Description
These cheesy onion rings take the classic appetizer to the next level! Stuffed with mozzarella and fried until crispy – perfect with marinara sauce.
Ingredients
Big sweet onion – You need one with really large rings that can hold the cheese without falling apart
String cheese – The individually wrapped mozzarella sticks work perfectly and are already the right shape
Standard breading setup – Flour, egg wash, and panko crumbs for that restaurant-style crunch
Toothpicks – Absolutely essential for keeping everything together while they cook
Plenty of oil – You need enough to completely cover them for even frying
Instructions
Cut your onion into thick slices, maybe half an inch or so, then separate all the rings. You’re going to pair them up with a bigger ring on the outside and a smaller one that fits inside with some space between them. This space is where your cheese is going to live.
Take your mozzarella sticks and cut them to fit in that gap between your onion rings. Put the cheese in there and stick a toothpick through the whole thing to hold it together. This part is a little fiddly, but it’s what makes these special instead of just regular onion rings.
Mix up flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and roll each assembled ring in this mixture. Set them on a wire rack while you make the batter because they need to sit for a minute to help the coating stick better.
Beat together milk and egg, then mix that into your leftover flour mixture until you get a smooth batter. It should be thick enough to stick to the onions but not so thick that it’s like paste.
Dip each floured ring into your batter, let the extra drip off, then roll them in panko breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs on gently so they stick well. This triple coating is what gives you that amazing crunch.
Heat your oil to 350 degrees and carefully drop in a few rings at a time. Don’t crowd them or they won’t cook evenly. Fry until one side is golden brown, flip them over, and do the other side. The cheese inside will be perfectly melted by the time the outside is crispy.
Notes
Use a thermometer – Guessing oil temperature never works as well as actually knowing
Let excess batter drip – Too much makes them heavy instead of light and crispy
Serve immediately – These lose their magic fast once they start cooling down
Have everything ready – Set up your breading station before you start because once you begin, you need to move fast
- Prep Time: 15 Minutes
- Cook Time: 7 Minutes
- Cuisine: American