How to Cook Mushrooms in the Air Fryer

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When my husband asked if I could make healthy fried mushrooms, I immediately thought of my air-fryer. So, I decided to make fried mushrooms in the air fryer, healthy and vegan. Air-fried mushrooms are quite easy to make, yet they taste amazing. Then, I opted to dip them in Vegan Ranch Dressing, just as restaurants serve fried mushrooms. So, not only are air fryer fried mushrooms tasty, but they are also low in calories. 

How to choose mushrooms for air-fried mushrooms

First, I chose organic baby Bella mushrooms, and I looked for the smallest ones I could find. Since I wanted to cook bite-sized air-fried mushrooms, picking small mushrooms made the most sense. But, this recipe also works with larger mushrooms as well. 

Although people suggest only wiping away debris on mushrooms instead of washing them, I chose to wash them. Because I dredged the mushrooms in plant milk first, washing them seemed harmless and a cleaner option. 

Once cleaned, prepare three different shallow bowls for the breading. 

When choosing mushrooms, make sure the caps are firm without blemishes. Avoid mushrooms with brown spots or a slimy exterior. For instance, the freshest mushrooms contain a firm exterior. Also, look for mushrooms of similar size, so they cook evenly. 

How to prepare breaded mushrooms for the air-fryer

To prepare the mushrooms, gather the following materials in three separate shallow bowls:

• Bowl 1: Plant Milk of Choice: I prefer oat milk for its creaminess, but any unsweetened, unflavored plant milk works.
• Bowl 2:  Flour of Choice: I used gluten-free garbanzo flour. I prefer this type of flour because it's outstanding in texture.
• Bowl 3: Corn Meal, Bread Crumbs, and Nutritional Yeast: Although I make my bread crumbs, any bread crumbs suffice. 

For this air-fried mushroom recipe, I left the stems on the mushrooms to make a handheld appetizer. To prepare the mushrooms, dredge each mushroom into the plant milk, then the flour, back to the plant milk, and lastly, the bread crumb mixture.  

How to cook breaded mushrooms in an air-fryer

Tips:

• Whenever I use the air-fryer, I always spray water in the base instead of oil, so my food doesn't stick. 
• Always cook in batches, filling the base in a single layer, not overlapping the mushrooms.
• Check the food every few minutes, and once half cooked, toss around so the mushrooms cook evenly.
• Keep cooked batches warm by placing a towel or aluminum fold over the mushrooms or place on a cookie sheet in a preheated 200-degree oven. 

Now, cook the mushrooms at 370 degrees for 8 minutes, check every few minutes, and toss halfway through cooking. 

• Please note, however, that the time may vary depending on the size of the mushrooms. For example, I chose small mushrooms, which required 8 minutes, but larger mushrooms may take longer to cook. 
• Another factor in cooking time varies due to the type of air-fryer, so always check the food as it cooks to avoid overcooking and undercooking.

Let's not forget the dip?

As a general rule, my family loves Vegan Ranch Dressing, but several other dipping options taste fabulous with this air-fried mushroom recipe. 

• Mustard Dipping Sauce
• Romesco Sauce
• Healthy BBQ Sauce
• Lemon Basil Dressing
• Maple Dijon Dressing
• Miso Tahini Dressing
• Vegan Southwest Dressing
• Thousand Island Dressing
• French Dressing

What ingredients are in vegan ranch dressing? 

• Raw cashew pieces 
• Water
• Rice vinegar or apple cider vinegar I like rice vinegar.
• Lemon juice
• Salt
• Pepper
• Garlic powder
• Onion powder
• Fresh dill, chopped 
• Parsley, chopped

Regardless of the dip chosen, these bite-sized crunchy, savory mushrooms are to die for! So, if you're craving savory fried mushrooms, try my healthy air-fried mushroom recipe. 

FAQs

How many calories are in air-fried mushrooms?

• 177 calories and only 1 gram of fat.  That compared to 590 calories in typical fried mushroom recipes. 

How long do I cook fried mushrooms in the air fryer? 

• 8 minutes for small baby Bella mushrooms; increase time for larger mushrooms

What is the best air-fryer?

• I love my GoWise Air-fryer; it's easy to use, clean, and the perfect size for storing.

How do you make your breadcrumbs? 

• Toast two pieces of Dave's bread, place them in a  mini-food processor, or crumble with your hands. 

I don't have an air fryer; can I bake them? 

• Yes. Oven instructions are provided in the recipe. 

IF YOU LOVE CRUNCHY SNACKS, CHECK OUT THESE FAVORITE RECIPES

• Vegan Zucchini Fries
• Crunchy Baked Zucchini Coins
• Steak Fries Crispy Air Fryer Steak Fries Recipe
• Sweet Potato Chips
• Oven-Baked Fries  Perfect Crispy Oil-Free and Garlic
• AF Sweet Potato Fries
• Air Fried Chickpeas
• Baked Sweet Potato Vietnamese Loaded French Fries
• Baked Onions Rings
• Portobello Fries

Yield: 6 servings

Air Fried Mushrooms

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 8 minutes

Total Time: 18 minutes

Healthy fried mushrooms? Yes, you can! Breaded and air-fried, these air-fried mushrooms are crispy on the outside and hot and soft on the inside. Dipped in vegan ranch or your favorite, dip these little bite-sized mushrooms are simple to die for!

Print

Ingredients

Mushrooms

• 1 8 ounces package organic small baby Bella mushrooms

Bowl 1

• 1 cup oat milk or plant milk of choice

Bowl 2

• 1 cup garbanzo flour or flour of choice

Bowl 3

• 1/2 cup cornmeal
• 1/4 cup nutritional yeast
• 1 cup bread crumbs

Vegan Ranch

• 1 cup vegan ranch recipe

Garnish

• Microgreens

Instructions

Mushrooms

1. Wash and remove any debris and dirt from the mushrooms
2. Keep stems on mushrooms; set aside

Prepare Dredging Bowls

1. In one bowl, pour the unsweetened, unflavored plant milk
2. In the next bowl, add the flour
3. Combine the bread crumbs, nutritional yeast, and cornmeal in the third bowl.
4. Stir to combine
5. Dip each mushroom in plant milk, flour, plant milk, ending in the bread crumb mixture.
6. Be sure to roll the mushroom around in each bowl to make sure it is coated.

Air-frying the mushrooms

1. Set the air-fryer temperature to 370 degrees
2. Place a single layer of breaded mushrooms in the base of the basket.
3. Cook for 8 minutes, opening and tossing the mushrooms halfway through cooking (4 minutes)
4. Remove the first batch and place it on a baking sheet and cover with a towel or aluminum foil while you cook the next batch, or place it in a 200-degree preheated oven to keep warm.
5. Serve with vegan ranch or your favorite dipping sauce.

Oven cooking option

1. Preheat the oven to 400 degrees
2. Using a silicone baking mat or parchment paper, cover a baking sheet
3. Place the breaded mushrooms in a single layer and cook for 16-28 minutes.
   

Nutrition Information

Yield

6 servings

Serving Size

1
Amount Per Serving Calories 177Total Fat 1gSaturated Fat 0gTrans Fat 0gUnsaturated Fat 1gCholesterol 0mgSodium 232mgCarbohydrates 57gFiber 5gSugar 8gProtein 14g

Nutrition facts may not be 100% accurate.

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