Copycat French’s Fried Onions From Scratch
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
[adthrive-in-post-video-player video-id=”KGl4FqKX” upload-date=”2021-07-17T02:07:54.000Z” name=”Copycat French’s Fried Onions.mp4″ description=”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!” player-type=”default” override-embed=”default”]
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!
If you want to see more, be sure to sign up for my 5 Easy Ways to Start Cooking From Scratch!
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.
These came out great! I will definitely make them again! Thank you for sharing this recipe 🙂
These were so easy and SO much better than the store-bought ones. They are seriously so good, I could eat them by the spoonful. So glad I came across this recipe!
So glad you enjoyed them as much as we do!! They are my favorite part of the holiday season! 😆
I have always wanted to try making these! Thanks for sharing!
Yay! Enjoy and I’d love to hear what you think!
So yummy! I added some garlic powder to the flour mixture for a bit more flavour. Will make again!
Wonderful to hear!!
What about using an air fryer instead?
Hi Deanna,
I don’t have an air fryer, but based on this article, it shouldn’t be a problem! https://www.epicurious.com/expert-advice/how-to-use-an-air-fryer-article Lower the temp to 350 degrees, give the basket a spritz of oil and your battered onions, then fry in a single layer, and they should be done in just a couple of minutes. 🙂
Made these for what else, a green bean casserole! These onions were the best part, by far. I liked being able to limit the salt. I wisely made much more than I need, because I ate so many in between batches!
That’s so great to hear, Michael! I’m so glad you enjoyed them – they are addicting, that’s for sure!! 🙂
I added some cornmeal to my last couple batches and enjoyed the slightly different taste and texture it lent to it.
Also, I was looking at that big bowl of buttermilk left over after I dredged the onions in flour, and wondering what to do with it. Then I remembered that I have been wanting to make homemade blue cheese dressing! So I used the buttermilk as a base for that and it worked perfectly.
We just made this recipe for Christmas dinner green bean casserole. We halved the recipe. We added seasoning salt when them came out of the oil; a must or they don’t have much taste and nothing like the French’s version. I would cut the onions no more narrow than 1/4 inch. we cut 1/8 inch and that causes some to overcook.
I found it very hard to add this comment due of all the pop-up videos.
Thank you for the recipe
I adore the premade ones, but these are even better! Loved being able to control the saltiness. Just watch them closely, they’ll burn fast!
Yay! So glad you enjoyed them, Rachel! And yes, great point- they do!
Do they need to be refrigerated in the airtight container for storage?
Hi! If I’m using them the next day, I keep them on the counter, but anything more than a day or two, then store them in the fridge. 🙂 Enjoy!
The one thing I forgot to buy for Thanksgiving green bean casserole. Thank you so much for this recipe. It turned out great, exactly like your pictures! Everyone loved them and asked for more. Said they were like eating popcorn just couldn’t stop! So happy!
That’s so great to hear, Michele!! It’s a favorite in our house too – I always have to make more because we inevitably eat so many and need to have them for the casserole! 😀
I have not made these yet but I can not wait to try them. Can you keep them for a period of time or do you have to use them right away. Thank you!!!!
Hi Dawn! I hope you enjoy them! You don’t have to use them right away – you can definitely make them a couple of days in advance and store them in an airtight container. If you’re using to top your favorite casserole with, they’ll crisp right back up in the oven. If you want to use them on something else that’s not going in the oven – then you can crisp them back by baking them at 375 degrees for about 5 minutes.
We just moved outside the us and needed a recipe for my onions for the green bean casserole. I just tried this for the first time and yummy! I will say mine clumped but still tasty. If anyone has tips to minimize clumping I would greatly appreciate it. I’ll make em anyways because what’s not to love about fried yumminess! Thanks for the recipe!
There was too much flour, it ended having way too much batter. But it was a decent recipe, nice job.🙂
Thanks for the recipe. My husband has been doing the grocery shopping and couldn’t find fried onions. Making them now, first batch coming out of the oil. So tasty. They might not make it to tomorrow.