Keto Onion Rings

Name: Keto Onion Rings
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 10 min
Total time: 15 min
Ingredients: 120 g onions (actual onion rings - 3 onions (170g) and I discarded the ends and tiny bits in the middle); 1/2 cup whey protein powder (isolate, 50g); 3/4 tsp garlic powder; 1 tsp paprika; 1/2 tsp flaked salt; 1/4 tsp black pepper; 1 large egg; 1 tsp dijon mustard; 1 tbsp sparkling water; Oil to fry. Avocado ghee or coconut are best. (I used 2 cups.)

Jump to Recipe Cookbooks Meal Plan

These are the crispiest keto onion rings you'll ever find! They are ready in just 15 minutes and make a tasty appetizer, side dish or snack. Includes frying pan method, air fryer method and oven method.

low carb onion rings in a bowl with a portion of ketchup on the side

Crispy onion rings are always on top of the list when I have a "junk food" kinda day. Even before I started a low carb diet, I'd reach for onion rings over French fries. They are just so much more interesting!

I think you'll love this keto onion rings recipe. It goes perfectly with keto chicken nuggets, keto hot dogs or burgers (check out my black burger buns!).

I decided to make them the old school way by deep-frying them for superb crispness.

This batter tastes very similar to one made with wheat flour because it uses my secret ingredient - whey protein isolate. It is super-fine and becomes incredibly crispy - much more than any almond flour coating!

Jump to:

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe
Ingredients
Variations
Instructions
Recipe FAQs
Dipping Sauces
Storage
Related Recipes
Recipe

🌟 Why You'll Love This Recipe

Incredibly crispy texture
Authentic flavor
Naturally gluten-free
3 cooking methods - pan-fry, air fryer and oven
keto friendly - only 3.3g net carbs per portion

Ingredients

Here are the ingredients you will need:

Onions - I use yellow onions because they are lowest in net carbs.
Whey protein isolate - This should be unfavored whey protein.
Seasoning - It's essential to use a good amount of spices to flavor the breading mixture. I like garlic powder, paprika, sea salt and black pepper.
Egg - Just like for any regular breading, the egg is necessary to bind the breading with the onion.
Dijon mustard - In my opinion, this tastes better than yellow mustard.
Sparkling water - There is something about carbonated water that makes the breading lighter and crispier than if you used regular water.
Avocado oil, ghee or coconut oil to fry. All of these oils have a high smoke point. Another option would be to use a light olive oil.

See the recipe card for full information on ingredients and quantities.

Variations

There are various types of gluten-free batters and breading. The most common coatings are almond flour, coconut flour or pork rinds plus seasonings.

For a variation, try these keto bread crumbs instead of the whey protein mixture. This breading contains almond flour, parmesan cheese and my secret ingredient - ground flaxseed. It is super crispy.

Instructions

This section contains step by step instructions and photos that show how to make the recipe.

Step 1: Slice the onions into rings.

Step 2: Place all the dry ingredients in a shallow bowl and mix. Add the wet ingredients to another bowl and mix to combine.

Onions in a bowl with whisked egg and in another bowl with breading mix.

Step 3: Dip each onion ring in the egg mixture and then into the dry mixture to fully coat them with the breading.

Step 4: Heat the oil in a large pan until hot and bubbling. The oil should be deep enough to fully cover the onion rings.

Step 5: Carefully lower the onion rings into the hot oil and fry about 45 seconds or until golden brown and crisp.

Removing onion rings from the pan with a slotted spoon.

Step 6: Remove the rings with a slotted spoon and place on a paper towel to soak up any excess fat. Repeat until all rings are fried.

Onion rings on a piece of kitchen paper.

Expert Tips

Here are my top tips how to make the recipe perfectly.

Coating: Use one hand for the bowl with the dry mixture and the other hand for the bowl with the wet mixture. That way, your hands won't get sticky and messy.

Frying: Coat 8 rings at a time and fry in batches of 4 to avoid the batter soaking and disappearing into the egg.

Recipe FAQs

How to make onion rings in the air fryer?

Spray the breaded onion rings with cooking spray and air fry at 180C / 350F for 8 minutes or until the top is browned. Then flip them over with a spatula and air-fry for a further 8 minutes or until fully crisp.
The most important thing is to keep the rings in a singer layer so the air can circulate around. If you have a smaller air fryer, you'll need to cook them in 2 batches.

Can I make onion rings in the oven?

Yes, but they won't be as crispy as with the deep-fried or air fried method. To bake low carb onion rings, preheat the oven to 200C / 400F. Line a baking pan with parchment paper and arrange the onions in a single layer, not touching each other.
Spray them generously with oil and bake for about 10 minutes or until the tops are golden. Flip over and bake for another 10 minutes or until the keto breading is golden all over.

Can I make them ahead?

I don't recommend it. The rings go soft when stored. Also, they need to be fried straight after breading or the whey protein powder will go soggy.

Are onions keto?

Onions are are suitable for a keto diet in moderation. Since an average whole onion contains 11 grams of net carbs, it's important to keep the portion size low.

Are onion rings keto?

Regular onion rings are not keto friendly. They are coated in wheat flour, cornflour or breadcrumbs. These keto onion rings are the perfect solution for a low carb diet.

Dipping Sauces

Onion rings taste even better with a dipping sauce!

Serve them with homemade sugar free ketchup, keto mayonnaise or sugar free sweet chili sauce.

They also taste great with ranch dressing or a blue cheese dressing. For a bit of kick, choose this sriracha aioli.

Storage

Refrigerator: Keto onion rings are best fresh. If you have leftovers, store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 2 days. They will go soft.

Reheating: To crisp them up again, reheat in the air fryer or in the preheated oven at 200C / 400F for about 5 minutes.

The recipe is not suitable for freezing.

Here are more veggie based keto appetizers to try: