Sourdough Onion Rings
These sourdough onion rings are coated in a simple seasoned sourdough batter and fried in my beef tallow recipe until golden brown and crunchy. They’re an easy way to use up extra sourdough discard, and the combination of tangy sourdough, sweet onion, and rich beef tallow makes them incredibly flavorful. Serve these homemade onion rings alongside burgers with my sourdough hamburger buns recipe, hot dogs served on my sourdough hot dog bun recipe, and the best creamy coleslaw.
Quick Look: Crispy Sourdough Discard Onion Rings
- ⏱️ Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🍳 Cook Time: 15 minutes
- 🕒 Total Time: 25 minutes
- 👥 Servings: 4
- 📊 Calories: ~17 kcal per serving (based on nutrition panel)
- 🔥 Cook Method: Stove top in cast iron skillet
- 👩🍳 Flavor Profile: Savory, slightly tangy from the sourdough, with sweet onion flavor and a rich, crispy, beefy crust.
- ⭐ Difficulty: Easy – beginner-friendly, simple coating and frying.
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Why You'll Love This Recipe
- Crispy and flavorful – The sourdough discard creates a crunchy, golden coating with a delicious tang.
- A great way to use sourdough discard – Turn extra starter into a crispy side dish instead of throwing it away with the best sourdough discard recipes.
- Fried in beef tallow – Beef tallow gives these onion rings an especially rich flavor and perfectly crisp texture.
- Quick to make – With just a few simple ingredients, these onion rings are ready in about 25 minutes.
- Easy to customize – Season the sourdough batter with garlic, pepper, ranch seasoning or your favorite spices.
- Perfect for burgers and cookouts – Serve them alongside homemade burgers, my sourdough hot dog bun recipe with some delicious hot dogs, or your favorite summer meal.
Ingredients
- Beef tallow – Beef tallow is my favorite fat for frying these onion rings because it gives them a rich, savory flavor and helps create a beautifully crisp coating. If you don’t have any on hand, you can substitute coconut oil or another high-heat cooking oil. learn how to render beef fat into tallow
For a full list of ingredients needed to make this recipe, see the recipe card below.
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How To Make Homemade Onion Rings
Step 1: Prepare the onions and batter. Heat about ½ inch of beef tallow in a cast-iron skillet over medium heat. Slice the onions crosswise and separate them into rings. Mix the sourdough discard and spices in a bowl until it reaches a thin pancake-batter consistency.
Step 2: Coat and fry. Dip each onion ring into the batter and carefully place it in the hot tallow. Fry for about 5 minutes, or until golden brown.
Step 3: Flip and finish. Flip the onion rings and fry the other side until golden brown. Adjust the heat as needed to maintain the oil temperature. Transfer cooked onion rings to a platter and continue with the remaining onions, making more batter as needed.
Step 4: Serve and store. Serve warm with burgers or hot dogs, ketchup, or ranch dressing. Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.
Tips For Making Sourdough Onion Rings
- Keep the batter thin: The sourdough discard should be about the consistency of thin pancake batter. If it’s too thick, the coating can become heavy instead of crispy.
- Use hot tallow: Make sure the beef tallow is hot before adding the onion rings. If the fat isn’t hot enough, the onions can absorb too much oil and become greasy.
- Don’t overcrowd the skillet: Fry the onion rings in batches so they have plenty of room to cook evenly and crisp up.
- Adjust the heat: Keep an eye on the tallow while frying and adjust the heat as needed. You want the onion rings to turn golden brown without burning.
- Use different onions: Sweet, yellow, white, or red onions all work well. Use whatever you have on hand.
- Make extra batter as needed: Depending on the size and number of your onion rings, you may need to mix a little more sourdough discard batter.
- Serve them fresh: These onion rings are best served hot and crispy, right after frying.
Sourdough Onion Rings FAQs
Yes. Cold sourdough discard works well for this recipe. There is no need to bring it to room temperature first.
Sweet onions are my favorite, but yellow, white, and red onions all work well. Use whatever onions you have available.
Yes. Beef tallow gives the onion rings a delicious savory flavor and crisp coating, but you can substitute coconut oil or another high-heat cooking oil.
The most common reason is that the cooking fat isn't hot enough. Make sure the tallow is hot before adding the battered onions, and avoid overcrowding the skillet.
Yes. Active sourdough starter can be used in place of discard. The recipe is a great way to use either active starter or extra discard.
Store leftover onion rings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week. They are best reheated in an oven or air fryer to help restore their crispiness.
They are delicious served with burgers, hot dogs, ketchup, ranch dressing, or other favorite dipping sauces.
The secret is hot cooking fat and a thin sourdough batter. Make sure your beef tallow is hot before adding the onion rings, and don't overcrowd the skillet. This helps the batter turn golden and crispy while keeping the onions tender. Cutting the onions into thicker rings also gives you a heartier onion ring.
Make sure the onion rings are dry before dipping them into the sourdough batter. Excess moisture can keep the batter from sticking. Also, keep the batter fairly thin and avoid moving the onion rings around too much once you place them in the hot beef tallow.
Other Homemade Recipes:
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Sourdough Discard Crispy Onion Rings - Fried In Beef Tallow
Equipment
- 1 mixing bowl
- 1 cutting board
- 1 sharp knife
- 1 cast iron skillet
Ingredients
- 1 large Onion
- 1 cup sourdough discard
- ½ tsp. garlic salt
- ½ tsp. pepper
Instructions
- Preheat your cast iron skillet over medium heat and add beef tallow to skillet until it's approximately ½ inch deep.
- Using a cutting board and a sharp knife, slice the onions crossways and then separate the onion slices into rings.
- In a small mixing bowl, combine sourdough discard and spices. It should be the texture of a thin pancake batter.
- Dip each onion ring into the sourdough batter and place ring into the pre-heated skillet with the hot oil.
- Fry until they are golden brown on the first side, approximately 5 minutes. Adjust your heat as necessary to regulate the temperature of the oil.
- Using a fork or a spatula flip the onion rings over and fry on the second side.
- Once the onion rings are fried to a golden perfection, remove them to a platter.
- Repeat steps 4 through 7 until you have fried the remaining onion rings. Make more onion ring batter as needed.
- Serve alongside your favorite burgers or hot dogs with ketchup or ranch dressing.
- Store leftover onion rings in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to one week.
Notes
- No beef tallow? Use coconut or avocado oil instead.
- One onion makes quite a few onion rings.
- Season the sourdough discard with your favorite spices, but be sure to include salt.
- Cut the onions into thicker rings for heartier onion rings.
- Have leftover sourdough starter? Use it to make these crispy onion rings.
Wonderful
These are so good, definitely plan to make them again!