Parmesan Onion Rings

Onion rings are a guilty pleasure so when I go out for a burger, it's usually my go-to side dish. The only problem is that sometimes they are more like "bread rings" then onion rings since some restaurants lay it on pretty thick. No thanks, but I want the onion flavor, not bread. So here is a fairly simple recipe to make your rings at home. The bonus here is the addition of grated parmesan for some extra zip.

Ingredients:
1 large yellow onion, peeled, sliced into 1/4 inch slices, separated into rings
1/2 cup flour
1/2 teaspoon granulated garlic
1/2 teaspoon fresh cracked pepper
1/2 teaspoon Mrs. Dash Garlic and Herb seasoning
1 teaspoon course salt
2 eggs
1/2 cup buttermilk
1 1/2 cup panko bread crumbs
3/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese

Instructions:
In a large resealable plastic bag or coating tray, combine flour, granulated garlic, pepper, Mrs. Dash and salt. In another tray, beat together eggs and buttermilk. In a third tray, combine panko bread crumbs and shredded Parmesan cheese.

Place the onion rings into the first tray and lightly coat it. Dip into egg wash, drain off excess.

Dredge in panko and Parmesan cheese mixture to lightly coat. Repeat process until all onion rings are coated.

Heat 1/2 inch olive oil in a large and deep skillet over medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot, (test by sprinkling a few pieces of the panko and if they sizzle its hot enough), fry the onion rings in batches, until golden brown, about 2 minutes, flipping once. What I did was fry a few "test rings" first to see how long I need to leave them in there.

Once I had that down, I did the rest. Be careful not to overcrowd the pan, or they will get soggy so I did about 4-5 at a time depending on the size. Drain on a cookie rack with paper towels under them. Sprinkle a little more Parmesan over the top if desired. Serve.

I love how the parmesan added the additional flavor to the standard onion ring. And, by using panko, my rings were lighter, had more crunch and the onion flavor came through nicely. I had it with a big juicy rib-eye steak with sauteed mushrooms. A meat lovers dinner that pleased hubby greatly.

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This Recipe was featured on Flour Me With Love's Spotlight of the Week
This Recipe was featured on Stone Gable Blog's On the Menu Monday