Onion rings are great, but we all know we shouldn’t be eating them all the time. This deep fried snack is laden with fat and calories.

But how do we explain this to children who are craving onion rings? 

Here’s a great recipe that utilizes baking instead of deep frying. Yes, you’ll still need oil, but by baking, you can control how much oil you use, only adding exactly what’s necessary, and no more.

This yields much healthier onion rings so you can satisfy those cravings without the guilt.

And getting the kids involved in the preparation is a surefire way to getting them excited about eating them! 

Category: Lunch

Preparation time: 40 mins

Cooking time:  20 mins

Total time:  1 hour

Servings: 6 

Your ingredients:

• 2 medium yellow onions
• 3 large eggs
• 3/4 cup all-purpose flour
• 2 teaspoons of baking powder
• 1 1/2 cups of fine dry, whole wheat breadcrumbs
• 1 tablespoon of preferred seasoning blend (Old Bay, Cajun, jerk or whatever you prefer)
• Cooking spray

N.B. Use Chef Remi Measuring Cups Set and Chef Remi Measuring Spoons for accurate measuring of ingredients.

Directions: 

How to make your Baked Onion Rings:

1. Preheat your oven to 450°F.
2. Line 2 large baking sheets with BBQ grill mats. You can use foil instead, but the grill mats will help to cook the onion rings with the minimum amount of oil.
3. Using a sharp chef’s knife and wooden cutting board, cut off the end of both onions and peel off skin. Then, slice into 1/2 inch thick slices.
4. Place your onion rings into a bowl and cover with cold water.
5. In a shallow dish, lightly beat the eggs with a small balloon whisk. In another shallow dish, mix together the flour and baking soda.
6. In a third shallow dish, combine the breadcrumbs and seasoning. Now place the dishes side by side; first the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs.
7. It’s time to get the kids involved! Let them coat the onion rings. Working with one onion ring at a time, remove from cold water, making sure excess water drips off. Then coat in flour, shake off excess, dip in egg, allow excess to drip off, and finally coat in breadcrumbs, shake off excess and place onto the grill mat lined baking sheets.
8. Use your cooking spray to coat the onion rings, making sure all surfaces of the rings are covered.
9. Bake in your oven for 10 minutes. Remove from oven and turn each ring over using kitchen tongs, and then place back into the oven for another 10 minutes, until crispy and brown.

 Tools used:

• Measuring cups
• Measuring spoons
• BBQ grill mats
• Chef’s knife
• Cutting board
• Kitchen whisks
• Kitchen tongs

Chef Remi recommends:

It eliminates the need to add oil spray to make surfaces nonstick, which only adds extra calories. As it is a reusable BBQ grill mat, it also works out cheaper and more environmentally friendly than using parchment paper or foil.

Just wipe clean and place flat on the top rack of your dishwasher.

Add this indispensable kitchen and grilling accessory to your collection today.