If you’ve never made crispy shallots at home, you are in for such a treat! They’re easy to make, have the most incredible onion flavor, and oh my god that crunch! They take about 30 minutes, start to finish, from when you peel and slice the shallots to when they get pulled out of the hot oil.
You’ll want to let them drain slightly before serving, but always remember to sprinkle with a few generous pinches of Kosher sea salt.
Our favorite way to serve crispy fried shallots? (We assume you mean other than eating them straight off the tray as a snack, because yes, they are that delicious!) Mixed into salads, pastas, served over steak, and of course, come Thanksgiving, as a topping for green bean casserole! Want to take your weekday sandwiches to the next level? Mix some crispy shallots into homemade tarragon aioli et voila! Sandwich perfection!
No matter what you do with these, we’re certain that homemade crispy shallots are going to be in high rotation. They are simply irresistible!
Ingredients For Crispy Shallots
Literally all you need to make these crispy fried shallots at home are shallots, a light, neutral oil, and Kosher salt.
We recommend either grapeseed oil, avocado oil, canola oil, or vegetable oil — all of which have a much higher smoked point than olive oil.
You’ll also need to grab a small saucepan, a spatula for stirring, and a spider skimmer (or slotted spoon) to remove the fried shallots from the oil.
How To Make Crispy Shallots
You can scale this recipe up or down easily, making as many crispy shallots as you like, so don’t worry about how many shallots you have on hand. Follow the process below, and you’ll have perfect fried shallots every single time.
- Slice the shallots. Using a sharp knife, peel then thinly slice all shallots into half moons about ⅛” thick.
- Heat the oil. Add enough light, neutral oil (grapeseed, avocado, canola, or vegetable oil) to coat the bottom of a medium saucepan by about ½ – ¾”. This is a shallow fry versus a deep fry. Heat the oil over medium-high heat, until a temperature of about 350-375F is reached.
- Fry the shallots. When the oil is hot, carefully add the shallots to the pan, being careful as oil may splatter. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the shallots are golden brown.
- Drain the shallots. Remove shallots immediately with a spider, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil. Sprinkle with a few pinches of Kosher salt while still hot. Serve immediately or store at room temperature in a tupperware lined with a paper towel until needed.
Tips For The Best Crispy Fried Shallots
- Evenly slice the shallots for even cooking! If you’re not comfortable using a chef’s knife to thinly slice all shallots, we recommend investing in a mandoline.
- Don’t add shallots until the oil is hot enough! When you attempt to fry things – anything! – in oil that isn’t up to temperature, the food ends up incredibly greasy. You can use a candy or even a meat thermometer to check the temperature of the oil and ensure it’s hot enough.
- Sprinkle with salt immediately! As soon as the shallots are transferred to a paper towel-lined plate, sprinkle immediately with Kosher salt. The salt will adhere to the shallots best when they’re still warm.
- Use within 3 days! Crispy fried shallots are best served immediately or the same day, but will keep for up to 3 days in an airtight container or tupperware lined with a paper towel (to help absorb excess oil). For best texture, do not refrigerate.
Ways To Enjoy Crispy Shallots
- On salads (pictured above is our Sante Fe Salad with cilantro lime dressing) — they make a great gluten free replacement for croutons!
- As the topping for an epic homemade green bean casserole!
- Over fried eggs!
- Stirred into pastas or as a last minute addition to soups and chowder!
- Served over steak! Our beef tenderloin with parmesan cream sauce would be heaven with crispy shallots sprinkled on top!
- Mixed in with aioli then used as a spread for sandwiches!
These are so delicious and crunchy, that we often end up eating them by the handful before they ever make it to a completed dish. There is nothing that beats that flavor!
If you make these Crispy Fried Shallots, please let us know by leaving a review and rating below! Also, share how you love to serve them most!
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Crispy Shallots Recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
- 6-8 large shallots
- ¾ cup grapeseed oil avocado oil, canola oil, vegetable oil, or other light, neutral oil
Instructions
- Slice the shallots. Using a sharp knife, peel then thinly slice all shallots into half moons about ⅛" thick.
- Heat the oil. Add enough light, neutral oil (grapeseed, avocado, canola, or vegetable oil) to coat the bottom of a medium saucepan by about ½ – ¾". This will vary depending on the size of your pan. This is a shallow fry versus a deep fry. Heat the oil over medium-high heat, until a temperature of about 350-375F is reached.
- Fry the shallots. When the oil is hot, carefully add the shallots to the pan, being careful as oil may splatter. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until the shallots are golden brown.
- Drain the shallots. Remove shallots immediately with a spider, then transfer to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil. Sprinkle with a few pinches of Kosher salt while still hot. Serve immediately or store at room temperature in a tupperware lined with a paper towel until needed.
Notes
- Recipe can be easily scaled up or down depending on how many shallots you have/want to use. Just ensure there is about ½ – ¾” of oil coating the bottom of the pan and that most of the shallots are touching oil when they enter the pan. For larger batches, we recommend using a sauté pan instead of a saucepan.
- Nutrition facts: please note that nutrition facts include all oil used. Under no circumstance will anyone be consuming all the excess oil once shallots are drained, so nutrition facts are likely much lower for the actual crispy shallots.
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