3 Ways to Celebrate National Onion Rings Day
Since the first onion ring recipe appeared in print over 200 years ago, as shared at National Today, these fried golden onion bites have only grown in popularity. To honor this tasty dish, June 22 is designated as National Onion Rings Day! Learn more below about how to celebrate onion rings on this special day and what other days of the year honor similarly delicious snacks and sides!
History of Onion Rings
Onion rings may feel like a quintessential American comfort food, but their story goes back much further than the drive-in era. The first recorded recipe resembling onion rings dates all the way back to 1802! In the cookbook "The Art of Cookery Made Easy and Refined," British author John Mollard described slicing onions into half-inch circles, dredging them in a batter of salt, pepper, flour, and Parmesan cheese, and cooking them in hot lard. The suggested pairing? A sauce of mustard and melted butter, which honestly sounds like it would still work today.
From there, the onion ring's story goes quiet for nearly a century, until the early 1900s, when dozens of recipes resembling or explicitly named "onion rings" began appearing in cookbooks, with the first battered and breaded version surfacing around 1914. The onion ring made its way to America with the Texas-based Pig Stand at what is considered America's first drive-in restaurant, which has long claimed credit for its invention. The historical record, however, tells a different story. It seems clear from published recipes that predate the opening of the first Pig Stand that others had gotten there first.
What really launched onion rings into mainstream American kitchens was an unlikely source. One of the first widely published onion ring recipes appeared in an advertisement for Crisco in the New York Times Magazine in 1933, featuring two illustrated women sharing their love for the dish, suggesting it was already known but not yet a staple of home cooking. A&W then helped cement onion rings as a fast food fixture by adding them to its menu in the 1960s.
Today, onion rings are enjoyed across the United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, Australia, and beyond, served as a side, a snack, and even a burger topping. From John Mollard's 1802 kitchen to your nearest Freddy's, the onion ring has earned its place as one of the most satisfying bites in food history.
How to Celebrate National Onion Rings Day
Whether you order onion rings regularly or make them only as a special treat, National Onion Rings Day is the ideal opportunity for anyone to enjoy them to the fullest. On June 22, some may decide to make onion rings in their own kitchens, while others may prefer to order them from a local restaurant. If you are looking for some inspiration for how to celebrate National Onion Rings Day, here are a few ideas:
1. Make your own batch of onion rings.
Let National Onion Rings Day serve as the extra push to finally make that first batch of onion rings or try a new onion ring recipe. Consider preparing onion rings with your preferred batter, such as beer-battered onion rings. If the prospect of deep-frying has been a deterrent to cooking homemade onion rings, explore recipes for air-fried or baked onion rings instead!
2. Experiment with different dipping sauces.
Another way to add a little something special to your usual homemade batch or prepared package of onion rings is to pair them with a new sauce. To accompany a beer-battered onion ring recipe, the National Onion Association offers 3 different sauce recipes that may be of interest. Another option is to try a prepared sauce that you know you love with other dishes on your onion rings, such as Freddy’s Famous Jalapeño Fry Sauce®.
3. Pick the perfect steakburger or other dish to pair with your onion rings.
National Onion Rings Day is the perfect excuse to indulge, but at Freddy's, you never need a special occasion. Our onion rings are available any time of day, whether you want them as a standalone snack, a shareable appetizer, or the ideal companion to a steakburger, Chili Cheese Dog Combo, or anything else on the menu. And when the onion ring craving hits between food holidays, you will find a full lineup of satisfying sides ready to round out your order. Prior to placing your next order, make sure to join Freddy’s Rewards and download the Freddy’s app to start earning points with every order and to find out about any special offers related to special food holidays or otherwise!