Onion Ring Parm Is the Fastest Way to Get a Parm Fix
Like most people, I love a good Parmesan, be it eggplant or chicken. (I’m sure veal parmesan is delicious too, but I’ve never eaten it.) But making parmesan can be a bit of a challenge, especially eggplant curls. Even though I make mine without breading , it still requires salting and baking in an excessive amount of oil. That’s why, while I’ll never give up eggplant, when I need a quick, midday meal, I reach for a bag of frozen onion rings.
Onion rings aren’t the only non-eggplant vegetable that lends itself well to steaming – The Kitchn is a big fan of Parma asparagus – but it’s one of the few foods that comes pre-breaded and sautéed, and onions pair very well with marinara and cheese. . All you have to do is reheat the rings according to package instructions, then top them with red sauce and mozzarella-parmesan mixture. Fry until the cheese melts and it’s time to eat.
You can do whatever you like with each component. You can make your own sauce (I love this one ) or buy a jar from the grocery store. You can use fresh mozzarella or pre-shredded and packaged in low moisture bags. As for the Parmesan, you can either grind up a real Parmigiano-Reggiano or use a Kraft shaker.
One thing you shouldn’t compromise on is the number of onion rings. You need at least two layers, three are better, and they should be as crispy as possible without burning. The top layer will bear the brunt of the sauce and will inevitably become a little soft, but the bottom layer onions should still be fairly crispy. For best results, I recommend making waffles with onion rings , to maximize the crispy surface area and help them fold up a little better.
Light sandwich with onion rings
Ingredients:
- 9-12 frozen onion rings, depending on their size (you need enough to make three layers)
- 1 roll
- 1/4 cup marinara
- 3 ounces mozzarella cheese (fresh or pre-shredded)
- 1 ounce grated Parmesan
Cook the onion rings according to package instructions until they are as crispy as possible without burning. You can also make them into waffles to increase the crunchy surface area and make them easier to stack.
Meanwhile, reheat the roll in a 350℉ preheated oven for five minutes and reheat the sauce either on the stovetop or in the microwave. Mix the cheese together in a small bowl.
Arrange the onion rings on the roll in three layers, then top with the sauce and top with the cheese mixture. Fry until the cheese melts. (You may need to wrap some foil around the edge of your roll to keep it from burning.) Enjoy immediately.