Onion Rings and Spicy Dipping Sauce

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This spicy onion ring dipping sauce comes together in 5 minutes — sour cream, chili sauce, and a kick of heat, ready before your onion rings even hit the oil. No air fryer here — this is the classic deep-fried version, with sweet Vidalia onions double-dipped for a shell that stays crispy. The crunch was right on point, and I think you’ll agree the sauce is just as good as the rings.

For Father’s Day, our family celebrated by grilling Dad’s famous burgers and frying up a batch of these crispy Onion Rings with Spicy Dipping Sauce. Oh. My. Gosh. They were absolutely delicious and a tremendous hit!

I’ve tried batter-dipped onion rings before, but these were much better, in my opinion. Truthfully, though, it was the spicy dipping sauce that made the biggest difference. Most dipping sauces lean on mayo, but I built mine on sour cream instead, for a tangier bite and a smoother, creamier texture.

Once the chili sauce and spices are stirred in, it’s every bit as rich as a mayo-based sauce — just lighter. I think my family will agree, because not a single one was left over!

Ingredient Notes for Onion Rings and Sauce

Onion Ring Sauce

This is one of several condiments and sauces I keep in regular rotation.

• Sour cream | Creamy with a punch of acidic flavor, sour cream is the base of my simple spicy sauce recipe. The particular consistency and taste of sour cream is best. However, you could try Greek yogurt or crème Fraiche as substitutes.
• Chili sauce | Sweet and tangy, bottled chili sauce brings some heat to the dipping sauce.

• Chili powder | Savory and spicy chili powder packs more of a punch.
• Garlic powder | Adds a savory backbone to the sauce without the sharp bite of fresh garlic.
• Cumin | Sprinkle in some cumin to further the savory notes. If you don’t have cumin handy, ground coriander or even taco seasoning work similarly.
• Sriracha or horseradish sauce | A dash of sriracha or horseradish sauce may be just the extra flavor you are looking for! However, this final touch is optional.

Onion Rings

• Vidalia onions | The best onion ring recipes use the sweeter onion varieties. My personal favorites are Vidalia onions, but you could also use yellow onions or Walla Walla onions.
• Half and half| You’ll soak the rings in half and half to adhere the flour and spices to the onions. Buttermilk is also a suitable alternative.
• Flour | Once the flour crisps in the fryer, it’ll create the crunch these delicious onion rings need.

• Spices | A bit of black pepper and a pinch of paprika add a kick of spice. You can also use red pepper flakes or cayenne pepper for a similar effect. Or, spice it up even more with these Cajun Crispy Fried Onions.
• Canola Oil | A perfect high-heat oil for frying up the crispiest onion rings. Vegetable or peanut oil can be used as well.

Variations and Substitutions

• Not frying tonight? My Air Fried Onion Rings uses the same idea with less oil and less mess — check that recipe if you’d rather skip the deep fryer altogether.
• Want the sauce hotter or milder? Add an extra dash of sriracha for more heat, or leave out the horseradish and sriracha both if you’re serving a crowd that prefers things mild. The sour cream base can carry a lot more spice than you’d think.
• Out of chili sauce? Ketchup mixed with a spoonful of hot sauce makes a decent stand-in, though the flavor won’t be quite as rounded.
• Turning this into a meal instead of a side? Pile the onion rings onto a burger or load them up as described in the Serving Suggestions below.

How to Make Onion Rings with Spicy Dipping Sauce

STEP 1 | Mix the sauce

Add the sour cream and chili sauce in a small mixing bowl. Whisk the ingredients until you achieve a creamy, smooth texture. Next, thoroughly stir in the chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin. Refrigerate your completed spicy sauce until you are ready to serve it up with crunchy onion rings.

STEP 2 | Prepare the deep fryer

Slowly pour the oil in and set your fryer to the correct temperature for beautifully crisp onion rings. 

I like to use my Presto FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer. Presto makes incredible fryers — no messy basket, helpful attachments, and more. Plus, you save on oil because it uses less than its competitors. 

STEP 3 | Slice the onions

Slice large Vidalia onions into ¼-inch slices. Then, separate the slices into rings and place them into a deep bowl. Pour the half-and-half over the onion rings. Mix your spices and flour in a shallow dish perfect for dipping.

STEP 4 | Coat the onion rings

And now for the messy part — dredge the wet rings in the flour mixture, coating completely, and shake off the excess.

I like to double dip for an extra satisfying crunch. So, you can dip the onion ring again in half-and-half and once again in the flour mixture, if desired.

STEP 5 | Fry in batches

Toss 3 or 4 rings into your heated deep fryer until they are a beautiful golden brown. Remove the crispy rings and allow them to drain on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels or a brown paper bag. Repeat the steps for all remaining onions. Plate and serve immediately with your spicy dipping sauce.

Storage and Reheating Tips

• Onion rings really are best eaten hot, straight out of the fryer — that crust doesn’t hold forever. But if you’ve got extras, let them cool completely, then store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days, or freeze for up to 3 months.
• To reheat, skip the microwave — it turns that crispy coating soft. Instead, warm them in the oven or air fryer at 400°F for a few minutes, just until they’re hot through and crisp again.
• The dipping sauce keeps separately in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.

Frequently Asked Questions

What to Serve With Onion Rings

Onion rings and burgers were meant for each other. Add a pile of onion rings on top of a freshly grilled burger and smear the spicy sauce on a toasted bun for an unforgettable cookout. Or, spice up my Italian Garlic Butter Burger by adding the crispy onion rings as an extra topping with a savory crunch.

Have you ever heard of loaded onion rings? Like a loaded baked potato, you can add all sorts of toppings on top of crunchy onion rings. Try some tangy feta cheese crumbles, chopped-up red onions and bell peppers, and bacon or shaved steak.

Onion Rings and Spicy Dipping Sauce

Author: Sheila Thigpen

Onion Rings and Spicy Dipping Sauce — crispy deep fried sweet Vidalia onions with a simple, spicy dipping sauce.

5 from 3 votes

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 30 minutes mins

Total Time 40 minutes mins

Course Vegetables & Sides

Cuisine American

Servings 6 servings

Calories 346 kcal

Equipment

• Presto FryDaddy Electric Deep Fryer

Ingredients

  

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Onion Rings

• ▢ 2 large Vidalia onions peeled and sliced into 1/4-inch rings
• ▢ 2 cups half and half
• ▢ 1 ½ cups flour
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons paprika
• ▢ ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ▢ canola oil for frying

Onion Ring Sauce

• ▢ 1 cup sour cream
• ▢ ¼ cup chili sauce
• ▢ 1 ½ teaspoons chili powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ▢ ½ teaspoon cumin
• ▢ dash sriracha or horseradish sauce optional

Instructions

 

Onion Rings

• Pour oil into a deep fryer and heat to 375 degrees.
• Slice onions into 1/4-inch slices and separate into rings. Place half the rings in a deep bowl and pour in the half and half.
• In a shallow dish, combine the flour and spices. Dredge the wet rings in the flour mixture and shake off excess. Double dip (again in the half and half and once again in the flour mixture), if desired.
• Fry 3-4 rings at a time until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes. Remove and drain on a cookie sheet lined with paper towels or a brown paper bag. Repeat steps for remaining onions. Serve with dipping sauce.

Onion Ring Sauce

• Add the sour cream, chili sauce to a small bowl; whisk until smooth. Stir in the spices — chili powder, garlic powder, and cumin — and refrigerate until ready to serve.

Notes

• Have your onion rings breaded and double-dipped before you start frying — this step moves fast.
• Fry only 3-4 rings at a time. Overcrowding drops the oil temperature and keeps the coating from crisping properly.
• Make the sauce up to 3 days ahead — the flavor actually deepens overnight in the fridge.
• For a milder sauce, leave out the sriracha or horseradish entirely; the base is plenty flavorful on its own.
• Leftover sauce makes a fast veggie dip if you’ve got extra on hand.
• Onion rings are best eaten hot, straight from the fryer, but leftovers keep in an airtight container — 3 days in the fridge or 3 months in the freezer.
• Reheat in the oven or air fryer at 400°F to keep the coating crisp.
• Store the sauce separately; it keeps up to a week refrigerated.

Nutrition

Serving: 1ServingsCalories: 346kcalCarbohydrates: 41gProtein: 8gFat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gPolyunsaturated Fat: 1gMonounsaturated Fat: 5gCholesterol: 51mgSodium: 232mgPotassium: 391mgFiber: 3gSugar: 12gVitamin A: 1000IUVitamin C: 8mgCalcium: 159mgIron: 2mg

Life Love and Good Food does not claim to be a registered dietitian or nutritionist. Nutritional information shared on this site is only an estimate. We recommend running the ingredients through an online nutritional calculator if you need to verify any information.

Keyword onion ring dipping sauce, onion rings, spicy dipping sauce, sweet chili sauce