Cheesy Onion Rings

These onion rings came about when I was desperately trying to figure out what to make for my husband's poker night that would actually impress his friends. Regular onion rings seemed too boring, but I didn't want to attempt anything too complicated either. I had some mozzarella sticks in the fridge and suddenly thought, what if I just stuffed them inside onion rings? It sounded crazy but I was running out of time, so I gave it a shot. When his buddies bit into them and hit that molten cheese center, you should have seen their faces. Now they specifically request these whenever we host anything.

My neighbor Mike, who's pretty hard to impress when it comes to food, tried one of these at our barbecue and immediately went back for three more. He kept saying he'd never thought of putting cheese inside onion rings and that it was "genius." His wife started laughing because he never gets that excited about appetizers, but he couldn't stop talking about them.

Ingredients

• Big sweet onion - You need one with really large rings that can hold the cheese without falling apart
• String cheese - The individually wrapped mozzarella sticks work perfectly and are already the right shape
• Standard breading setup - Flour, egg wash, and panko crumbs for that restaurant-style crunch
• Toothpicks - Absolutely essential for keeping everything together while they cook
• Plenty of oil - You need enough to completely cover them for even frying

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Step-by-Step Instructions

Getting the Onions Ready

Cut your onion into thick slices, maybe half an inch or so, then separate all the rings. You're going to pair them up with a bigger ring on the outside and a smaller one that fits inside with some space between them. This space is where your cheese is going to live.

Cheese Sandwich Assembly

Take your mozzarella sticks and cut them to fit in that gap between your onion rings. Put the cheese in there and stick a toothpick through the whole thing to hold it together. This part is a little fiddly, but it's what makes these special instead of just regular onion rings.

First Coating Round

Mix up flour, baking powder, and salt in a bowl and roll each assembled ring in this mixture. Set them on a wire rack while you make the batter because they need to sit for a minute to help the coating stick better.

Batter Time

Beat together milk and egg, then mix that into your leftover flour mixture until you get a smooth batter. It should be thick enough to stick to the onions but not so thick that it's like paste.

Final Coating

Dip each floured ring into your batter, let the extra drip off, then roll them in panko breadcrumbs. Press the crumbs on gently so they stick well. This triple coating is what gives you that amazing crunch.

Frying Process

Heat your oil to 350 degrees and carefully drop in a few rings at a time. Don't crowd them or they won't cook evenly. Fry until one side is golden brown, flip them over, and do the other side. The cheese inside will be perfectly melted by the time the outside is crispy.

I learned about the toothpicks the hard way when I took them out too early and watched half my cheese leak into the oil. Now I always wait until the very last second to remove them. Also, I used to think hotter oil would cook them faster, but it just burned the coating while leaving the inside cold.

What to Serve With Them

These are amazing with marinara sauce because the tomato cuts through all that rich cheese and crispy coating. Ranch dressing works great too if you want something creamy. They're perfect as appetizers, but they're also incredible alongside burgers or as part of a big game day spread.

Switch Things Up

Different cheeses work great - pepper jack adds heat, sharp cheddar gives more flavor. You could mix herbs into the flour for extra taste, or try cream cheese mixed with chives for something different. I've even seen people make them with thick bell pepper rings instead of onions.

Keeping Them Fresh

These really need to be eaten right away while the cheese is still gooey and the coating is crispy. They don't keep well because reheating makes the coating soggy and the cheese weird. If you absolutely have to store them, refrigerate and try reheating in the oven, but they'll never be as good as fresh.

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These cheesy onion rings have become my secret weapon for any time I want to make something that gets people talking. They're familiar enough that everyone wants to try them, but different enough to be memorable. The technique takes a little practice, but once you figure it out, they're not actually that hard to make. Every time I serve them, people act like I'm some kind of cooking genius, which is pretty funny since they're really just cheese stuffed inside onions.

Frequently Asked Questions

→ How do I prevent the cheese from leaking out?

Make sure to secure the cheese tightly between the onion rings with toothpicks, and don't overfill the space. The batter and breadcrumb coating also help seal everything in.

→ What oil temperature should I use for frying?

Heat the oil to about 350°F (175°C). If you don't have a thermometer, test with a small piece of batter - it should sizzle and float immediately.

→ Can I bake these instead of frying?

You can try baking at 400°F for about 15-20 minutes, flipping halfway through, but they won't be quite as crispy as the fried version.

→ What other cheeses can I use?

Any good melting cheese works! Try cheddar, pepper jack, or provolone. Just make sure it's in stick or block form so you can slice it to fit.

→ How do I know when they're done frying?

They should be golden brown on both sides and the coating should be crispy. The cheese inside should be melted but not completely leaked out.