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Blooming Onion

Battered and fried to golden perfection, there’s nothing more satisfying than a crispy blooming onion with a zesty dipping sauce. It’s the perfect appetizer for game days, parties, or as an accompaniment to a hearty steak dinner.

Blooming onion hero shot with dipping sauce and parsley, on a board with dishes

This drool-worthy appetizer that’s a fan-favorite at many restaurants can be made right at home, thanks to this easy recipe. I’ll show you how to cut the onion into a “bloom,” how to easily coat it in batter and how to deep fry it. It’s easier than you think and once you do it, your family will be requesting it regularly!

full onion, fried, blooming onion with zesty dipping sauce, plates and napkins for serving

This drool-worthy appetizer that’s a fan-favorite at many restaurants can be made right at home, thanks to this easy recipe. I’ll show you how to cut the onion into a “bloom,” how to easily coat it in batter and how to deep fry it. It’s easier than you think and once you do it, your family will be requesting it regularly!

Large white onion prepping for cutting for blooming onion on a board, egg mixture, flour mixture in separate bowls

Equipment needed

You’ll definitely want to make sure you have a deep pot on hand because you’ll be lowering the onion down into hot oil. The oil will need to reach 400 degrees, so use a thermometer, too.  And finally, one of my favorite tools for recipes like this where you need to lower or capture an ingredient is a handy dandy wire skimmer, or spider, as it’s sometimes called. It’s perfect for reaching into hot oil and extracting the onion and moving it safely to a plate or rack with paper towels on it so that it can drain.

all of the ingredients for blooming onion set up each in their own measuring bowls and glasses

Making the dipping sauce

Make the dipping sauce first so that it can stay cool in the fridge while you’re busy cutting, dredging, and frying the onion.

It’s a simple but zesty recipe of mayonnaise, sour cream, ketchup, horseradish, paprika, salt, garlic powder, dried oregano, black pepper, and a pinch of cayenne pepper. You’ll mix it all together with a spoon or whisk and that’s it! Stash it in the fridge and carry on with the blooming onion.

all of the dry ingredients mixed up in a bowl seasonings

How to easily cut a blooming onion

Blooming onions look like they take a lot of work, but they really don’t! Cutting it is actually quite simple. Use a cutting board to help keep the onion stable while you slice it.

  • Step 1: Cut off the top of the onion so that it’s flat. Then peel the outer paper leaves off of it. Place it cut side down so that it’s sitting flat on your cutting board.
  • Step 2: You’ll now cut the onion into 4 even quarters by cutting about 1/2 inch down from the root. (You’ll need to keep the root section intact so that the onion doesn’t fall apart when all the petals are open.) So just cut 4 times, into quarters, 1/2 inch down from the root.
  • Step 3: Now cut each quarter into 4 even pieces You should now have 16 evenly sized sections. Note: if you’re working with small onions, you may want to cut them into 3 sections instead of 4.
  • Step 4: Turn the onion over and set aside for 5 minutes to allow the petals to relax. Prior to breading the onion, use your fingers to very gently separate the outer pieces, taking care not to break them.
raw onion cut up in shape open for dredging and ready to fry

How to add the batter to the onion

When the onion petals have loosened enough, you’ll be ready to add the batter to the onion. The batter consists of a flour mixture and an egg mixture. Here, we’ll double-dredge the onion in the flour mixture for extra crispiness when it’s fried.

  • Step 1: Mix together the flour and seasonings.
  • Step 2: Make the egg mixture by whisking the egg, milk, and water together.
  • Step 3: Place the onion, cut-side up, in a bowl and pour the flour mixture on top of it. Use a spoon to help coat all the onion petals with the flour mix. Turn the onion over and carefully shake and pat off the excess flour. Be sure to reserve the bowl of flour because you’ll use it again.
  • Step 4: Move the onion to the bowl with the egg mixture and using a spoon, make sure it’s coated evenly with the egg. Remove the onion and let the excess egg drip off.
  • Step 5: Transfer the onion back to the flour mixture bowl and repeat the flour process, making sure all the petals are coated.
  • Step 6: Place the onion on a clean plate and place it in the refrigerator while you heat the oil.
Mix up flour mixture in a bowl

How to fry the blooming onion

  • Using either vegetable oil or peanut oil, both of which are excellent for frying since they have a high smoke point, heat it to 400 degrees in a deep pot. Make sure and use the thermometer so you know when the oil is ready.
  • Once the oil has reached 400 degrees, retrieve the onion from the fridge and shake off any excess flour. Using your wire skimmer, gently lower the battered onion, cut-side down, into the oil.
  • Lower the temperature so that it’s maintained at 350 degrees while you fry the onion. Fry it for 3 minutes and then turn it over and fry for another 3 minutes until it’s golden brown.
  • Using the wire skimmer, remove it from the oil and place it on a drying rack with paper towels underneath to catch the grease.
mix up egg and milk with a whisk in a white bowl

Variations

Onions: this recipe calls for using a sweet onion due to its mellow flavor. Red onions are a great option if you want a stronger flavor. The strongest onions flavors will be from yellow and white onions.

whisk egg mixture in a bowl

Seasonings: Here you can really change it up. If you love super spicy flavors, try cajun seasons or more hot chile style seasons.

slice onion ready for dredging in flour mixture

I hope you try this recipe! It’s super easy to make this tasty onion appetizer, plus it looks very impressive. You now know the secret to cut an onion with perfect petal blooms!

place onion in bowl with egg and milk mixture in a white bowl
Fried Blooming Onion with sauce in a bowl black trim on a board with parsley, plates white on napkins

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Nettie is a wife and mother who is passionate about cooking and baking. With 5 children, Nettie insists that all meals, snacks, and desserts come together quickly! You will find a wide variety of easy yet scrumptious recipes on her very popular website Moore or Less Cooking

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #mooreorlesscooking so I can see all the wonderful recipes that YOU make from this site!

Nettie is a wife and mother who is passionate about cooking and baking. With 5 children, Nettie insists that all meals, snacks, and desserts come together quickly! You will find a wide variety of easy yet scrumptious recipes on her very popular website Moore or Less Cooking

Be sure to follow me on Instagram and tag #mooreorlesscooking so I can see all the wonderful recipes that YOU make from this site!

Fried Blooming Onion with sauce
Yield: 4 servings

Blooming Onion

Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 6 minutes
Total Time: 21 minutes

Ingredients

  • For the Onion:
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 2 ½ cups all-purpose flour
  • 1 tablespoon paprika
  • 1 teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon ground cumin
  • ½ teaspoon dried thyme
  • ½ teaspoon dried oregano
  • 2 large eggs
  • 1 cup milk
  • Salt and pepper to taste
  • Oil for frying
  • For the Sauce:
  • ¼ cup mayonnaise
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 teaspoons ketchup
  • 1 tablespoon horseradish
  • ¼ teaspoon paprika
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • ⅛ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ⅛ teaspoon dried oregano
  • Black pepper to taste
  • Cayenne pepper to taste

Instructions

  1. Combine all the sauce ingredients into a bowl, then cover and place into the refrigerator.
  2. Slice the onion to make it bloom.
  3. Start by cutting off 1/2 inch from the top of the onion, then peel the outer skin from the onion.
  4. Place the onion cut-side down.
  5. Starting about 1/2 inch from the root, make a downward cut all the way through to the board.
  6. Repeat to make four evenly spaced cuts around the onion.
  7. Make 3 additional cuts between each section until you have 16 evenly spaced cuts.
  8. Turn the onion over and set aside for 5 minutes to allow the petals to relax.
  9. Prior to breading use your fingers to gently separate the outer pieces.
  10. Whisk the flour, paprika, cayenne, cumin, thyme, and oregano in a large bowl.
  11. In a medium deep bowl, whisk the eggs, milk, and 1 cup of water.
  12. Place the onion in a clean bowl, cut-side up, and pour the flour mixture on top.
  13. Use a large spoon to coat the onion with the flour mixture, especially between the onion petals.
  14. Turn the onion over and pat off the excess flour.  Reserve the bowl of flour.
  15. Transfer the onion to the egg mixture and coat it evenly.
  16. Remove and let the excess drip off, then transfer back into the reserved flour mixture and repeat the flouring process. 
  17. Place the onion into the refrigerator while you heat the oil.
  18. Using a large deep pot heat your cooking oil to 400 degrees, and use a thermometer for best results.
  19. Remove the onion from the refrigerator and shake any excess flour from the onion.
  20. Using a wire skimmer lower the onion into the oil, cut-side down. Adjust your heat to maintain the oil temperature at 350 degrees. 
  21. Fry for about 3 minutes, then turn the onion over and cook until golden, about 3 more minutes.
  22. Remove onion using your wire skimmer and drain on a rack placed over paper towels. 
  23. Season with salt and pepper, and serve with the dip.

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This drool-worthy appetizer that's a fan-favorite at many restaurants can be made right at home, thanks to this easy recipe. I'll show you how to cut the onion into a "bloom," how to easily coat it in batter and how to deep fry it. It's easier than you think and once you do it, your family will be requesting it regularly! via @Mooreorlesscook

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