BHA & BHT Free Vegan Beer Battered Onion Rings
Crispy, golden, and shatteringly light, these beer battered onion rings are the kind of bar-food classic that's almost impossible to resist straight off the rack. The batter comes together with pantry staples — flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder — plus a cold vegan-certified lager that does serious heavy lifting. The carbonation in the beer creates that signature airy crunch, while the cornstarch keeps things crisp rather than doughy. Every ingredient here is straightforward and clean, which matters when you're avoiding synthetic preservatives like BHA and BHT that sneak into so many packaged coatings, seasoning blends, and even some commercial beers. By building the batter from scratch and choosing a verified lager or pale ale, you stay in full control of what goes into the oil. A quick dredge in plain flour before the batter dip is the pro move that makes everything cling and fry up evenly. Finish with a pinch of flaky sea salt and serve immediately — these are at their absolute best the moment they hit the rack.
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Learn more →Ingredients
4 servings
For the onion rings
- 2 large yellow onions
For the batter
- 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, divided
- ½ cup cornstarch
- 1 tsp baking powder
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- ½ tsp salt
- ¼ tsp black pepper
- 1 ¼ cups vegan-certified lager or pale ale, cold
For frying
- neutral oil, for frying (about 4 cups)
For serving
- flaky sea salt, for finishing (optional)
Instructions
- 1
Peel the onions and slice them crosswise into rounds about 3/4-inch thick. Separate the rounds into individual rings and spread them on a sheet pan lined with paper towels. Pat dry.
- 2
Pour the neutral oil into a large heavy-bottomed pot or Dutch oven to a depth of about 3 inches. Heat over medium-high heat until the oil reaches 375°F (190°C) on a deep-fry thermometer.
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