour 2lbs / 32oz, Stone Ground Chickpea / Garbanzo bean Flour, Batch Tested Gluten Free, Non-GMO, Vegan.
• 
  Pure Natural Non-fortified Nutritional Yeast Flakes (8 oz.)
• 
  Cornmeal 2lb / 32oz, Corn Meal for Baking and Cooking, Stone Ground Cornmeal Medium Grind, Gluten Free Cornmeal, 100% Whole Ground Corn, Non-GMO.

Nutrition Information:

Yield: 4 Serving Size: 5 rings
Amount Per Serving: Calories: 183Total Fat: 2.5gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 0mgSodium: 158mgCarbohydrates: 26gFiber: 6.2gSugar: 2gProtein: 4g

To obtain the most accurate representation of the nutritional information in a given recipe, you should calculate the nutritional information with the actual ingredients used in your recipe, using your preferred nutrition calculator. You are solely responsible for ensuring that any nutritional information provided is accurate, complete, and useful.

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About the Chef

Dr. Greger is a physician, New York Times bestselling author, and internationally recognized speaker on nutrition, food safety, and public health issues. He is the Research Director for NutritionFacts.org.

A founding member and Fellow of the American College of Lifestyle Medicine, Dr. Greger is licensed as a general practitioner specializing in clinical nutrition.

He is a graduate of the Cornell University School of Agriculture and Tufts University School of Medicine. In 2017, Dr. Greger was honored with the ACLM Lifestyle Medicine Trailblazer Award and became a diplomat of the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine.