Onion patties are better than onion rings and I’ll die on that hill

I grew up in a house where everything got fried. Chicken, fish, fritters — if it could go in hot oil, it did. Not exactly a heart-healthy childhood, but it gave me a deep and abiding respect for State Fair food and the kind of recipes that make people go quiet at the table.

Onion patties are one of those recipes.

Everybody knows onion rings. Onion rings are fine. But onion patties? That’s the move nobody talks about. They’re crispier, more satisfying, and somehow way more dramatic in the best possible way. Throw one on a burger bun with fresh lettuce and a thick slice of tomato and you will genuinely reconsider every food decision you’ve made before this moment.

What even are onion patties?

Onion patties are essentially savory onion pancakes — a thick, seasoned batter packed with chopped onion and pan-fried until crispy and golden brown on both sides. Think less “ring” and more “fritter,” which honestly should tell you everything you need to know about why they’re better.

They’re a Southern thing, quietly beloved, and wildly underrepresented on the internet. Which is a crime. A genuine culinary crime.

What do you need to make onion patties?

The ingredient list is embarrassingly short, which is part of why this recipe is so dangerous to know.

• 3/4 cup flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 3/4 cup milk
• 2 1/2 cups chopped onion (about 2 small onions)
• Shortening or oil for frying

That’s it. You probably have everything already. This is the dangerous part.

How do you make onion patties?

Mix all your dry ingredients together in a large bowl first, then pour in the milk and stir. You want a thick batter — not pourable, more like a drop-biscuit situation.

Fold in the chopped onions and stir until everything’s coated and happy.

Heat about a half inch of oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Drop the batter by heaping tablespoons into the hot oil, then press each one down with the back of a spatula so they flatten out into patties. Brown on both sides until they’re deeply golden and crispy — don’t rush this part. Drain on paper towels and hit them with a little salt while they’re still hot.

Start to finish, you’re looking at maybe 30 minutes. Less if you’re efficient. More if you keep sneaking bites.

How do you know when the oil is hot enough?

Drop a tiny bit of batter in — if it sizzles immediately and floats up, you’re good. If it just sits there looking sad, wait another minute. Too-cool oil makes greasy patties, and nobody wants that.

Medium-high heat is your target. Don’t walk away from the pan.

Can you add stuff to the batter?

Absolutely yes, and honestly you should at least try the bacon version once before you die. Fold in 1/4 cup of crumbled cooked bacon before you fry them and they become something transcendent.

Other solid add-ins: diced green pepper, cooked chopped mushroom, or a handful of shredded cheddar pressed on top right after you flip them. The cheddar melts into the crust a little and it is genuinely unfair how good that is.

In my last roundup of fried foods worth making at home, I kept coming back to the idea that the best fried things are the simplest ones. This recipe proves it every time.

What do you serve onion patties with?

Honestly? Whatever you want. They’re incredible next to meatloaf — that’s the classic move, and it works for a reason. They’re also excellent alongside grilled chicken, stacked on a burger in place of a regular bun, or eaten standing over the kitchen counter directly off the paper towel.

No judgment on that last one. I’m not judging anyone.

If you’re into building a whole Southern-ish spread, check out my take on easy weeknight comfort food sides — these patties fit right in.

Is it okay to make these ahead of time?

You can, but fresh is genuinely better here. Like the bacon cheddar pinwheels situation I talked about before — some things just don’t hold up the way you want them to.

If you need to make them a little ahead, keep them warm on a baking sheet in a 200°F oven uncovered so they stay crispy. Don’t cover them or stack them — steam is the enemy of crunchy.

Reheat leftovers in an air fryer for a few minutes at 375°F and they’ll come back to life pretty well. Microwave is a last resort and produces a sad, limp result. You deserve better than that.

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Jamie

Forget Onion Rings, These Onion Patties Are Going To ROCK YOUR WORLD!

4.38 from 1067 votes

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5 minutes mins

Cook Time 5 minutes mins

Total Time 10 minutes mins

Ingredients Method

Ingredients

  

• ¾ cup flour
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon cornmeal
• 2 teaspoons baking powder
• 2 teaspoons salt
• ¾ cup milk
• 2 ½ cups chopped onions about 2 small onions
• shortening or oil for frying

Method

 

1. In a large bowl, mix all dry ingredients, then add milk and stir. This will give you a thick batter.
2. Add onions and mix until well blended.
3. Heat 1/2 inch oil in skillet over medium high heat. Drop batter by tablespoons into the hot oil.
4. Flatten with the back of a spatula, then brown on both sides until crispy, golden brown.
5. Drain on paper towel, sprinkle salt to taste.
6. Pro Tip: You can make these even more craveworthy by adding 1/4 cup crumbled, cooked bacon to the batter before cooking. Other tasty add ins include: 1/4 cup green pepper, 1/4 cup cooked mushroom, or sprinkle cheddar on top after you’ve finished cooking. So. Delicious.

Onion patties don’t get nearly enough credit, and I genuinely don’t understand why. They’re cheap, fast, deeply satisfying, and the kind of thing that makes people ask “wait, what IS this” in the best possible tone of voice.

Make them once and you’ll know exactly why I feel the way I do about this. But what do I know?

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