Ariana Losch
Fried onions have become a pantry staple in my kitchen; I put them on everything from salad to burgers to mac and cheese, and my life is better for it. If you only buy a canister of crispy fried onions for green bean casserole, let me tell you, that’s a mistake. (Side note: I never realized how controversial green bean casserole was? It’s incredible? Like, second only to stuffing? This isn’t up for debate.) Anyways, my point is: The best fried onions can elevate your meals on a daily basis! They’re one of my favorite flavor hacks. A little handful makes my laziest meals taste intentional and delicious.
What we looked for in the best fried onions:
- Crisp, fresh breading: No mealy textures or stale bits.
- Real onion flavor: As you’ll see, I’m going to overuse the word “umami” in this ranking—but that’s what the best fried onions should always add. A sharp onion flavor that retains a little bit of its natural sweetness, but mostly brings a savory depth to every dish.
- Golden, not burnt: For baking purposes, you don’t want your fried onions to start out too crispy.
With that in mind, here are the best fried onions you can grab at the grocery store right now (and eventually wonder how you ever lived without them).
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- Great Value French Fried Onions
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Most of us grew up on French’s classic crispy fried onions, and I’m here to tell you that Great Value has a very comparable flavor to those. They’re golden and crisp—if anything, a little too crisp, with a breading that lacks the same tender crunch as French’s. But you get more bang for your buck here, so I’m happy to endorse them as a good option if you’re throwing Thanksgiving together on a budget.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- Mekhala Crispy Onions Umami Seaweed
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This bag of flaky, crispy red shallots and seaweed bits might not be what you’re looking for from the best fried onions, but we’d be remiss not to shout it out. The flavor is funky, using a salty soy sauce powder to balance the slightly sweetness from the shallots and seaweed. Sprinkle this over your sushi, rice bowls, fried eggs, or really anywhere you want a little extra brine and, yes, umami. The ingredients are totally gluten free, too!
Credit: Merc / Amazon
- Golden Farms Crispy Onions Gluten Free
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Another win for our gluten-free friends here—made with buckwheat flour and rice starch, these gluten free fried onions are super flaky, golden, and crisp. I wouldn’t have clocked that they were gluten free on the first bite. They lean a little smaller and crunchier than your standard French’s-style strips, which makes them pretty perfect for wedge salads and crispy Brussels sprouts. Just a heads up if you’re baking with them: They’re already very fried, so don’t let them sit for too long in the oven.
Credit: Merc / Sprouts
- Great Value Crispy Onions, Garlic Pepper
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I expected these to be peppery in a distracting way, but the seasoning blend here is glorious. In terms of flavor, I actually think these surpass French’s—but like our other Great Value pick, I don’t find these as texturally satisfying. They just aren’t as fresh and neatly battered. But the pepper, garlic, onion, brown sugar, bell pepper, and parsley add a whole other level of, say it with me, umami. If you want your green bean casserole to really stand out and deliver an extra salty-savory kick, these are the best fried onions to pick up. (And don’t fret: These only have 40mg of sodium per serving.)
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- MaeMai Medium Spice Crispy Garlic & Onion
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MaeMai’s Crispy Garlic & Onions tastes like the fried onion version of chili crisp. I’m completely obsessed with them, but you’ve been warned: These are pretty spicy considering they claim to be “medium” heat. Not a problem for me, but I wouldn’t go layering them over a casserole intended for the whole fam. They’re extra crunchy and flaky, great for sprinkling on ramen, avocado toast, soups, you name it—but once again, I’d say be careful with baking, since they come heavily fried already. The seasoning includes mushroom powder and lime, giving it an umami depth that’s hard to beat. (Oh, and by the way: These are totally gluten free. What can I say? GF gang, you’ve been blessed today.)
Credit: Merc / Walmart
- French’s Original Crispy Fried Onions
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It’s a classic for a reason, folks. When you picture the golden baked top of a steaming green bean casserole, this is exactly what you want. I’ve said it before, but French’s fried onions just have a way of tasting fresh. The strips are long and sturdy, but the crunch is smooth. They’re golden out of the tub, but they aren’t overly fried—you can still bake these in an oven for a bit without burning them to a crisp. They’re savory without being greasy and easily the most versatile of all our recommendations. If you want to keep it simple, stick to French’s. They’re still the best fried onions in the biz.
Credit: Merc / Walmart
Best Budget
Best Umami
Best Gluten Free
Best Seasoning
Best Spicy
Best of the Best
Other fried onions we tried:
Trader Joe’s Fried Onions, Chef’s Cupboard French Fried Onions, Kinder’s Onions with Woodfire Garlic & Sea Salt, Kroger Crispy Fried Onions, Simple Truth Organic Crispy French Fried Onions, J-basket Crispy Fried Onions, Golden Farms Organic Lightly Salted Crispy Onions, Fried Onions Crispy Topping by Jans
Joe Rumrill
Sporked Staff
Jordan Myrick
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!