Versatile, flavorful, and completely addictive, you’ll want to put these crispy onion strings on everything.
These delicate beauties are the perfect companion to lots of stuff, like stacked burgers and sandwiches. You could throw them on soups, in pasta salads at a BBQ, or alongside a juicy mushroom or tofu steak. Yum! They’re perfect multitaskers and even better, you can freeze them and have them ready to add crunchy satisfaction to any meal, any time.
Crispy Onion Strings
Versatile and flavlorful fried onion strings.
- 1 large white onion
- 3 cups neutral vegetable oil, for frying
- 1½ cups unsweetened soy milk
- 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
- 2 cups all-purpose flour
- 1½ tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp granulated garlic powder
- 1 tsp sea salt, plus more for finishing
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
Thinly slice the onion. It's best to use a mandoline (with the hand guard!) to get the slices even, but if you have great knife skills, then try it by hand. The slices should be thin enough that you can almost see through them.
Heat up the frying oil in a heavy-bottom pot or a deep fryer to 365 to 375°F. Using 3 cups is a suggestion. If using. deep fryer, you may need more to reach the fill line of the vessel, and if you're using a pot, be sure it's only a third full of oil.
Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, whisk together the soy milk and apple cider vinegar. Add the onion slices and let them soak for 15 minutes. In a separate mixing bowl, combine the flour with the smoked paprkia, garlic powder, sea salt, cayenne, and black pepper.
When the oil is the right temperature, use your hand or a pair of tongs to take a small handful of onion slices from the liquid and evenly coat with the flour mixture. Place the onions into the oil. Use a fork to move them around in the oil to prevent any from sticking to each other. Fry for about 2 minutes, until golden brown. Remove that batch with the tongs and lay onto a wire rack placed over a baking sheet. Sprinkle with a small pinch of sea salt. Continue frying in batches until the remaining onions are fried.
Once the onion strings are completely cool, you can place any leftovers in a freezer-safe bag or container for longer storage. To reheat, preheat the oven to 400°F. Lay the onions on a baking sheet and bake for 5 to 7 minutes, until crispy. Watch closely, as the onions are likely to overcook quickly and turn too dark.
Reprinted with permission from Hot for Food All Day, by Lauren Toyota. Ten Speed Press 2021. All rights reserved.