Blooming Onion Recipe

I’ll show you how to recreate the iconic Outback Blooming Onion with a double‑breaded, buttermilk‑tangy crust that stays perfectly crunchy. Slice two large sweet onions into ½‑inch rings, then dip each ring in a whisked egg‑buttermilk mix and coat twice in a blend of flour, cornstarch, seasoned salt, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and baking powder. Fry in 350°F oil for 3‑5 minutes until golden, drain on paper towels, and keep warm. The next steps reveal the exact sauce and serving tricks.

Crispy Onion Rings

Ingredients

• 2 large sweet onions (≈1 lb each)
• 1 cup all‑purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• 1 tsp seasoned salt
• ½ tsp paprika
• ¼ tsp cayenne pepper
• ½ tsp garlic powder
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 large egg
• ½ cup buttermilk
• 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

Instructions

1. Slice the onions into ½‑inch thick rings and separate them.
2. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the egg and buttermilk.
3. In a second shallow bowl, combine flour, cornstarch, seasoned salt, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, and baking powder.
4. Dip each onion ring into the buttermilk mixture, let excess drip off, then coat in the flour mixture. For a crunchier crust, repeat the dip‑and‑coat step once more.
5. Heat the oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350 °F (use a thermometer).
6. Working in a single layer, lower the rings into the oil with a slotted spoon; fry 3–5 minutes, flipping halfway, until golden brown and crisp.
7. Remove with a spider skimmer, drain on paper towels, and keep warm while cooking remaining batches.

Extra tip

I find that maintaining the oil temperature between 325 °F and 375 °F is crucial; if the oil drops too low when the rings hit it, the coating absorbs excess oil and loses its crunch. Also, the double‑breading step—dip, coat, dip again, and coat—creates that extra‑crunchy exterior I love, while the buttermilk adds a subtle tang that balances the sweet onion flavor.

Originated at Outback Steakhouse

After mastering the perfect crunch of onion rings, I’m excited to share where the Bloomin’ Onion actually began: at Outback Steakhouse.

Tim Gannon invented it in 1988 after years of testing, inspired by Jeff Glowski’s fried onion flowers.

Outback sources 4.25‑inch onions from fifteen growers, uses a mechanical cutter for 200 petals, and trademarks the spiced, sauce‑laden masterpiece that now sells eight million servings annually.