With so many varieties of appetizers out there to enjoy, trying to decide among all the yummy options can be a real challenge. That’s what makes the idea of two classic appetizers coming together into one irresistible dish is so appealing.
The recipe creator behind Nino’s Home has achieved exactly this sort of hybrid greatness by bringing together mozzarella cheese sticks and onion rings in a single, delicious appetizer: mozzarella onion rings! Because why should anyone have to choose between a hot, gooey mozzarella stick and crispy onion rings?
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Now you don’t have to order an appetizer sampler platter to eat these two savory starters together.
If you’re drooling (I am!) and can’t wait to try making these mozzarella onion rings, you’re in luck, because odds are good you already have most of the ingredients — flour, bread crumbs, an onion, eggs and cooking oil — in your kitchen.
You’ll also need mozzarella cheese, of course, but you’ll need a specific kind. More on that shortly.
You will also need a cutting board, a few bowls, a knife to slice the onions and cheese, and a pan or pot for frying the mozzarella onion rings.
The key to this recipe is creating layers of onion and cheese. Nino’s instructional YouTube video shows you how to tuck layers of mozzarella between two raw onion rings so the whole thing holds together as you bread them and fry them. It’s so clever that you’ll wish you’d thought of it yourself.
Which Onions Are Best For Mozzarella Onion Rings?
There are as many as 10 different onions to choose from at many grocery stores, but not all of them are right for making a tasty onion ring. In the YouTube video, the chef chose the Vidalia onion, a variety from Georgia known for its sweetness. Vidalias provide a great balance to the savory quality of the cheese and the fried coating on the onion ring.
When it comes to preparing onions, did you know you can use a strong metal hair pick to help you slice an onion into perfect rings? And, if you don’t like cutting onions because they bring you to tears, then you’re definitely going to want to see these tips on how to avoid crying when you’re chopping onions, too.
AdobeBuy The Right Cheese for Mozzarella Onion Rings
Mozzarella is right there in the recipe’s name, but there are different kinds of mozzarella.
To make mozzarella onion rings, you want to make sure to pick up a low-moisture block of mozzarella, not a ball. This will let you slice it into smaller pieces easily and still keep its shape as you tuck the cheese slices between two raw onion rings. (You’ll see in the video.)
Softer variations of this cheese, such as buffalo mozzarella, sold in a tub are too wet and soft to use in this type of dish.
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Once the rings are constructed, they get dipped in flour, eggs and breadcrumbs. Nino’s method calls for a double-dip in the coating to give the mozzarella onion rings a gorgeous thick crust. The video says this helps keep the cheese tucked inside of the ring, so it doesn’t melt out when you fry them.
When the cook samples a bite in the video, you can hear the loud crunch. See for yourself:
The video for this recipe has more than 17 million views, which shows the appeal of this fried food combination.
We’re ready to give these a try immediately!