Published: Last Updated: by Marye 1158 words. | About 6 minutes to read this article.
Homemade French fried onions are super crispy with lots of flavor and a tongue-tingling kick from optional Cajun seasonings. The crunchy texture is perfect on your green bean casserole! They're much easier to make than you might think!
Prep Time 15 minutes mins
Cook Time 3 minutes mins
Total Time 13 minutes mins
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You'll never have to make a quick run to the store the day before Thanksgiving when you've got this easy recipe at your fingertips! SO convenient - and better than store bought.
Perfect on top of all your favorite casseroles and soups!
Table of Contents
- ❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- 🧾Ingredients
- 🔪Instructions
- 🎥 Video
- 🥫 Storage
- 💭 Tips
- 👩🍳 FAQs
- 📚 Related recipes
- 📞 The last word
- 📖 Recipe
- 💬 Comments
OMG these are amazing...
OMG these are amazing! My husband is a glutard, so I substituted GF flour, and they came out SO much better than any other recipe I've tried. THANK YOU!
Elena
❤️ Why you'll love this recipe
- better than the original crispy fried onions
- perfect to top casseroles and for salad toppings
- don't do Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner without them!
Quick, easy, and money saving!
These are so delicious with that crunch texture we all love - and no worries about the store being sold out during the holidays.
After all, what's green bean casserole without those crispy fried onions on top?
🧾Ingredients
- Tony Chachere's Seasoning is a spicy blend that I add to the flour -there's a link in the recipe or you might like to try my copycat Tony Chachere's seasoning.. You can substitute salt and pepper if you like.
- Peanut Oil is my favorite for frying as long as there are no allergies. It's got a high smoke point and fries clean and crispy. Other oils to use are: safflower, grape seed, or canola.
🔪Instructions
Note: This is an overview of the instructions. The full instructions are in the green recipe card below. Click on the image to see it full size.
You'll find the instructions for frying, air frying, and baking in the printable card at the bottom of the page.
- Slice white onions very thin and soak in buttermilk about 10 minutes.
- Mix the flour and the seasoning.
- Drain the onions dredge in the flour mixture.
- Let sit for about 5 minutes before frying.
- Heat oil to 375F. Fry a few at a time in hot oil.
- Remove when they are golden brown. They will crisp more as they cool.
Note: I used to have air fryer instructions but I have removed them because the quality is just not there.
🎥 Video
🥫 Storage
Homemade French fried onions can be stored at room temperature in an airtight container for a couple of days. Here's how -
- Cool completely.
- Store in an airtight container.
- Crisp back up (if needed) in a 375F oven for 5 minutes or so - watch carefully!
💭 Tips
Expert Tip: The trick for copycat French's fried onions is to slice the onions super thin and fry them until they are crispy but not burnt.
- Deep frying in oil is the best way to make fried onions. Air fryer and oven methods are ok but not as good as frying.
- Use a large mild onion like a 1015 onion.
- Let them soak in the buttermilk longer if the onions are very strong.
- Drain as much buttermilk as possible off the onions before dredging in the flour.
- If you don't have buttermilk you can use regular milk.
- Use these crispy fried onion strings on top of any casserole the way you would with Durkee or French's.
- Grind them into crumbs and use them to coat the chicken.
- Homemade French fried onions are fabulous on burgers and hot dogs!
- Eat for a snack.
👩🍳 FAQs
Here are the questions I am most frequently asked about this recipe.
Can these be made gluten-free?
They can! Just substitute GF flour for the all-purpose flour. It couldn't be easier! Be sure to double-check any seasonings you add for gluten.
How should I store them - are they shelf stable?
You can store them in an airtight container in a cool pantry for a day or two if you've been sure to cook them thoroughly. You may need to crisp them back up for a few minutes in an air fryer or oven.
Can I make these a day or two in advance? Do they stay crispy?
Yes. Just be sure to drain well and blot off as much oil as possible, let them cool completely, and store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Can I make these vegan?
Absolutely. Just use oat milk or other plant-based milk with a tablespoon of vinegar per cup.
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📞 The last word
A few years ago Thanksgiving came and I was madly throwing things together trying to get everything done. I realized at the very last minute that I did not have the crispy onions for the top of the green bean casserole.
Quelle horreur!
I did what any red-blooded American foodie would do... I had a meltdown.
Once that was out of the way I figured out how to make my own copycat French's onions. And I like them SO much better.
I will never go back to the store-bought French fried onions again. These are so good!
We love them on top of this crack chicken chili.
📖 Recipe
4.77 from 126 votes
Crispy French Fried Onions (Copycat French's Onions) from Scratch
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Homemade French fried onions are super crispy with lots of flavor and a tongue-tingling kick from optional Cajun seasonings. The crunchy texture is perfect on your green bean casserole! They're much easier to make than you might think!
Course Condiments and Spices,Side Dish
Cuisine Amercian Heritage
Prep Time: 15 minutes minutes
Cook Time: 3 minutes minutes
Total Time: 13 minutes minutes
Servings:12
Calories:127
Author:Marye Audet-White
Ingredients
- 1 ½ pounds onions, peeled and sliced paper thin
- 2 cups buttermilk
- 2 cups flour, all-purpose
- 3 tablespoons Creole Seasoning (Tony Chachere’s), or your favorite seasoning
- Peanut oil for frying, (I like this best, if there is an allergy any other oil with a high smoke point can be used.)
I earn a commission from Instacart from qualifying purchases.
Instructions
Heat the deep fryer up to 375F.
Mix the flour and the Tony Chachere's Creole Seasoning in a large bowl.
Add the onions to the buttermilk in a separate bowl and let stand for 10 minutes.
Drain and then dredge in the flour.
Shake off excess flour.
Fry, a few at a time, until golden brown and crisp.
Drain on paper towels.
Store in an airtight container.
Notes
Tips
- The trick is to slice the onions super thin and fry them until they are crispy but not burnt. You don't want onion rings, you want them to be crispy all the way through so you have that classic crunch.
- Drain as much buttermilk as possible off the onions before dredging in the flour.
- If you don't have buttermilk you can use regular milk.
- Use these on top of any casserole the way you would with Durkee or French's.
- Grind them into crumbs and use them to coat chicken.
- Fabulous on burgers and hot dogs!
- Eat for a snack.
Can these French fried onions be made gluten-free?
They can! Just substitute gluten-free flour for the flour in the recipe. It couldn't be easier! Be sure to double-check any seasonings you add for gluten.
Storage:
Store French-fried onions in an airtight container in a cool pantry for a day or two. Make sure you've cooked them thoroughly. You may need to crisp them back up for a few minutes in an air fryer or oven.
For safety's sake, it's probably better to put them in the fridge if you are going to keep them longer and crisp them up when ready to use again.
You'll find more helpful tips and variations in the body of the post.
Nutrition Facts
Calories: 127kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 1g | Saturated Fat: 0g | Cholesterol: 4mg | Sodium: 45mg | Potassium: 184mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 4g | Vitamin A: 585IU | Vitamin C: 5.1mg | Calcium: 64mg | Iron: 1.2mg
Nutrition information is estimated as a courtesy. If using for medical purposes, please verify information using your own nutritional calculator. Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
First published November 2015. Last updated September 4, 2023 for editorial improvements.
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About Marye
Meet Marye Audet, a wizard in the kitchen and a storyteller at heart. Marye is like your eccentric but fun aunt who knows all the secret recipes and isn't afraid to spill them. She's been around the culinary block more than once, turning simple ingredients into mouthwatering masterpieces. With a sprinkle of humor and a dash of wit, she makes cooking feel like a piece of cake (which she can also teach you to bake perfectly). When she's not conjuring up delicious dishes, you might find her sharing laughs with her family, reading by the fire, or scribbling down her next big recipe idea. Marye believes that a good meal and a hearty laugh are the best parts of life. Marye's a NY Times Bestselling author with 10 cookbooks under her belt and her recipes have been featured in Good Housekeeping, Country Living, Today, House Beautiful, Texas Living, Food & Wine, and many more.
Reader Interactions
Comments
Cindy
These are so good with your campfire sauce recipe!Reply
Camden
I'm surprised to see how easy it is to make french fried onions at home!
Reply
Alyssa
These french fried onions would be perfect on top of a cheeseburger! Can't wait to give these a try!
Reply
Kristen
Do you think I could make a gluten free version of this french fried onions recipe? My daughter and I both have gluten allergies, and every Thanksgiving and Christmas I spend a million dollars on the store-bought gluten free version--let alone trying to even track it down! I wonder if it would be cheaper and tastier if I made it at home!Reply
Kristen
Do you think I could make a gluten free version of this recipe? My daughter and I both have gluten allergies, and every Thanksgiving and Christmas I spend a million dollars on the store-bought gluten free version--let alone trying to even track it down! I wonder if it would be cheaper and tastier if I made it at home!Reply
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