Homemade Blooming Onions Are A Breeze With An Apple Slicer. Here's How To Use Yours

A giant, golden, blooming onion appears at a restaurant table looking like a big gorgeous fried flower, it's usually gone in minutes, and it feels like such a treat because it's something you can't recreate yourself at home. Except, it turns out, you actually can. And you don't need any special gadgets to pull it off, just an apple slicer will do.

That's right, an apple slicer can also work magic when it comes to frying up a blooming onion at home. You want to push the slicer into a peeled onion, stopping just before the bottom so that it's still held together but fans out in a flower shape. And once it hits some hot oil, it will "bloom" even more.

It's a great trick to impress at home, and to pull it off, try it with a medium-sized yellow onion. If you're wondering what the difference between white and yellow onions is, yellow ones take longer to break down, which means they should hold together better when being deep fried. And keep it medium-sized, because if it's too big of an onion it'll be hard to cut with the slicer, and too small of an onion will result in an onion ring effect instead of a blooming onion. Once cut, it simply needs to be dredged in some seasoned flour and deep fried in vegetable oil. And this isn't a job for the air fryer, a good blooming onion needs a proper oil sizzle to come together.

Once you've pushed the slicer through the onion, you're well on your way to an incredible show-stopping dish. Feel free to play around with different variations to make it perfect for you, for example, you could add a dash of chili powder or paprika to your flour for a little extra flavor, or dip it in batter for an ultra crunchy finish.

Many chefs swear by soaking the onion in water while others throw it straight in the fryer. It's all about preference and there are no wrong answers (only delicious blooming onions). Just make sure the onion is nice and dry before you dredge it so the batter or flour doesn't slip off before frying, dusting it in corn flour first can help with that. And if preparing the onion to cut gets you teary-eyed, try this hack to peel onions faster and easier.

When it comes to serving, the world is your oyster. A mayo dip is kind of the classic move, but why not mix it up with a garlic aioli, barbecue sauce, or even drizzle the whole thing in sriracha for a spicier take. And if this wasn't enough "blooming" for one dinner party, try a dessert version and serve up a fuss-free blooming apple. It's the same concept and the same apple slicer, but use an apple instead of an onion. Whether you like it sweet, savory, or both, it's never been more simple.