Take your holiday classics to a whole new level by making Copycat French's Fried Onions From Scratch and never buy store bought fried onions again!
This is the ultimate from scratch holiday recipe that is absolutely worth the added effort for added elevation in flavor they bring to any of your favorite casseroles! Our Copycat French's Fried Onions From Scratch are better than the store-bought option and will definitely have your friends and family asking what you did differently to the green bean casserole this year to make it so much better!
Ingredients Needed
The ingredients are all very simple.
- Onions - We prefer these with small yellow onions, but you could also use white, as well.
- Flour - All purpose flour is what we use, but you can also use a gluten free flour.
- Buttermilk - OR if you don't have any buttermilk handy, you can make your own buttermilk substitute with just whole milk + lemons.
- Vegetable Oil - For frying. Canola oil would also work, you just want to neutral flavored oil with a high smoke point.
- Salt and Pepper
Recipe Video
Step-by-Step Instructions
The prep for these guys is super easy.
Step 1: Prep your onions by slicing them super super thin. If you have large onions, slice those slices.
Step 2: Let the onions soak in buttermilk, or your own 5 Minute Homemade Buttermilk. Let them soak for at least 10 minutes, and up to 30 minutes.
Step 3: Dredge your onions in a flour, salt, and pepper mixture while you heat your oil.
Step 4: Fry in oil until nice and crispy!
And done! This recipe makes a whoppin' 15 oz of onions! That's even accounting for the inevitable overcooked hot oil sacrifices. That's more than double the amount that you get from one of the larger French's containers, but without the dextrose. Can you tell based on the green beans and mushrooms what I'll be making with these little crispy bites of heaven? Hint: it includes some of my Cream of Mushroom Soup From Scratch! You can find the recipe here!
I hope that everyone has a wonderful Thanksgiving filled with love, food, and thanks. I'm so thankful for all of you who visit my little site. When growing lists of house projects and piles of laundry almost win out, your emails and feedback inspire us to keep documenting our From Scratch journey. For that, I am very grateful; thank you! <3
FAQs
Small yellows are what we use but you could also use white. Red definitely won't work for this one.
Sure can! Let them cool completely and then store in an airtight container for up to 3 days. If you're going to add them to your favorite casserole, they'll crisp back up in the oven. If you are adding them to something (or just snacking!) and you want them crispier, bake for 5 minutes in the oven set at 375 degrees.
This will make about 15 oz, or two of the large containers of French's Fried Onions.
Yup! This recipe will also work with a gluten free flour like Bob's Red Mill.
Yes! I've had readers say that this works with a plant based milk and 2 1/2 tablespoons of vinegar.
Enjoy! As always, if you make this recipe or any of my others, I love to hear what you think! Leave a comment below, email me, or you can find me on Facebook, Instagram, and Pinterest!
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Copycat French's Fried Onions From Scratch
Ingredients
- 2.5 cups Homemade (or store bought) Buttermilk
- 4 cups Thinly sliced onions, halves and rings of small onions
- 3 cups All purpose flour
- 1 tsp Kosher salt
- 1/4 tsp Fresh ground pepper
- 4 cups Vegetable oil
Instructions
- Soak onions in buttermilk for at least 10 minutes.
- In a shallow dish add flour, salt, and pepper and mix well.
- In a large pan heat vegetable oil to 375 degrees. To test to see if your oil is ready for frying, dip the handle of a wooden spoon in the oil and if it bubbles around the handle then it's ready.
- Dredge buttermilk soaked onions in flour until well coated and add to oil, frying in batches until golden brown then remove form oil with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel lined plate. Continue with all of the onions with additional paper towel lined plates after a double layer of onions are on one.
- Use immediately or store in an airtight container in a dry cool place for up to a few days.
Holy Moly!!! I love this recipe. Thank you so much. My husband and I were making our favorite dinner poke bowls (deconstructed sushi) and we had every ingredient except the onions. My must haves are tuna, escolar, sushi rice, sesame seeds, pineapple tidbits, carrot sticks, cucumber sticks, avocado, eel sauce, spicy mayo and the fried onions. It just isn't the same without those crunchy onions and it is the only thing in our poke bowls that isn't homemade as well. Making them myself didn't set back dinner time more than 20 minutes and the onions were so much better than the kind in the tiny bags that cost a fortune. Thank you so much! I will absolutely make these again.
Oh I LOVE to hear this - and wow those poke bowls sound incredible!! Thanks so much for sharing and taking the time to leave a review!
Hi, I love making things from scratch so I know what I am consuming. Has this recipe been tried in an air fryer instead of deep fried?
When my wife went to the store without me, she didn't know I was going to buy fried onions for my green bean casserole. So I went looking and found this recipe.. perfect! I had buttermilk left from making my own butter, and the onion slices went right in it! Very simple, very quick recipe. May never buy French's again. THANK You!
LOVE to hear it, Jeff!! So glad you enjoyed it and thank you for taking the time to leave a review!
This is pure genius! Love the French fried onions to make green bean casserole. I bet this homemade version takes green bean casserole over the top. I will definitely be making this!!
Wonderful to hear, Michele! Enjoy!
I had to add a little extra salt for our taste, but otherwise these turned out PERFECT using rice flour. Gluten free green bean casserole here I come! 😆
That's great to hear, Jessica!! Enjoy and Happy Thanksgiving!!