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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.
save this recipe!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
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!
Making These Fried Oyster Mushrooms Is Easy Peasy
Here’s a quick overview. Jump to the recipe card for the full instructions.
- Marinate the oyster mushrooms in buttermilk for a tender texture.
- Bread them in a spiced all-purpose flour blend and more buttermilk.
- Cook the mushrooms in your air fryer until they’re golden and crispy.
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
Portobello Mushroom Burgers
15 minutes
Vegan Pulled Pork (With Mushrooms!)
30 minutes
Easy Gourmet Mushroom Risotto
30 minutes
Fried Oyster Mushrooms (Fried Chicken Dupe!)
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
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.
- 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).
- 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.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information calculated by Sarah Bond, degreed nutritionist.
did you make this?Leave a comment below and tag @liveeatlearn on social media! I love seeing what you’ve made!
I made these for the third time today. Nobody likes mushrooms in this house, so I get them all to myself! First time I air fried, second time I fried, and this time I air fried again. I like the air fried best. This was a treat for me because I need to watch my sodium. I had to add a little salt after they were done tho. Thank you for this recipe! I now get your daily emails too.
I’m so happy to hear it Mary!
I excited to try these, do you think gluten free panko would be ok for the breading instead of the flour?
TIA
Kim
Yes! It’ll be a bit crunchier but I think it would work well 😀
Technique sensitive, but oh so good! I followed the recipe ingredients, exactly, but tweaked the technique ever so slightly. First I put my seasoned flour in a bag instead of in a bowl (like my mom used to do when she fried chicken) second I put the dipped and drenched mushrooms on a cutting board to rest between dipping and dredging the second time Third, I spritzed them with oil on both sides before placing them in the oiled air fryer. I cooked them for the full 15 minutes since I had big mushrooms and I also did not have to add oil after the first five minutes since I spritzed them on both sides while they rested on the board.
absolutely incredible! Just delicious! Thank you so much Sarah ❤️
Excellent flavour. I followed the recipe, wondering if I can do something different to make them more crunchy. I might need a new air fryer. Mine were soft and I did cook for extra time. Thanks so much will be making these again and again.
It could be they just need a bit higher temperature! Be sure to brush them with oil to get them extra crispy).
What if you don’t own an air fryer?
You could try this in the oven! It may just not get as crispy and browned.
My family loved this! It has been a favorite in our house! Thank you!
Can you recommend an air fryer? Mine doesn’t get things crispy. Thanks
I like the InstantPot and Cosori brand air fryers! 🙂
Can I make these in an air fryer which is part of my toaster oven or does it have to be in a stand alone air fryer ?
That should work!
Hi Sarah, Can I use a different plant milk? I use oat milk. Do you think that it will work? Or what about a vegan creamer? Thanks.
Oatmilk should work! You can add a little squeeze of lemon juice to give it that buttermilk flavor 😀
Please list an alternative to “Air frying” on your recipes. Not everyone has an air fryer or the space for one. Thank you, Pat