Crispy Mini Bloomin Onions (Print Version)
Crunchy golden mini bloomin onions with a spiced breading and zesty dipping sauce—perfect for parties.
# What You Need:
→ Vegetables
01 - 6 small sweet onions (pearl or cipollini, 2–3 inches in diameter)
→ Breading
02 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
03 - ½ cup cornstarch
04 - 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
05 - 1 teaspoon garlic powder
06 - 1 teaspoon onion powder
07 - ½ teaspoon salt
08 - ¼ teaspoon black pepper
09 - ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
→ Wet Batter
10 - 2 large eggs
11 - ½ cup whole milk
→ Frying
12 - 1 quart vegetable oil for deep frying
→ Dipping Sauce
13 - ½ cup mayonnaise
14 - 2 tablespoons ketchup
15 - 1 tablespoon prepared horseradish
16 - ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
17 - ½ teaspoon garlic powder
18 - ½ teaspoon lemon juice
19 - Pinch of salt
# Directions:
01 - Trim the root end just enough so each onion stands upright while staying intact. Peel the onions. Cut 4 to 6 vertical slices from top to root, stopping about ¼ inch from the base so the layers remain connected. Rotate and make additional cuts to form 8 to 12 petals. Gently fan the petals apart with your fingers.
02 - Combine the flour, cornstarch, smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, black pepper, and cayenne in a shallow bowl. In a second bowl, whisk together the eggs and milk until smooth.
03 - Dredge each scored onion in the flour mixture, ensuring all petals are coated. Shake off the excess, then submerge in the egg-milk wash. Return to the flour mixture and press gently to adhere the coating to every petal.
04 - Pour vegetable oil into a deep pot or fryer and bring to 350°F over medium-high heat.
05 - Lower one or two onions into the oil cut-side down. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes until golden, then flip and continue frying for an additional 2 to 3 minutes until the coating is crisp and the onion is cooked through.
06 - Lift the onions out with a slotted spoon and set them on paper towels to drain. Dust with a light sprinkle of salt while still hot if desired.
07 - Stir together the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, smoked paprika, garlic powder, lemon juice, and salt in a small bowl until fully blended.
08 - Arrange the hot mini bloomin onions on a serving plate alongside the dipping sauce.
# Insider Tips:
01 -
- The double dredge creates an almost absurdly crunchy shell that shatters when you bite into it
- They look like tiny fireworks on a plate and people cannot resist picking them up with their hands
02 -
- If you cut too deep and sever the root end completely the onion will fall apart into random pieces during frying instead of holding its bloomed shape
- Cornstarch in the breading is not optional if you want that shatter crisp exterior, regular flour alone goes soft within minutes
03 -
- Dust the floured onions with a light extra tap of flour right before the egg wash because it fills in any thin spots you missed on the first pass
- Let the battered onions rest for about two minutes before frying so the coating sets and adheres more tightly to each petal