There was a phase when onion rings were one of my comfort foods, and I craved them more often than you could imagine. But I was lazy too! So, one day I made many batches of onion rings without thinking much. And when everything was done, I ate as much as I could and then stored them in the fridge.
At that moment, a stressful thought occurred to me “how to reheat onion rings?” So, eventually, I looked for suggestions, did some experiments, and finally came up with some super exciting ways to reheat onion rings while retaining their taste.
Let me share those methods with you guys who love onion rings as much as I do!
Can You Reheat Onion Rings?
Yes, you definitely can reheat onion rings! If done right, your onion rings will taste just as good!
Although onion rings are best served fresh out of the fryer, people have found ways to preserve their texture and taste through various reheating processes. You can re-fry them, put them in the oven, use an air fryer, or even a microwave!
And you can pair your reheated onion rings with reheated pasta, reheated sandwiches, or reheated nuggets to make your lazy meal a happy one.
How to Reheat Onion Rings Using a Oven (The Best Way)
Although there are many ways you could reheat your onion rings, this one ranks best. Using a toaster oven or convection oven to reheat your onion rings will help you get the most out of your rings without affecting their taste.
To reheat your Onion Rings in the Oven, follow these simple steps:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Wrap your onion rings in aluminum foil and place them on the baking sheet.
- Add some oil, garlic, butter, or seasonings of your choice.
- Heat for 10-15 minutes or until they’re nice and crispy.
- Serve your onion rings warm!
If you’re using a Toaster-Oven; then:
- First heat your onion rings in the microwave to get them warm. 10-30 seconds should do the trick.
- Pop your warm onion rings in the toaster oven at 350 degrees Fahrenheit, and heat for 5-6 minutes. Brush them with little oil if necessary.
- Your onion rings should be nice and crispy!
How to Reheat Onion Rings Using A Skillet
Using a pan or a skillet to reheat your onion rings is a great option for when you need that extra crunch. It also saves you a lot of time and is extremely convenient!
To reheat your Onion Rings in a Skillet/Pan:
- Firstly, add some oil to your pan. You can even choose to add your preferred seasonings or flavor in the oil to make it extra tasty!
- Check to see if your oil is hot, and then add your onion rings to it.
- Make sure you maintain the flame at medium-low. Since your onion rings have already been fried once, reheating them on high will burn them.
- Flip them halfway through.
- Once they’re done, take them out on a paper towel to drain excess oil, and serve hot!
Pro Tip- Do not add too much oil to the pan. We do not want to deep fry them. A tablespoon or two should do the trick!
How to Reheat Onion Rings Using An Air-Fryer
Air fryers are still relatively new in people’s list of appliances that are convenient for reheating food. Most people are barely aware of just how useful Air Fryers can be when it comes to reheating food.
So can you reheat onion rings using an air fryer? Absolutely! They turn out amazing too!
If you follow the next few steps right, you should have warm, crunchy, and delicious onion fries at your disposal every single time!
To reheat your Onion Rings in an Air-fryer:
- Use a good quality baking/parchment sheet that is air-fryer friendly. Line your air fryer basket with these sheets and spray with cooking oil.
- Next, coat your onion rings with cooking spray on all sides. This will ensure a crispy texture.
- Reheat at about 375 degrees Fahrenheit for 10-12 minutes.
- Make sure you flip them halfway to avoid burning them.
- Now your onion rings are ready to eat!
You can also directly fry frozen onion rings in the air fryer! Check out this video from Melanie Cooks to learn directly from her!
Should You Reheat Onion Rings Using A Microwave
Can you reheat onion rings in the microwave? Yes. But should you? Nope.
Yes, I know that microwaves have become our go-to appliance when it comes to reheating food. And it does wonders with some food items. But onion rings aren’t one of them!
Think about this for a moment. Crispy, golden edges. The sound they make when you break them apart. Soft, flavourful, juicy battered onion rings on the inside. That is the perfect vision of an onion ring, isn’t it?
But if you get them anywhere near a microwave, think of a sloppy, soggy mess that will fall apart in front of your eyes. THAT is what the microwave will do to your onion rings!
But what if you don’t have the time to properly heat your onion rings? Is there a way to use the microwave without completely ruining your onion rings? Well, yes.
I would still recommend you to turn to the microwave as your very last option. But when you do, follow this simple trick.
To reheat your Onion Rings in a Microwave:
- Place a glass of water along with your onion rings in the microwave.
- Heat for 2-3 minutes. You’re done!
- If the rings turn soggy, sear them on a pan for another minute. That should fix it!
Pros And Cons of Reheating Onion Ring Options
| Reheating Options | Pros | Cons |
|---|---|---|
| Microwave | fast to reheat | soggy onion rings |
| Oven | crispy onion rings | Needs some time |
| Stove-top | crispy onion rings | messy and slow |
You may also like: How to Reheat Beef Wellington
Can You Reheat Frozen Onion Rings?
Yes, of course, you can reheat frozen onion rings. Onion rings are one of the few fried items that can be fried/baked ahead of time and flash-frozen individually. The next time you need them again, you can simply reheat them directly instead of having to thaw them!
You can either freeze raw onion rings or partially fry them and re-fry them later! Anything works as long as you’re doing it right. This recipe by Food also provides freezing instructions on how to prepare and store your onion rings ahead of time!
To reheat frozen Onion Rings in the Oven:
- simply place them on the baking sheet and reheat for 4-5 minutes more than you normally would.
- You can even use a microwave to first heat your frozen rings on the defrost setting.
- Reheat them until it’s crispy.
FAQ
What can I do with leftover onion rings?
Keep them in the fridge, or freeze them! You could also try recipes that allow you to incorporate leftover onion rings. This egg-inside-onion-rings recipe is my personal favorite!
How to freeze onion rings ahead of time?
Store them in airtight containers, leaving some headspace. Do not keep them inside the freezer for longer than 12 months. This article talks in detail about how you can cook, freeze and reheat them!
Can you BBQ frozen onion rings?
Absolutely! Place them directly on your grill for 5-10 minutes, and flip after a while. Add some oil to both sides and you’ll have crispy, golden brown onion rings!
What temperature do you cook onion rings in the air fryer?
Your air fryer should be at around 375-400 degrees Fahrenheit of temperature when you cook them. Check halfway through to make sure you’re not burning them!
Final Thoughts
Next time you feel like those leftover onion rings need to be discarded because you couldn’t finish them, don’t! There’s so much you could do with them! You could reheat them, or just include them in a new recipe!
Be sure to follow this article to get crunchy and delicious onion rings every time you reheat them. And if you have any further queries, feel free to drop by!
Eva M. Smith is the owner of this website. She is a 4 year old mother of two kids and a professional chef. Eva loves to cook for her family, but being a working mom has a lot of challenges. From squeezing in time to do the groceries to make three meals for the day. Eva knows how challenging cooking can be without a kitchen game plan.
That’s why she perfected techniques of preserving staple ingredients and several foods so that you have something pre-cooked or pre-baked to use for an array of meals. And they do not come short in flavor! And she does not want to sacrifice flavor with convenience. That’s why she is the best person to ask.