Beer Battered Onion Rings

There’s something truly irresistible about a plate of golden, crispy onion rings! Especially when they’re beer battered and fried to crispy perfection. The batter turns light and airy thanks to the bubbles in the beer, while the onions inside become soft and sweet. They’re the ultimate snack to serve alongside burgers, barbecues or even just with a cold drink on a sunny afternoon.

Looking for serving options? Serve these with my homemade garlic aioli for the perfect dipping sauce!

Ingredients for Beer Battered Onion Rings

This batter might look familiar because it’s the same one I use for my classic fish and chips… and for good reason. It’s light, crisp, and full of flavour thanks to the mix of rice flour, plain flour and a touch of bi carb soda.

• Beer – The bubbles in the beer create that light, airy texture in the batter. A cold lager or pale ale works beautifully, but use whatever you have on hand.
• Rice flour – My secret to achieving that extra crispiness. It keeps the coating light and prevents it from going soggy.
• Plain flour – Gives the batter structure and helps it cling perfectly to each onion ring.
• Bi carb soda – A small but mighty ingredient that adds lift and helps create that delicate crunch.
• Sweet paprika – I like to add this for a little colour and flavour but it can be skipped!
• Onions – Go for large brown or white onions for the perfect size and sweetness once fried.
• Olive oil – I fry these in olive oil because it gives a beautiful golden colour and a subtle richness that you just don’t get from other oils. You can always use a neutral oil such a vegetable, canola or grapeseed oil.
• Garlic aioli – For serving, because everything is better dipped in garlic and olive oil.

Expert Tips

• Rice flour – This is the secret to achieving that beautifully crisp batter. It keeps the coating light and delicate rather than heavy or doughy.
• Fry hot and quick – Make sure your oil is nice and hot (around 190°C / 375°F). A quick fry at a high temperature stops the onions from releasing too much moisture and keeps that batter perfectly crispy.
• Keep your batter cold – This is key! When icy cold batter hits hot oil, it instantly puffs up and creates that irresistible crunch. If you’re making a big batch, rest the bowl over ice to keep it chilled.
• Use beer – The bubbles and yeast in beer make the batter airy and light, giving it that signature crisp shell. You’ll get that beautiful pub-style onion ring every time.
• Let them rest right – Once fried, place the onion rings on a wire rack instead of paper towel. This stops steam from softening the batter so they stay crunchy for longer.
• Use a digital scale – I like to use a digital scale to get my measurements precise.

How To Make Beer Battered Onion Rings

Making these beer battered onion rings couldn’t be easier, especially with my foolproof batter.

Step 1: Begin by making the beer batter. In a medium size bowl, combine the all purpose flour, rice flour, baking soda, sweet paprika and salt. Using a whisk, slowly stir through the beer until there are no clumps and you have a runny and smooth batter. Make sure you don’t over whisk the batter as this will affect the crispiness later on! Cover and leave to sit in the fridge for a minimum of 15 minutes.

Step 2: Peel the onions and slice them into 3cm rings. Separate the rings and lay them onto a baking tray. Dust the onion rings with flour.

Step 3: On a high heat in a large pot, heat the oil to 190°C / 375°F. Dip the onion rings into the batter and allow the excess batter to drip off. Carefully drop into the hot oil and cook for 3 – 5 minutes or until crispy and golden. Do this step in batches so you do not overcrowd the pot. Leave the onion rings to cool on a cooling rack.

Step 4: Serve with a dipping sauce of your choice and sprinkle with a little sea salt while still hot!

FAQ’s

How To Serve

• With garlic aioli – My favourite way to serve them. The creamy, garlicky dip pairs perfectly with the crispy batter.
• At a BBQ – These always steal the show at a summer barbecue. Serve them as a side with grilled steak, my burger with bacon jam or grilled garlic butter prawns!
• As a snack or starter – Pile them high on a platter with a few dipping sauces like garlic confit aioli, spicy mayo or sweet tomato jam.
• With fish and chips – Use the same foolproof batter for both and make it a classic pub-style meal at home.
• Sprinkle with sea salt – Once fried, add a pinch of flaky sea salt while they’re still hot to bring out all that beautiful flavour.

How To Store

• Fridge – Store any leftover onion rings in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
• Reheat – To bring back their crunch, reheat them in a hot oven at 200°C / 400°F for about 5 minutes or in an air fryer at 180°C / 350°F for 3–4 minutes. Both methods will crisp the batter beautifully. Avoid the microwave as it will make them soft.
• Batter – The batter is best used fresh, but if you have leftovers, you can keep it in the fridge for up to an hour before frying. Just make sure it stays cold for that perfect crispiness.

If you make these Beer Battered Onion Rings, please tag me on Instagram, Tik Tok or Pinterest so I can see your wonderful creations!

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