When it comes to preparing side dishes for my family, sometimes I get bored or lazy and start serving the same things over and over. Sides like baked fries, quinoa, and brown rice. Not that there is anything wrong with these dishes, we just get a little bored after a while.
So I thought, what can I make that the whole family will enjoy? Whenever we got out to eat, which is not often, my husband always orders the onion rings. I cringe when I see them because I know they’ve just been fried in a huge vat of unhealthy oil. I can just imagine his arteries clogging up as he eats them.
I was on a mission to make healthy onion rings at home. But they had to be restaurant worthy. Crispy, tasty, and of course, healthy!
I’ll admit, I was nervous to serve these. I kept thinking to myself, “what if they don’t like these?” “What if they don’t taste like the real thing?” As I served them to the family, I kept staring at them, eagerly waiting for their reaction…
“So, what do you think?” I asked them. ”These are really good!” they responded.
PHEW.
You’re probably wondering, how did I make these crispy baked onion rings healthier?
- I used light panko crumbs
- I added some whole wheat bread crumbs for extra fiber
- I used low fat milk instead of oil to coat the onion rings
- They were baked in the oven instead of fried in oil
Now, I’ve got another side dish to add to our menu! Serve these crispy baked onion rings with a side of low-sodium ketchup and you’ve got yourself a delicious and healthy side dish for your next dinner.
Recipe slightly adapted from Skinnytaste
Ingredients
- 2 medium yellow onions, sliced into rings
- 2-1/2 cups low-fat buttermilk (see notes)
- 1 cup panko crumbs
- 1 cup whole wheat bread crumbs
- 2 tsp Italian seasoning
- salt and pepper to taste
- olive oil spray
Instructions
Place slices of onion in a large bowl. Pour buttermilk over top and let sit in fridge for about 1 hour.
Preheat the oven to 450F. Line two baking sheets with foil.
In a bowl combine panko, breadcrumbs, and seasoning. Pour 1/2 the crumb mixture into another bowl to use once the first batch is used up. This helps to avoid clumping.
Dip each soaked onion ring into the crumb mixture, coat well.
Place rings on the cookie sheets in a single layer. Sprinkle with sea salt and pepper and spray the tops with olive oil. Bake approximately 15 minutes, or until golden brown and crispy. Serve immediately.
Notes
Cal: 85 Fat: 1g Protein: 5g Fiber: 4g Carbs: 24g Sodium: 102mg Weight Watchers Points+: 2
To make buttermilk: Pour milk into your bowl and add a few drops of lemon juice or vinegar. Let sit for 5 minutes and stir.
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