Tobacco Onions
Ultra crunchy and seasoned to perfection- these tobacco onions are a next level delicious and addictive snack you’ll love every bite of.
Thinly sliced onions are coated in a mixture of flour and seasonings and deep fried until golden brown- think of them as a crunchier version of your favorite onion rings. I also love using these as a topping- just like my Air Fryer crispy noodles.
If you love the crispy and crunchy texture of potato chips, you’ve got to try making these. They have a deep golden brown hue and a curly appearance that makes them resemble dried tobacco leaves, which is why they're called tobacco onions.
They’re an excellent versatile vegetarian side dish that you can put together in just minutes, with minimal ingredients and little prep time- just like my Parmesan croutons.
Quick Look: Tobacco Onions
- 🔪 Prep time: 7 minutes
- ⏲️ Cook time: 8 minutes
- 👪 Servings: 6 servings
- 📋 Main ingredients: Sweet onions, buttermilk, all-purpose flour, garlic powder, salt, black pepper, and oil.
- ♨️ Cooking method: Thinly slice onions 🡢 soak in buttermilk 🡢 coat in seasoned flour 🡢 deep-fry until crispy and golden brown 🡢 drain and cool slightly.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy
- 🥣 Serving ideas: Serve as a crunchy side with steak or grilled meats, use them as a topping for burgers like chicken sloppy joes, or enjoy them with a dipping sauce such as Southwest or BBQ sauce.
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What's So Great About the Recipe?
- Making tobacco onions is super easy. All you need is some onions and a few pantry staples.
- They're versatile- like Air Fryer shoestring fries. You can serve them as a side or enjoy them as a snack with a dip.
Recipe Ingredients
Onions: White onions are the best choice for this recipe. They have that sweetness which work perfectly in contrast with the crispy, crunchy exterior.
Buttermilk: To help the flour cling to the onions, and for that rich flavor.
Flour: I used all purpose flour here, but you could also use gluten free flour if you want to.
Seasonings: Just some garlic powder, Italian seasoning and salt. You can use garlic herb salt or some celery salt for extra flavor too.
Oil: Canola oil or any other cooking oil of your choice.
See recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions & Variations
- I used just a bit of salt, garlic powder and black pepper to season the tobacco onions. You can choose to make them spicy too by adding some cayenne pepper or some jalapeno flakes into the flour mixture.
- Ground cumin can be another great addition to the seasoned flour, and can give the crunchy onions an earthiness.
- You can also add some smoked paprika to the flour mix if you want to.
How to Make the Tobacco Onions
Slice the onions as thinly as you can. You can use a mandolin slicer to make things easier. Transfer the sliced onions into a bowl and cover it with buttermilk.
Meanwhile, prepare the flour and spice mixture and set it aside on a plate. Drain the excess buttermilk and toss the onions to the flour mixture, making sure everything is well coated.
Transfer the onions to the pot with the heated oil or a deep fryer and let them cook until they’re crispy and golden brown.
Use a slotted spoon to get them out and let them rest for a few minutes before you serve them.
💭Top Tip
To keep things from getting too messy, cover your countertop with some paper towels to soak up any drippings from the buttermilk.
Tips & Tricks to Nail the Recipe
- Remember to heat the oil well before you add the onions in. You can test if they’re hot enough by adding an onion string inside, and checking if it rises up and starts to bubble. I always do this when I make my cashew pakoras too.
- If you’re making these tobacco onions in a big batch, don’t overcrowd the pot with too many onions. Instead, fry the onions in batches to ensure that they’re all crispy and golden.
- Remember not to let the onions brown up too much- get them out as they start turning golden brown and let them sit on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up all the excess oil.
- You can also use a saucepan or a skillet to fry the onions if you want to.
How to Serve Tobacco Onions
Serve these crispy tobacco onions as a snack whenever you're entertaining. Pair them with a rich and creamy dip like cottage cheese ranch dip or sour cream dill pickle dip.
You can also feature them on a holiday charcuterie board along with other appetizers like candied dates, deep fried stuffed olives and some spicy jalapeno honey mustard.
Troubleshooting FAQs
You can make these tobacco onions in advance and store them for 3-5 days. Ideally, it is best to transfer them to an airtight container and refrigerate them to preserve their texture.
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If you tried this tobacco onions recipe or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting!
Tobacco Onions
Ingredients
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup buttermilk
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- oil
- 2-3 sweet onions
Instructions
- Slice the onions as thinly as you can. You can use a mandolin slicer to make things easier.
- Transfer the sliced onions into a bowl and cover it with buttermilk.
- Meanwhile, prepare the flour and spice mixture and set it aside on a plate.
- Drain the excess buttermilk and toss the onions to the flour mixture, making sure everything is well coated.
- Transfer the onions to the pot with the heated oil or a deep fryer and let them cook until they’re crispy and golden brown. Use a slotted spoon to get them out and let them rest for a few minutes before you serve them.
Notes
- Remember to heat the oil well before you add the onions in. You can test if they’re hot enough by adding an onion string inside, and checking if it rises up and starts to bubble.
- If you’re making these tobacco onions in a big batch, don’t overcrowd the pot with too many onions. Instead, fry the onions in batches to ensure that they’re all crispy and golden.
- Remember not to let the onions brown up too much- get them out as they start turning golden brown and let them sit on a plate lined with paper towels to soak up all the excess oil.
- You can also use a saucepan or a skillet to fry the onions if you want to.
