Onion rings are my go-to forever favorite when it comes to appetizers. You will be amazed at how much like the “real thing” these Keto Onion Rings are. If you are tracking macros, this is a recipe you will want to enjoy in moderation since onions are a bit high in carbs. To me, this is a worthy indulgence.
If I had to pick between french fries and onion rings, onion rings would win every time.
Don't get me wrong - I love french fries. But I've always felt that if I was going to indulge, onion rings were slightly more worth the splurge.
For years, onion rings have been a guilty pleasure, but thanks to this delicious low-carb onion ring recipe, I can skip the guilty part now.
Serve these with Keto Ranch Dressing or Keto Blue Cheese Dressing.
Ingredient Talk
For keto onion rings, I like using a yellow sweet onion because they give you the best flavor and balance.
Make sure your almond flour is finely ground, not almond meal, so the coating turns out crisp instead of gritty. Freshly grated Parmesan gives the best texture and taste; the canned stuff doesn’t work as well here.
A little baking powder helps the coating crisp up, though you can leave it out if you prefer. If you do use it, make sure it is aluminum-free and fresh. If you don't have fresh non-aluminum baking powder, I recommend omitting it. Smoked paprika adds great depth, but sweet paprika is a fine swap.
Tips & Tricks
The air fryer is my favorite way to make low carb onion rings! Here are some tips and tricks to get the best results.
- Make sure you press the breading firmly into the onion rings before cooking. Some air fryers have a fan that can blow the coating off. If you do press the coating in firmly and are still having issues, try freezing the coated onions for about 10 minutes.
- These can stick, leaving the coating behind. I don't use them often, but I prefer an air fryer liner for this recipe.
- Do not overcrowd these—you need air to circulate around them. You will most likely need to cook in batches.
- Air fryers can vary wildly in performance, so make sure you keep a close eye towards the end of the cooking time. You may need to cook longer or shorter. Oven style fryers tend to take a bit longer.
- Don't skip spraying the fryer and the onion rings with oil. If your onion rings are gritty, chances are you didn't use enough oil, and the coating didn't crisp up.
Step by Step
Crispy Keto Onion Rings
Ingredients
- 1 large sweet onion cut into rings
- 1 cup almond flour
- 1 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1 tablespoon baking powder non-aluminum
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
- 2 eggs beaten
- 1 tablespoon heavy cream
- cooking spray
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine the almond flour, Parmesan cheese, baking powder, smoked paprika, salt, and pepper.
- Beat the eggs and heavy cream in another bowl.
- Dip the onion rings in the eggs and then in the almond flour mixture. Press the almond flour mixture into the onions. Transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet and repeat with the remaining onion.
Air Fryer Instructions
- Preheat your air fryer to 350 degrees. Arrange the onions in a single layer, cooking in batches as needed. (If desired, you can line your air fryer with air fryer liners.)
- Spray the onions with cooking spray and cook for 5 minutes. Use a spatula to carefully reach under the onions and flip. Respray and cook 5 minutes longer.
Baking Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Arrange the onions in a single layer and spray with cooking spray. Bake for 10 minutes. Flip and respray with oil. Bake another 10 to 12 minutes, until crispy and brown.
Leslie Warren says
I am definitely going to try these. Are you using fresh grated Parmesan cheese or the king that comes in the container? Thank you
Wendy Polisi says
I used the finely grated containers that you get from Whole Foods. It is not shredded, but grated like the kind that comes in the container without the addtives of the shelf stable kind.
Becki Doude says
Hi Wendy, these look delicious!. Cant wait to try them. There's no serving size with the nutrition facts.
Wendy Polisi says
I don't know why the recipe card does that. The number of servings is at the top. There are six servings.
Tommy Moore says
By serving size, I’m wondering how many onion rings are in 1 serving
Gail Vanderpool Boutin says
Made these last week and my husband and I like them better then the frozen onion rings. I followed exactly. Very good!
Marissa Paige says
These look wonderful! Are the nutrition facts for each individual serving?
Wendy Polisi says
Yes!
Jaclyn says
Love these low-carb onion rings, yum! Perfect keto snack or side dish.
Clara McCormick says
How many grams or ounces are there in a single serving? It is the information at the bottom of the page for one serving?
Chandra says
I find almond flour too often. Is there any substitute for it? also cheese can I avoid it? I dont find almond flour in the grocery stores I visit. Besides it might be too costly and extra weight too
Shoba Krishnamurthy says
Love the recipe. Does this mean EACH onion ring has 7g of net carbs?
Gail Patterson says
I did this with fried green tomatoes. I did mix half and half almond flour and pork rinds...oooh la la, the crispness and flavor was awesome!
Wendy Polisi says
So glad that you enjoyed it! I love fried green tomatoes too.
Carla Willetto says
Almond allergy here…I wonder how garbanzo flour would work. Fingers crossed…
Wendy Polisi says
I have not tried it so I can't say. That isn't an ingredient I have ever worked with.
Krystal says
About how many can u eat with your meal?
Jeni says
Tried these tonight and baked them. They were not very good at all and unfortantely went in the trash. I am willing to try them again but frying them next time. I think the hot oil will help crisp the batter and get a better taste than baking.