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These fried oyster mushrooms are about to revolutionize your vegetarian cooking! Featuring air-fried mushrooms and a crispy coating, they taste just like fried chicken! With over 100 5-star reviews, this recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Air fryer fried oyster mushrooms recipe that tastes like vegetarian fried chicken in a bowl on a red background.
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KFC…But Better

Making vegetarian fried “chicken” with mushrooms is no small feat. And on top of that, we nixed the deep-frying completely for an even healthier option. It shouldn’t have worked, but oooh it did.

There are a few tricks that make it work. We’ll briefly marinate the oyster mushrooms in buttermilk to infuse them with a tangy flavor. Then, we’ll bread them in a spiced flour mixture plus more buttermilk.

Finally, we’ll throw them into the air fryer! Air frying these mushrooms gives them that distinctly crunchy, Kentucky Fried Chicken texture (with way, way less fat). Introducing the best fried oyster mushrooms you’ll ever taste.

Reader rating

★★★★★

“Gurl, I’m dead. Just made these and am floored by how good this was. It gave allll the KFC vibes I was looking for.” —Uma

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Air fryer fried oyster mushrooms recipe in a bowl on a red background.

Here’s What You’ll Need

Be sure to jump to the recipe card for the quantities.

  • Oyster Mushrooms: Oyster mushrooms have a distinct shape and texture, making them a great meat substitute. While you can use a different type of mushrooms, this variety is hands down the best!
  • Buttermilk: Buttermilk is used to tenderize the meat in traditional fried chicken recipes. We’ll use it for its flavor to help mimic fried chicken! You can veganize this recipe by making a vegan buttermilk substitute.
  • Flour and Spices: A quick blend of all-purpose flour and spices will give the coating a crunchy texture and loads of flavor. I like to keep it simple with salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, and cumin. Adjust the spices to your liking!
Oyster mushrooms on a red background.
Breading ingredients in bowls.

Making These Fried Oyster Mushrooms Is Easy Peasy

Here’s a quick overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full instructions.

  1. Marinate the oyster mushrooms in buttermilk for a tender texture.
  2. Bread them in a spiced all-purpose flour blend and more buttermilk.
  3. Cook the mushrooms in your air fryer until they’re golden and crispy.
Ingredients to make air fryer fried oyster mushrooms recipe.
Shake off excess flour, then repeat the process again for an extra thick coating (in short: wet > dry > wet > dry).
Ingredients to make air fryer fried oyster mushrooms recipe.
Ingredients to make air fryer fried oyster mushrooms recipe.
The distinct shape of oyster mushrooms helps lots of flour and spices cling to the surface, which ultimately results in more crispiness!
Ingredients to make air fryer fried oyster mushrooms recipe.
Grease the bottom of the pan well, then transfer your breaded mushrooms in. Cook until they dry out and turn golden, then brush with a little bit of oil (this is optional, but I found it helps them get that classic deep golden color).
Air fryer fried oyster mushrooms recipe that tastes like vegetarian fried chicken in a bowl on a red background.
Let them cool slightly (they’ll be piping hot), then serve your fried oyster mushrooms with your favorite dipping sauce!

Recipe Tips

  • Skip the Water Bath: We don’t need any soggy shrooms! Ditch rinsing them under water and use a damp paper towel to wipe off any dirt. Trust me here—it makes a world of difference.
  • Space is Key: Don’t crowd the air fryer basket (work in batches if needed). Give the mushrooms space to keep them from sticking together and ensure they crisp up evenly.
  • Batter Up: Running low on batter? No problem! Just mix up more flour and spices, and add more buttermilk to keep those mushrooms coming.
  • Go Gluten-Free: Many of our readers have had success making this fried oyster mushrooms recipe with different types of flour (see the comments)!

more mushroom-tastic recipes

Air fryer fried oyster mushrooms recipe in a bowl on a red background.
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Fried Oyster Mushrooms (Fried Chicken Dupe!)

4.82 from 111 ratings
By: Sarah Bond
Prep: 30 minutes
Cook: 15 minutes
Total: 45 minutes
Servings: 2 servings
These fried oyster mushrooms are about to revolutionize your vegetarian cooking! Featuring air fried mushrooms and a crispy coating, they taste just like fried chicken! With over 100 5-star reviews, this recipe is a guaranteed crowd-pleaser.

Ingredients 

  • 2 heaping cups oyster mushrooms, 125 g
  • 1 cup buttermilk, 240 mL, see notes for vegan substitute
  • 1 ½ cups all-purpose flour, 200 g
  • 1 tsp each salt, pepper, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cumin
  • 1 Tbsp oil*, 15 mL
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Instructions 

  • Marinate: Preheat air fryer to 375 degrees F (190 C). Clean mushrooms then toss together with buttermilk in a large bowl. Let marinate for 15 minutes.
    Marinating mushrooms in buttermilk.
  • Breading: In a large bowl combine flour and spices. Spoon mushrooms out of the buttermilk (save the buttermilk). Dip each mushroom in the flour mixture, shake off excess flour, dip once more in the buttermilk, then once more in the flour (in short: wet > dry > wet > dry).
    Breading oyster mushrooms.
  • Cook: Grease the bottom of your air fry pan well, then place mushrooms in a single layer, leaving space between mushrooms. Cook for 5 minutes, then roughly brush all sides with a little oil to promote browning. Continue cooking 5 to 10 more minutes, until golden brown and crispy.
    Oyster mushrooms in an air fryer.

Notes

Make vegan buttermilk by combining 1 ½ Tbsp lemon juice + 1 ½ cups plain soy milk.
*To use less oil, spritz with cooking spray for even coverage and less overall oil.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 355kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 12.4g | Fat: 9.7g | Saturated Fat: 1.7g | Cholesterol: 5mg | Sodium: 1012mg | Potassium: 491mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 6.7g | Calcium: 120mg | Iron: 3.8mg

Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.

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4.82 from 111 votes (88 ratings without comment)

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95 Comments

  1. Jin says:

    Thank you for your recipe. It was a hit in my household. I’ll definitely be making this again.

    Reply
    1. The Live Eat Learn Team says:

      So glad it hit the spot Jin, thanks for sharing!

  2. cj says:

    Do you have an onion ring recipe? Would this recipe work with onion rings also, in the air fryer? I cannot get the breading to stick to the rings, so have almost given up, so any help is appreciated. thanks

    Reply
  3. Fanny Johnsson says:

    I don’t have an air fryer and don’t plan to get one. How can I prepare these using a regular oven?

    Reply
    1. Sarah Bond says:

      I haven’t tested this one in the oven so I really can’t say for sure but I would probably do the same temperature and then cook for a bit longer turning the pan during cooking so that everything browns evenly!

    2. Chiquita says:

      I didn’t have Buttermilk so I used whipping cream. I hope they turn out OK