Onion ring

Onion rings (also called French-fried onion rings)^[1] generally consist of a cross-sectional "ring" of onion dipped in batter and/or bread crumbs and then deep fried; a variant is made with onion paste. While typically served as a side dish, onion rings are often eaten by themselves.

Onion ring

Basket of onion rings
Type	Entree, main dish, snack dish
Course	Hors d'oeuvre
Place of origin	United Kingdom
Main ingredients	Onions, batter or bread crumbs
Media: Onion ring

Onion strings are a variant where the onion is cut vertically first, resulting in strips rather than circles.^[2]

History

The earliest recipe for onion rings dates back to 1802, when British food writer John Mollard published The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined. It called for cutting onions into slices, dipping them into a batter including Parmesan cheese, and deep-frying them in lard. The recipe also suggested serving them with a sauce of melted butter and mustard.^[3]

Many recipes for deep-fried onion slices or rings are found starting in the early 20th century. There are various processes:

• no coating: 1902,^[4] 1907;^[5]
• dipped in milk or egg and coated in flour: 1902,^[6] 1908,^[7] 1909,^[8] 1910,^[9] 1916;^[10]
• battered: 1919,^[11] 1922;^[12]
• breaded: 1914.^[13]

• 
  Onion ringlets
• 
  Onion rings with dip sauce (Philippines)

Food chemistry

The cooking process decomposes propanethial oxide in the onion into the sweet-smelling and tasting in bispropenyl disulfide, responsible for the slightly sweet taste of onion rings.^[14]

See also

• Food portal

• Blooming onion – a whole onion that is cut into a flower shape that fans out
• Fried onions
• Funyuns – an onion-flavored, corn-based snack food, shaped like onion rings
• List of deep-fried foods
• List of hors d'oeuvre
• List of onion dishes