How To Make A Restaurant-Worthy Blooming Onion At Home

Of all the amazing steakhouse chain restaurants in the U.S., there's a little something to entice just about anyone's palate. From dedicated omnivores to vegetarians, the one uniting force that brings everyone together around the restaurant table is the blooming onion. An Outback Steakhouse staple — and one that is clearly superior to the "Cactus Blossom" Texas Roadhouse counterpart — the blooming onion has mystified diners as a steadfast, satisfying appetizer. If you've ever wondered if you too could properly slice, batter, and fry a whole onion at home, you'll be pleased to know that you can easily take this pleasing snack right out of its typical restaurant environment and into your home kitchen. All you need are a few handy tips and a desire to get creative.

The most important note is to use the proper equipment, starting with a sharp knife to get the right cuts both safely and efficiently. Following the lead of a restaurant chef, ensure that the knife you're using is a good one. The process of cutting up your onion should take only 16 cuts in total. Start by peeling your onion, then cutting off the bottom to make a flat base on which to rest your onion while cutting. Dividing your onion into quadrants, you must then make three cuts in each of those four sections before turning your onion over and spreading open the pieces. From there, it's a matter of choosing your favorite batter, seasonings, and dipping sauces.

To truly get a restaurant-quality blooming onion, the obvious step is knowing how to cut and prepare it just right. Beyond the technical aspects, you'll also want to get the flavors of your favorite appetizer on point, starting first with the right onion. With so many popular types of onions, you'll want to select one that has a good balance of sweetness and structural integrity that will hold up to being battered and deep-fried. Either a large white or sweet onion is advisable depending on your taste preferences to get a similar flavor and texture as your restaurant favorites. Simply prepare it using a sharp knife and the proper cutting instructions before mixing up the batter and either air frying or deep frying it.

For the batter and seasonings, remember that restaurant style blooming onions are double coated, which means that you will start by dredging your onion in a flour mixture, dunking it into an egg batter, and then dipping it back into the flour mixture once again prior to frying. As far as the breading goes, you can use a mixture of flour, salt, pepper, and any of your favorite spices to complement the fried onion flavor. This can include garlic, paprika, oregano, cayenne pepper, and more. Remember to use a high smoke point oil if you're deep frying and to exercise caution. A simple remoulade sauce recipe would be great for dipping. For a large appetizer such as the blooming onion, remember that sharing is caring!