Almond Free Crispy Leek Rings
Most fried snacks lean on almond flour or almond-based coatings these days, but this recipe keeps things refreshingly simple with white rice flour and gluten-free breadcrumbs for a shatteringly crisp crust that needs nothing else. The real surprise here is the ingredient: the dark green tops of leeks, the part most cooks toss straight into the compost. Sliced into rings, battered, and fried in shimmering canola or sunflower oil, they turn into something that looks and eats like the best onion rings you've ever had. A homemade "buttermilk" made from lactose-free milk and fresh lemon juice gives the batter just enough tang and cling to hold that smoked paprika coating in place through every flip. Letting the coated rings rest on a wire rack before frying is the kind of small step that makes a big difference — the coating sets up and stays put instead of sliding off in the pan. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and a squeeze of lemon, and you've got a snack that's genuinely hard to stop eating.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the leek rings
- 3 large leeks, dark green tops only, cut into ½-inch rings
For the batter
- 1 cup lactose-free whole milk
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 large egg
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
For the coating
- 1 cup gluten free breadcrumbs
- ½ cup white rice flour
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp fine salt
- ¼ tsp cayenne pepper (optional)
For frying
- ½ cup neutral oil (such as canola or sunflower oil), for frying
For serving
- flaky sea salt, for serving (optional)
- lemon wedges, for serving (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Trim the leeks, discarding the root ends and all white and light-green portions — use only the dark green tops. Slice the dark green tops crosswise into 1/2-inch rings and separate the layers into individual rings. Rinse the rings thoroughly in a colander under cold water, then spread on a clean kitchen towel and pat completely dry.
- 2
Stir together the lactose-free milk and lemon juice in a shallow bowl and let stand for 5 minutes until slightly thickened. Whisk in the egg, 1/2 tsp salt, and black pepper until smooth.
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