These vegan onion rings are baked until perfectly crispy outside yet tender in the middle and made with just a few simple pantry ingredients. This recipe is dairy-free, nut-free, vegan, and can easily be made gluten-free.

Restaurant onion rings are usually out of the question since ninety percent contain dairy in the batter. But I have to admit that this homemade version is better than I ever remember them tasting.

The best part about these baked vegan onion rings is you don’t have to deal with any oil splatters and a huge mess that comes with frying. Once you’re done with the assembly line of dredging, the oven does all the work and you have minimal cleanup.

Ingredients

onion – yellow, white, or vidalia
dairy-free milk – I used oat milk, but use whatever you like
all-purpose flour
bread crumbs – panko is ideal because they contribute to that really crispy outter shell
smoked paprika
dried oregano
garlic powder
salt

How to Make Vegan Onion Rings

Step 1. While the oven preheats, slice onions into 1/2-3/4 inch rings, separate them, and set them aside.

Step 2. Get a medium-size bowl and a shallow bowl ready. Using the medium-size bowl, make the batter by whisking the dairy-free milk and flour together until smooth. In the shallow dish, mix together the breadcrumbs and seasonings.

Step 3. Set up your dredging assembly line from right to left starting with your sliced onions, then the batter, then the seasoned breadcrumbs, and then a lined baking sheet.

Step 4. Dip each ring into the batter, lightly shaking off any excess before dredging it in the seasoned breadcrumbs. Arrange them in a single layer on the prepared baking sheet. Spray the tops of the onion rings with oil and then bake until golden brown in color.

But wait… Don’t forget the dipping sauce! I highly recommend serving them with fancy sauce, dairy-free ranch, or dragon sauce.

Make It Your Way: Ingredient Substitutions

Please remember that recipes are just a starting point.

How can you make these baked vegan onion rings using what you already have? Here are some ideas…

Gluten-free? ➝ you can also use chickpea flour (also called garbanzo bean flour or besan) or gluten-free all purpose – just be careful, some brands have milk powder in them.
No panko breadcrumbs? ➝ you can pulse plantain chips or crackers in a food processor until it has a coarse texture (similarly to the breading in my chicken parmesan recipe)
For the seasoning ➝ you can use anything you like, just don’t leave out the salt

Tools Needed

Helpful Tips

HOW TO MINIMIZE GOOEY BREADCRUMBS

Although it’s impossible to not get any batter in the breadcrumbs, to minimize the amount of goo, use one fork for the batter and one fork for the dry mixture.

HOW TO ACHIEVE OPTIMAL CRISPINESS

They hold their breading best if they don’t get flipped. The bottom already gets browned so the oil spray gives a nice browning effect to the top.

HOW TO REHEAT LEFTOVERS?

Reheat the onion rings by placing them on a baking sheet under the broiler for a few minutes, but watch closely so they don’t burn.

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