Healthy baked onion rings coated with blue cornmeal. No oil, gluten-free, and vegan, perfect to satisfy that “fried & fast” comfort food craving!

Bring on the onion rings! I couldn’t even remember the last time I had an onion ring. We’re talking years and years and years, even before I was diagnosed with Celiac. But a few months ago I was hit with a random major craving for these rings of deliciousness. Of course the only way to satisfy such a craving, following my dietary needs and wants, a homemade creation would have to do.

If I’m going to be completely honest here, I don’t even remember where exactly I even ate onion rings to begin with. Obviously I’ve had onion rings before, during my childhood, but for the life of me I’m not sure where or when. Onion-Ring-Memory-Loss? All I know is, they were the traditional fried kind. So to make my homemade version, I was going off of the taste-remembrance of my craving and the “healthy cooking skills” I know. This could have been a major failure for my high expectations or, somehow, a cooking success. Either way, these onion rings were going to happen.

I was also assuming onion rings were battered in either panko or cornmeal. Lucky for me, I had this lovely bag of blue cornmeal I had yet to ever open and thought this would be the perfect time to put the corny goodness to use. Blue cornmeal may just rank pretty high up there in the corn category. I love the color (obviously), but it’s more purple than blue. I’ve baked with this cornmeal since and those recipes had a nice purple color, no so much blue. Why is it than anytime a food is given the title of “blue”, it tends to be purple? Just like blueberries 😛

Now, if you’re going to eat a batch of onion rings, there must be tons of dipping action going on. Sure you could use these to top a burger or something, but the best way is the simple act of the dip. And sure, you could even get fancy with some special aioli or green goddess, but I think you know the dip I’m going to be suggesting here. Ketchup! Even if you decide to use a variety of dips, bbq, mustard, the ketchup option should take center stage on your plate in the largest blob! Just like fries, I couldn’t imagine NOT having ketchup to accompany them. Let’s just put this out there, if you want to get me a present and really have no idea what to get, just buy me a bottle of quality ketchup 😉

It’s not that I’m ever trying to hide the glory of the food I’m eating with ketchup, I just feel ketchup enhances the flavor, texture, and savor, of just about anything you put it on. Anything. Except maybe cereal. That would be rather gross. Haha! But really, ketchup is a must for onion rings and truly enhances the experience ten-fold to provide the greatest culinary comfort experience to all the senses and the soul! To all you ketchup haters…I don’t know what to say. But you are being deprived of one lovely complementary sauce 😉

Besides onion rings, have you ever had a bloomin’ onion? The quintessential appetizer and game-day snack? I’m actually pretty sure I’ve never eaten some myself, but I did contemplate creating that instead on actual onion rings. But then I don’t think the ring craving would be satisfied, so I scraped that idea for later 😉 Rings are more satisfying and easier to cut for a first time onion creation anyway. Or…at least I had hoped. But they were easy and smelled delish, not just while they were baking, but while I was dipping them in the batter and cornmeal! I guess that was my “endowment” for all the tears I shed during the very oniony process 😉 (It’s all worth it…trust me!)

Blue Cornmeal Baked Onion Rings

Blue Cornmeal Baked Onion Rings

Healthy baked onion rings coated with blue cornmeal. No oil, gluten-free, and vegan, perfect to satisfy that “fried & fast” comfort food craving! Snacking, tailgating, or as a dinner side dish!

• Author: Rebecca Pytell
• Cook Time: 12 mins
• Total Time: 12 mins
• Yield: 4 1x
• Category: Side Dish, Snack, Appetizer
• Cuisine: American

Scale 1x2x3x

Ingredients

• 2 Large Sweet Onions
• 1/4 Cup Arrowroot Starch
• 1 Cup Unsweetened Almond Milk
• 1 Cup Blue Cornmeal
• 1 Tsp Dried Parsley
• 1/2 Tsp Garlic Powder

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F.
2. Peel and slice your onions in about 1/4 inch rings, set aside.
3. In a bowl, whisk together the arrowroot starch and almond milk, set aside.
4. In another bowl, whisk together the blue cornmeal, parsley, and garlic.
5. Prepare 1 or 2 baking sheets, lined with parchment paper. Create an easy set up on the counter of onion rings, batter, cornmeal, and baking sheets to make the process easy and fluid.
6. Dip the onion rings in the arrowroot and milk batter, transfer to the cornmeal mix and coat, then place on the baking sheets and repeat for the rest of the rings.
7. Bake the coated rings for 6 minutes. Flip them; bake for another 6 minutes. Remove and serve right away! (With ketchup!)

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Are you craving onion rings yet? Really, I’m not even a big onion fan. Cooked, soft, just for flavor in a dish and I’m good. But things like raw red onions on salad? Too strong for me! I take them off! The flavor is lovely, but they kill the stomach…and the breath 😛 However, these baked onion rings made with the sweet vidalia onion don’t do that. So I’ll gladly eat my onion rings and ketchup and savor this lovely comforting corny-coated delicacy!

So tell me:

+ When’s the last time you’ve had onion rings?

+ What would you dip your rings in? Ketchup. 🙂

*Recipe linking up for the week! Allergy Free Wednesdays, #RecipeOfTheWeek,#StrangeButGood, Real Food Friday, Gluten-Free Fridays,Tasty Tuesdays, Savoring Saturdays, Healthy Vegan Fridays, Tasty Tuesdays, Meatless Mondays, Lena’s Tasty Tuesdays, Waste Not Want Not!*

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