What is it about fried foods, even oven-fried ones, that has us salivating even at the thought of them? I was going through my Super Bowl post looking for what I wanted to make you guys as my last post before the big game and after re-reading Laurie’s Crispy Baked Onion Rings, I knew I had to have them. As in, I jumped up from my seat and instantly started crying as I sliced onions.

It was half crying from the fact that I would soon be eating delicious onion rings and half crying because the onion was intensely pungent. But mostly it was because I knew I would be eating them soon. There is just something about them that make it extremely hard for anyone to turn them down.

Like those Bloomin’ Onions at Outback Steakhouse. I think they put something dangerous in the batter that makes them addicting. Have you ever ordered a Bloomin’ Onion and stopped eating before finishing it? No, obviously. And onion straws. Those too have something in them that are just irresistible. These Crispy Baked Onion Rings are exactly the same. The crunch from the panko breadcrumbs makes them so ridiculously crunchy that I think they’re even better than regular onion rings.

Crispy Baked Onion Rings
Created from the fabulous Simply Scratch

Ingredients:
2-3 sweet onions, sliced in 1/2 inch thick rings
2-3 egg whites
1 1/2 cups panko breadcrumbs
3/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons cajun seasoning or any seasoning you like
Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:
Preheat oven to 400 degrees.

Cover a baking sheet with baking spray and put to the side. Slice off the bottom of a onion and remove the first few layers. Place the onion on its side and slice into 1/2 inch thick rings. Remove the centers and discard them or save for another recipe.

In three dishes, separate out the egg whites, breadcrumbs, and flour. Add salt and pepper to the flour and mix together. Dip the rings in flour, then egg whites and finally the bread crumbs. Place on the baking sheet in a single layer. Bake for 20 minutes or until the onion rings are golden brown. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with additional salt.

Serve with your favorite dipping sauce and enjoy!

Trust me, you may never eat any other onion rings again.

Tagged: baked, onion rings, Super Bowl