Sourdough Discard Onion Rings

These crispy homemade sourdough onion rings are battered with sourdough discard and deep fried to perfection! They're a great appetizer for game-day or side for burger night!

Course Appetizer, Side Dish, Snack

Cuisine American

Diet Vegan

Prep Time 15

Cook Time 15

Total Time 30

Servings

Calories 424kcal

Author Kyleigh Sage

Equipment

dutch oven
deep fry thermometer
2-4 cups canola oil for frying
spider strainer

Ingredients

Onion Rings

2 large sweet onions (Walla Walla or Vidalia are best)
1 ½ cups sourdough starter discard

Flour Breading

1 ½ cups all purpose flour
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon black pepper
1 teaspoon garlic powder
1 teaspoon onion powder
1 teaspoon smoked paprika
½ teaspoon cayenne pepper optional

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Pour 2-4 cups of vegetable oil (you want it to be at least 2-3 inches deep) into a large, heavy bottomed pot or dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375°F. [I love this thermometer because it clips to the pot.] Place a cooling rack on top of a lined baking sheet and position it next to your stove.
While the oil is heating, bread the onion rings.
First slice your onion rings. Trim away both ends of the onion and remove the papery outer layers. Then slice the onion crosswise into ½ inch rings. Gently separate the rings and set aside.
In a large dish, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cayenne.
In a separate bowl, add in the sourdough discard. If needed, slowly whisk in water to thin it out until it reaches the consistency of thick pancake batter. [I usually have to add anywhere from ¼ to ½ cup of water depending on how fresh my sourdough discard is].
Take an onion rings and dip it into the sourdough discard and gently shake off any excess (you just want a thin layer).
Then dip the battered onion ring into the flour mixture to coat fully. Repeat with all the onion rings.
Once the oil reaches 375°F, add the first batch of onion rings and fry for about 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway, or until golden brown. Only fry 4-6 onion rings at a time in a single layer to avoid overcrowding the pot which can cause the oil temperature to drop.
Use a spider strainer or slotted spoon to remove the onion rings the oil and place on the wire rack to let the excess oil drip off.
Repeat until all the onion rings have been fried (it usually takes me 4-5 batches).
Once fried, you can keep the fried onion rings nice and crispy by transferring the baking sheet to a 200°F oven. The low temperature ensures the onion rings don't overcook but the heat helps keep the breading from getting soggy.
Sprinkle the sourdough onion rings with flaky sea salt and serve immediately with your favorite dipping sauce!

Notes

Fried onion rings are best eaten immediately while still hot, but they will keep in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Reheat in the oven at 400°F for about 10-15 minutes, until crispy. I recommend placing them on a rack over a baking sheet so that the air can fully circulate around them and get super crispy again!

Nutrition