The easiest and most mess-free way to make homemade crispy fried shallots is to make ’em in the microwave! Plus, you’ll end up with a delicious jar of shallot oil that you can use to boost the deliciousness in so many dishes!

A shallow blue bowl is filled with crispy shallots

Why use a microwave?

Ever since I bought my Anyday microwave bowls, I’ve been using my microwave to streamline the cooking process—not just as a reheating box. I routinely use it to cook Crispy Bacon, Spaghetti Squash, and Mug Cakes.

Don’t believe that the microwave is a safe and healthy way to cook food? Then check out these studies by Harvard University and Cornell University. And you know me: if there’s a way to cook something safely, deliciously, and quickly in the microwave, I’m gonna do it!

This crispy shallots recipe is based on this detailed one from Serious Eats. If you have questions about how a microwave can produce crispy shallots with plenty of crunch, this article has answers to all your burning food science questions. (No microwave? No problem. Just use the stovetop method detailed in this Serious Eats post but substitute avocado oil for the vegetable oil.)

An Asian woman opening her microwave oven to cook something.

Tips for the best crispy shallots in the microwave

  • Size matters: Use a mandolin to uniformly slice the shallots crosswise into thin slices. The trick is to slice the shallots thin—but not paper-thin—so they’ll crisp up and not get oil-logged. Aim for slices that are about an eighth of an inch thick.
  • Wattage matters: Check the wattage of your microwave ’cause that’ll determine how fast you can cook all kinds of stuff, including these crispy shallots. I have a 900 watt microwave, so if yours is different, adjust your timing accordingly. (The higher the wattage, the faster the cooking time.)
  • Color matters: Because every microwave is different, you should use the color of the shallots as a guide to doneness—not a specific amount of microwave time. I microwave in longer bursts (3 to 5 minutes) until the shallots soften and turn light yellow. Then, I microwave in short bursts (30 seconds to 1 minute), checking between each time I microwave, until the shallots turn golden brown. Don’t be impatient and microwave for 10 to 12 minutes straight—your shallots will burn, and you will cry. (I know this from personal experience.)

Equipment

An overhead shot of the equipment and raw ingredients needed to make crispy shallots in the microwave.
  • Mandolin: I use my trusty Benriner slicer to easily and uniformly slice the shallots. (It goes without saying that using cut-resistant gloves with your mandolin will literally save your fingers.) If you have great knife skills, feel free to slice the shallots by hand!
  • Heatproof bowl: I love my Anyday bowls, but any microwave-safe glass bowl will work because you won’t need a lid for this recipe.
  • Slotted spoon: I use it to quickly transfer the crispy shallots from the oil to the rimmed baking sheet.
  • Rimmed baking sheet + paper towels: Have a rimmed baking sheet lined with paper towel ready to receive the crispy shallots.
  • Fine mesh strainer: You’ll use the strainer to remove any bits of crispy shallots from the shallot oil. Otherwise, they’ll burn when you reheat the oil.

Ingredients

  • Shallots: For this recipe, use medium sized shallots that fit in the palm of your hand. Also, make sure to peel off any dried outer layers!
  • Avocado oil: This is my favorite high temperature cooking oil because it has a favorable fatty acid profile, a high smoke point, and is minimally processed compared to other neutral oils like canola oil or peanut oil. I generally prefer Chosen Foods or Marianne’s Avocado Oil because these two brands were tested and shown to be pure and non-oxidized in this UC Davis study.
  • Diamond Crystal kosher salt (optional): I like to sprinkle salt on my crispy shallots as soon as I transfer them to a paper towel-lined tray, but you don’t have to season yours if you don’t want to.

How to make crispy shallots in the microwave oven

Using a mandolin, slice the shallots crosswise into ⅛-inch thick slices. You’ll end up with about 2 cups of sliced shallots.

A gloved hand is cutting a shallot crosswise with a mandolin

Place the shallot slices in a medium-sized microwave safe glass bowl.

An overhead shot of a glass bowl filled with thinly diced shallots

Pour the avocado oil on top of the sliced shallots. There should be just enough oil to cover the sliced shallots.

Pouring avocado oil from a liquid measuring cup into a glass bowl filled with sliced shallots.

Use your favorite utensil to make sure the shallots are submerged in the oil.

Someone using stainless steel chopsticks to submerge sliced shallots in oil.

Microwave the bowl uncovered on high for 5 minutes. Take out the bowl and use a utensil to break up the shallot rings.

A pair of chopsticks is lifting some softened sliced shallots out of a bowl filled with avocado oil.

Next, microwave in 2 to 3 minute intervals until the shallots are softened and a light golden color.

An open microwave filled with a bowl of sliced shallots and avocado oil

Then, microwave in 30 second intervals until the shallots are cooked down and golden brown. Make sure you keep a close eye on the shallots or they may burn! (In my 900 watt microwave, it took a total of 12 minutes and 30 seconds to cook the shallots to the right color.)

An overhead shot of golden brown crispy shallots in a bowl of oil ready to be drained.

When the shallots are golden brown, carefully pour the shallots and oil through a fine mesh sieve and collect the shallot oil in a glass container.

Pouring a bowl filled with crispy shallots and oil through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.

Transfer the cooked shallots onto a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet to drain.

Transferring crispy shallots from a sieve to a paper towel lined rimmed baking sheet.

Quickly, spread out the shallots into a single layer and sprinkle some salt on the hot crispy shallots, if desired.

An Asian woman in a black apron is sprinkling salt on a tray of crispy shallots.

Don’t worry if the shallots seem a little floppy. They’ll continue to crisp up as they cool.

A closeup of a tray of crispy shallots draining on paper towels.

Pour the strained shallot oil into a glass jar.

An open glass jar filled with shallot oil.

How to store crispy shallots

After the crispy shallots are completely cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to two weeks. You can also throw in a desiccant packet to ensure they stay crispy for as long as possible. The shallot oil can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to one month.

A hand is adding a desiccant packet to a glass container with crispy shallots.

How to use crispy shallots and shallot oil

The possibilities are endless when it comes to these two flavor boosters! Crispy shallots can be used in place of croutons on salads or sprinkled on top of roasted vegetables, soups, stir-fries, or burgers. Basically, anytime you want to add something crunchy and onion-y to a dish, scatter on some crispy shallots!

Shallot oil can be used to make salad dressings, mayonnaise, and sauces to add a tantalizing fried onion flair. I also use it to cook scrambled eggs, stir-fries, and to drizzle on soups!


Looking for more recipe ideas? Head on over to my Recipe Index. You’ll also find exclusive recipes in my cookbooks, Nom Nom Paleo: Food for Humans (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2013), Ready or Not! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2017), and Nom Nom Paleo: Let’s Go! (Andrews McMeel Publishing 2022).


PRINTER-FRIENDLY RECIPE CARD

Crispy Shallots and Shallot Oil (Microwave Method)

4.89 from 9 votes
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time15 minutes
Total Time25 minutes
Servings 8 people
The easiest and mess-free way to make homemade crispy fried shallots is to cook them in the microwave! Plus, you end up with a delicious jar of shallot oil that you can use to boost the deliciousness in so many dishes!

Ingredients  

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Instructions 

  • Using a mandolin, slice the shallots crosswise into ⅛-inch thick slices. You’ll end up with about 2 cups of sliced shallots.
  • Place the shallot slices in a medium-sized microwave safe glass bowl. Pour the avocado oil on top of the sliced shallots. There should be just enough oil to cover the sliced shallots. Use your favorite utensil to make sure the shallots are submerged in the oil.
  • Microwave the bowl uncovered on high for 5 minutes. Take out the bowl and use a utensil to break up the shallot rings.
  • Next, microwave in 2 to 3 minute intervals until the shallots are softened and a light golden color.
  • Then, microwave in 30 second intervals until the shallots are cooked down and golden brown. Make sure you keep a close eye on the shallots or they may burn! (In my 900 watt microwave, it took a total of 12 minutes and 30 seconds to cook the shallots to the right color.)
  • When the shallots are golden brown, carefully pour the shallots and oil through a fine mesh sieve and collect the shallot oil in a glass container.
  • Transfer the cooked shallots onto a paper towel-lined rimmed baking sheet to drain. Quickly, spread out the shallots into a single layer and sprinkle some salt on the hot crispy shallots, if desired. Don’t worry if the shallots seem a little floppy. They’ll continue to crisp up as they cool.
  • After the crispy shallots are completely cooled, transfer them to an airtight container and store at room temperature for up to two weeks. You can also throw in a desiccant packet to ensure they stay crispy for as long as possible. The shallot oil can be stored in a sealed jar in the fridge for up to one month.

Video

Notes

  • You will end up with approximately 1 cup of crispy shallots and ¾ cup of shallot oil. A serving size is calculated as 2 tablespoons of crispy shallots. 
Tips for perfect crispy shallots:
  • Size matters: Use a mandolin to uniformly slice the shallots crosswise into thin slices. The trick is slice the shallots thin—but not paper-thin—so they will get crispy and cook at the same time. Aim for slices that are about ⅛-inch thick.
  • Wattage matters: Check to see what wattage your microwave is because that’ll make a difference in how fast you can cook stuff, including these crispy shallots. I have a 900 watt microwave so if yours is different, adjust your timing accordingly.
  • Color matters: Because every microwave is different, you should use the color of the shallots as a guide as opposed to a specific amount of time. I microwave in longer bursts (3 to 5 minutes) until the shallots soften and turn light yellow. Then, I microwave in short bursts (30 seconds to 1 minute) until the shallots turn golden brown. Don’t be impatient and microwave for 10 to 12 minutes straight—your shallots will burn and you will cry.

Nutrition

Calories: 81kcal | Carbohydrates: 5g | Protein: 1g | Fat: 7g | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 2g

Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.

Like this? Leave a comment below!

About Michelle Tam

Hello! My name is Michelle Tam, and I love to eat. I think about food all the time. It borders on obsession. I’ve always loved the sights and smells of the kitchen. My mother was (and is) an excellent cook, and as a kid, I was her little shadow as she prepared supper each night. From her, I gained a deep, abiding love for magically transforming pantry items into mouth-watering family meals.

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14 Comments

  1. 5 stars
    I’m so excited to try this! Do you think it would work with a red onion if I slice thin 1/8″? Or is the magic in the shallot?

    1. I think it’d work! Just slightly different flavor profile. But I would suggest the smallest red onion you could find!

  2. Well, I burnt mine. I also have a 900 watt microwave. I started out with 5 minutes, then 1 additional. I did 30 seconds and they were not quite brown, so I did another 30 seconds and ruined them. I will try again, but at 15 second intervals to be sure.

    1. Oh no! That happened to me the first time! Also, if you are using less than 2 cups of thinly sliced shallots, you will have to decrease the cooking time! The timing for microwave cooking is dependent on how much food you are zapping.

  3. Genius! I love making black rice congee and have always loved making my own crispy shallots but hate how time consuming they are.