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Best and easy copycat Frenchs crispy fried onions from scratch
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5 from 2 votes

French's Crispy Fried Onions | How to make Crispy Fried Onion Strings

Make your classic holiday dishes extra special by topping them with homemade crispy fried onions. Yes, Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner is incomplete without crispy fried onions.
Prep Time15 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time30 minutes
Course: Appetizer, Side Dish, snacks
Cuisine: American, European, United Kingdom
Servings: 12
Calories: 79kcal
Author: Kushi

Equipment

Ingredients

  • 1 pound Onions, thinely sliced (500 grams or 16 oz approx)
  • 2 cups Buttermilk (homemade or store bought )
  • 1 cup All purpose flour
  • 1 teaspoon Paprika or Red chile powder
  • ½ to 1 teaspoon Onion powder, optional
  • ¾ teaspoon Salt
  • Oil for frying

Instructions

  • Soak onions in buttermilk for a minimum of 10 minutes to up to 1 hr. Soaking sliced onions in buttermilk helps to mellow down any sharp flavors.
    1 pound Onions, thinely sliced (500 grams or 16 oz approx), 2 cups Buttermilk (homemade or store bought )
  • In a large plate or bowl, add flour, paprika, onion powder, and salt, and mix.
    1 cup All purpose flour, 1 teaspoon Paprika or Red chile powder, ½ to 1 teaspoon Onion powder, optional, ¾ teaspoon Salt
  • Drain the buttermilk from onions as much as possible and dredge it in the flour in batches (check out the video here).
  • Heat oil in a pan on a medium flame for frying. Once hot, add the dredged onions and fry them on a medium-high flame in batches until crispy and golden brown.
    Oil for frying
  • Transfer it to a paper towel using a slotted spoon.
  • Store it in an airtight container and use it as and when needed.

Video

Notes

  • Deep frying will give the best results over the air fryer or oven method.
  • Drain as much buttermilk as possible before you dredge for a light and crisp coating.
  • Adjust the spices you add to the flour as per your taste. You can even add cajun seasoning or pizza seasoning if desired. Or simply add pepper powder and salt for a minimum spice flavor.
  • Make sure you slice the onion as thin as possible - mine was about 3 to 4 mm thick.
  • It is important to fry the onion on medium-high flame. If you fry on a low flame, it will absorb excess oil, and frying on a high flame will burn your onion strings.
  • The total frying time depends on the onions' thickness, the flame's intensity, and the material of the pan used.
  • To check if the oil is hot, add a small piece of onion and see if it sizzles and comes up.
 

Nutrition

Calories: 79kcal | Carbohydrates: 14g | Protein: 3g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 0.3g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 189mg | Potassium: 125mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 149IU | Vitamin C: 3mg | Calcium: 57mg | Iron: 1mg