Homemade Onion Rings Better than Sonic
French fries are a super popular side dish with some of our favorites like hamburgers and hot dogs. But I like variety in my life, especially with side dishes. And sometimes I want a different crunch to accompany my tailgate style food. So, I’m here to show you how to make Homemade Onion Rings Better than Sonic! They are super crunchy, tender on the inside, full of flavor, and the perfect addition for those “casual” meals by the pool or around a campfire while roasting hot dogs.
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Onion rings have always been around and were a “go-to” side for my parents at fast food restaurants when I was a kid. Most of the time, I would opt for fries, but now and then, I’d switch things up and grab the onion rings… if we were at Sonic.
The Sonic Restaurants know how to make a good onion ring, that’s for sure! Their recipe stands out because the crust has a slightly sweet flavor and is SUPER CRISPY! The secret ingredient is a touch of sugar and breadcrumbs instead of flour to achieve this perfect onion ring.
Let’s Learn Something Here! Sonic – America’s Drive-in
In the South, we are experts at frying, and we generally use a combination of self-rising flour, eggs, and milk to achieve a crispy coating on our chicken tenders and chicken fried steak. But breadcrumbs offer a different type of texture.
Breadcrumbs offer a delicious crunch in the original Sonic onion rings recipe that flour alone can’t provide. They are ground so small that they can thoroughly coat the onions, making the crust thin but still crispy. In contrast, flour is crunchy but also thicker.
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This recipe fits with one of my newfound goals: convincing home cooks that they can make their restaurant favorites in their kitchens. With a bit of preparation, time, and knowledge, anyone can make the perfect side dish, spectacular dessert, or extravagant main dish.
Once you’ve mastered these “golden rings,” it’s time to decide on your dipping sauce. Most people go with the classics, like Ketchup, BBQ sauce, honey mustard, or ranch dressing, but my family prefers something different.
I call this “kickin’ sauce”. It’s my version of a remoulade and Cane’s sauce combined. It’s made with simple ingredients like garlic powder, mayo, onion powder, Worcestershire, black pepper, Cajun seasoning, Louisiana hot sauce, chili powder, vinegar, and paprika.
** On a silly side note. I once drove into “America’s favorite drive-in” and ordered a burger without onions because I didn’t want to have bad breath. The crazy thing is that I ordered onion rings instead of fries! And I didn’t catch the hypocrisy of it until later. (Slaps self on forehead) But to be fair, raw onion and fried onion are not the same! (HA**
Tips for Homemade Onion Rings Better than Sonic:
- For extra crispy onion rings, use panko breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs
- When making your onion rings at home, you have control of the size. Just remember that cooking time might vary slightly.
- Thinner rings can almost turn out like shoe-string onions, which are also delicious and are perfect beside and inside sandwiches and burgers.
- I offer thick rings with this recipe because they are the most like Sonic.
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Homemade Onion Rings Better than Sonic Ingredients:
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 cup dried breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- Sprinkle of salt
Homemade Onion Rings Better than Sonic Instructions:
- First, heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed over medium-high heat. (Use enough oil to equal 1 inch in the skillet.)
- Second, slice the onion into rings at your desired thickness. (I like 1/2 inch)
- Third, separate the slices of onion.
- Combine flour and sugar in a small bowl.
- Next, pour the breadcrumbs into a separate shallow bowl.
- Then, mix the egg and milk in a third bowl.
- Next, place the separated onion slices in the flour mixture until coated, shake off the excess flour, and set aside.
- Then, dip the flour-covered onion slices into the milk and egg mixture.
- Next, place the coated onion ring into the breadcrumbs bowl until completely coated.
- Then, drop the onion slices into hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy.
- Finally, remove the onion rings from the hot oil, place them on paper towels to drain excess oil, and sprinkle them with salt.
- Serve the fried onion rings immediately with your favorite dishes!
Storage for Homemade Onion Rings Better than Sonic:
Leftover onion rings can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for a few days.
What are the Macros for Homemade Onion Rings Better than Sonic?
Makes 6 servings (Nutritional information below is for 1 serving = 5 onion rings)
- Calories –
- Protein –
- Carbs – (net)
- Fat –
Check out some of my other Copycat recipes!
Copycat Chicken Salad Chick Fancy Nancy Recipe
Copycat Auntie Anne’s Soft Pretzels (Garlic Parmesan)
Better than Cracker Barrel’s Hamburger Vegetable Soup
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Homemade Onion Rings better than Sonic
Equipment
- 1 heavy-bottomed skillet
Ingredients
- 1 medium yellow onion
- 1/2 cup self-rising flour
- Vegetable oil for frying
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- 1 cup dried breadcrumbs
- 2 eggs
- 1/4 cup whole milk
- Sprinkle of salt
Instructions
- First, heat vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed over medium-high heat. (Use enough oil to equal 1 inch in the skillet.)
- Second, slice the onion into rings at your desired thickness. (I like 1/2 inch)
- Third, separate the slices of onion.
- Combine flour and sugar in a small bowl.
- Next, pour the breadcrumbs into a separate shallow bowl.
- Then, mix the egg and milk in a third bowl.
- Next, place the separated onion slices in the flour mixture until coated, shake off the excess flour, and set aside.
- Then, dip the flour-covered onion slices into the milk and egg mixture.
- Next, place the coated onion ring into the breadcrumbs bowl until completely coated.
- Then, drop the onion slices into hot oil and fry until golden brown and crispy.
- Finally, remove the onion rings from the hot oil, place them on paper towels to drain excess oil, and sprinkle them with salt.
- Serve the fried onion rings immediately with your favorite dishes!
