• Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • RSS
  • Twitter
  • Home
  • About Me
  • Recipes
  • Cookbooks
  • Work With Me
  • Contact

CPA: Certified Pastry Aficionado

Fried Onion Petals

appetizer· snacks
June 8, 2023

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

Fried Onion Petals – Sweet onion is sliced into petals, seasoned, and fried until perfectly crispy. Served with homemade horseradish sauce.

a fried onion petal dipping into horseradish dip

Another yummy snack coming at ya! This one was uber addictive. I was munching on these Fried Onion Petals all day after making them.

The inspiration for this snack comes from the Bloomin’ Onion at Outback Steakhouse. Making a whole onion seems so intimidating so I never thought to make it at home. But then the thought came to me – why not fried them in little petals instead? They’re also easier to dip than onion rings.

Without further ado, here are the Fried Onion Petals!

bowl of fried onion petals with horseradish sauce
close up of horseradish sauce
overhead shot of fried onion petals in a green bowl and a side of horseradish sauce

Tips & Tricks

  1. Prepared horseradish. Make sure you get prepared horseradish and not raw horseradish. Prepared horseradish is more mild and has a creamy texture.
  2. Use a round onion. To get a nice long petal, make sure you use a round onion instead of a flat, wide one.
  3. Coat the onions completely. You need to coat the onions well in seasoned flour to ensure they get nice and crispy.
  4. Fry until golden brown. Make sure you fry until the petals turn golden brown. This will produce a perfectly crunchy exterior.
Print Recipe

Fried Onion Petals

Prep Time15 minutes mins
Cook Time25 minutes mins
Total Time40 minutes mins
Servings: 6 servings

Ingredients

For the horseradish sauce:
  • ½ cup mayo
  • ¼ cup sour cream
  • 2 tablespoons ketchup
  • 2 tablespoons prepared horseradish
  • 1 clove garlic minced
  • ½ teaspoon salt
  • ¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 pinch cayenne pepper
For the petals:
  • oil for frying
  • 1 large sweet onion
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour
  • 1½ teaspoons salt
  • ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
  • ½ teaspoon onion powder
  • ½ teaspoon garlic powder
  • ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 cup buttermilk
  • 1 large egg

Instructions

  • Add all the horseradish sauce ingredients together in a bowl and stir together to combine. Set aside.
  • Add canola or vegetable oil to a large Dutch oven so the oil is about 4 inches deep. Set over medium heat. Place a candy thermometer into the oil to monitor the temperature.
  • Slice off the root end of the onion. Cut onion in half. Peel off paper skin and discard. Slice onion halves in half again and then into quarters. Separate onion pieces into petals and place into a ziploc bag. Set aside.
  • Mix flour, salt, peppers, onion powder, garlic powder, and paprika in a medium bowl. Add ¼ cup of mixture to the bag of onions. Seal the bag and shake to coat the onions evenly.
  • Set up dredging stations by adding buttermilk and egg to a medium bowl and whisking together. Set bowl of flour next to it. Place an empty baking sheet next to the flour.
  • Pour about ⅓ of the onions into the buttermilk and coat evenly. Remove the onions from the buttermilk and drain off excess. Toss in the seasoned flour until completely coated in flour. Shake off excess and set on empty baking sheet. Repeat with the rest of the onions.
  • Once the oil reached 365 degrees, add about ¼ of the breaded onion petals to fry for about 3 minutes. Flip and fry until deep golden brown, about 3 more minutes. Remove and place on cooling rack over a baking sheet to help drain excess oil. Repeat in 3 more batches with the rest of the onion petals.
  • Let cool for 5 minutes and then serve hot with horseradish dipping sauce.

Notes

Recipe adapted from Tornadough Alli

Pin for later:

pin of fried onion petals

More recipes you’ll love:

French Onion Soup
a spoonful of french onion soup highlighting the caramelized onions in the soup
Healthy Onion Dip
photo of healthy onion dip in a square bowl with a chip sitting in the center
Fried Cheese Curds with Buttermilk Ranch
close up of fried cheese curd getting dipped into homemade buttermilk ranch

Share this:

  • Click to share on Pinterest (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window)
  • Click to share on Tumblr (Opens in new window)
  • Click to email this to a friend (Opens in new window)

9 Comments

« Rosemary Cheese Straws
Raspberry Lime Macaron Sandwich »

Comments

  1. hunzercino says

    January 25, 2026 at 4:02 am

    Looks delicious! Can’t wait to try making fried onion petals at home.

    Reply
  2. carlos sheinbaum yoselevitz says

    January 22, 2026 at 6:08 pm

    Fried onion taste really good when you eat it with mint yogurt.

    Reply
  3. play hiezcoinx2.x12 says

    January 22, 2026 at 6:07 pm

    These are amazing and looks so good

    Reply
  4. mcdvoice says

    August 31, 2023 at 2:54 am

    This fried onion petaos is very int. and it’s helpful for me. I wish you make many more post like this.

    Reply
  5. Elizabeth says

    June 10, 2023 at 10:25 am

    Yum, this makes me think of the onion treats sold at my local fair! The horseradish sauce complements the taste of the fried onions nicely. Thanks for sharing!

    Reply
  6. Kathleen says

    June 10, 2023 at 10:22 am

    These fried onion petals are such a simple, easy and delicious appetizer. I can’t wait to make them.

    Reply
  7. Ali says

    June 10, 2023 at 9:38 am

    What an addictive appetizer— just like what you’d get in a restaurant. This is definitely going to be a family favorite!

    Reply
  8. Quynh says

    June 10, 2023 at 6:13 am

    Delicious! One of my favorite appetizers at Outback Steakhouse. I can’t believe how simple it is to make.

    Reply
  9. Beth says

    June 10, 2023 at 1:31 am

    A must-try side dish recipe! Easy & flavorful – my favorite things!

    Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Hi, my name is Sharon. I’m an accountant by day, risk-taking baker and food enthusiast by night. Come join me as I share my favorite recipes and test out new ones along the way!

fall flavors

a bowl of Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding topped with ice cream with a casserole dish with bread pudding and two pumpkins stacked on top of each other in the background, shot from a side angle

Pumpkin Snickerdoodle Bread Pudding

slice of carrot snack cake on a pink plate

Carrot Snack Cake

close up of potato dinner rolls on a wooden round serving platter

Potato Dinner Rolls

apple pie egg roll dipping in caramel sauce

Apple Pie Egg Rolls

front shot of pumpkin loaf cut into slices

My Favorite Pumpkin Loaf

styled shot of pumpkin snickerdoodles

Pumpkin Snickerdoodles

ORDER MY NEW COOKBOOK NOW!

photo of entertaining made easy cookbook available for preorder now

Breakfast
Appetizers
Entrees
Salads
Sides
Drinks
Desserts
Roundups
Holidays

Browse by Date

  • Home
  • About Me
  • Contact Me
  • Privacy Policy

holiday favorite

close up of potato dinner rolls on a wooden round serving platter

Potato Dinner Rolls

picture of fried goat cheese balls stacked on an appetizer plate with honey drizzling over the top

Fried Goat Cheese Balls

Red Velvet Macarons - A classic french cookie made with a red velvet cookie and cream cheese filling. A elegant little dessert perfect for bridal showers and tea parties!

Red Velvet Macarons

close up of a serving bowl with sage and brown butter mashed sweet potatoes

Sage & Brown Butter Mashed Sweet Potatoes

styled shot of Cranberry Apple Crumble

Cranberry Apple Crumble

 

Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cum Beef Empanadas – flaky pie dough filled with cumin-spiced beef and tomato mixture!

These are perfect for Cinco de Mayo, you guys! Small party-perfect size (makes about 20!) with super flavorful filling that's NOT spicy – everyone will love them! 😍

Made with my classic pie dough for the flakiest crust, then filled with seasoned beef, onions, and tomatoes!

Pro tip: Make sure to chill the dough before rolling it out – this lets it rest and firm up so it gets nice and flaky while baking!

Perfect for Cinco de Mayo parties, game day, meal prep, or anytime you want delicious hand-held snacks!

💬 Comment "EMPANADAS" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for party planning
📤 SHARE with someone who loves empanadas!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/beef-empanadas
Apple Pie Sundae – cinnamon crumble ice cream to Apple Pie Sundae – cinnamon crumble ice cream topped with caramelized cinnamon apples, pie crust chips, and caramel sauce to make a fun way to eat your favorite pie! 

You guys, this is apple pie DECONSTRUCTED! All the flavors you love but in sundae form! 

I was inspired by a restaurant dessert but knew I could take it up a few notches! I added crispy pie crust chips and caramel sauce (because apples + caramel = perfection!), and the result is INCREDIBLE!

Pro tip: Use a cast-iron skillet to caramelize the apples – it gives them better color and flavor than a non-stick pan! And cook them just 8-10 minutes so they still have bite and aren't mushy!

Perfect for National Ice Cream Month, summer treats, fall desserts, or anytime you want apple pie without baking a whole pie! 🥧

💬 Comment "APPLESUNDAE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for dessert inspiration
📤 SHARE with ice cream lovers!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/apple-pie-sundae/
Chocolate Cream Pie – flaky pie crust baked to p Chocolate Cream Pie – flaky pie crust baked to perfection, filled with chocolate pudding, and topped with fresh whipped cream that won't wilt!

This is THE pie to make if you're trying to switch up your holiday traditions, you guys! Sometimes you need a break from pumpkin pie and pecan pie!

The genius secret? Unflavored gelatin in the whipped cream makes it stable so it won't wilt or melt – you can make this ahead!

Pro tip: Add the hot milk to the eggs VERY slowly or the eggs will scramble and the pudding will get lumpy!

Perfect for Thanksgiving, Christmas, Valentine's Day, Easter, or anytime you want chocolate cream perfection! 

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/chocolate-cream-pie

💬 Comment "CHOCPIE" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for holiday desserts
📤 SHARE with someone who loves chocolate pie!
Banana Bread Granola – oats tossed with pecans, Banana Bread Granola – oats tossed with pecans, walnuts, banana puree, honey, and cinnamon to make a crunchy snack that tastes (and smells!) just like banana bread! 🍌

I never thought homemade granola would be worth the effort, you guys! But the effort is minimal and the end result is SO worth it! 

My favorite part? The SMELL! When it bakes, the banana and cinnamon create an aroma almost exactly like baking banana bread – it's intoxicating!

Pro tip: You MUST use super ripe bananas for this recipe – they have more sugar so you don't need tons of honey!

Perfect for breakfast bowls, yogurt topping, snacking, or anytime you want banana bread in granola form! 

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/banana-bread-granola/

💬 Comment "GRANOLA" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for breakfast ideas
📤 SHARE with someone who loves banana bread!
Poblano Corn Chowder – a creamy corn chowder loa Poblano Corn Chowder – a creamy corn chowder loaded with poblano peppers, Yukon gold potatoes, and sharp cheddar cheese! 🌶️🌽

Cold weather means SOUP SEASON, you guys! And this chowder is the perfect comfort food! Made in a jiffy and super creamy without tons of heavy cream!

The secret? A roux thickens the chowder so regular milk makes it nice and creamy!
Pro tip: Don't skip the Yukon gold potatoes – they're much more tender and creamy than Russett or red potatoes!

Perfect for cold winter nights, cozy dinners, or anytime you need a warm hug in a bowl!

https://www.certifiedpastryaficionado.com/poblano-corn-chowder/
💬 Comment "CHOWDER" for the recipe
💾 SAVE for soup season
📤 SHARE with someone who loves soup!

Copyright © 2026 Certified Pastry Aficionado · Web Design by Viva la Violet

loading Cancel
Post was not sent - check your email addresses!
Email check failed, please try again
Sorry, your blog cannot share posts by email.