These Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms are irresistibly crunchy on the outside, tender and juicy on the inside, and seasoned to perfection. They’re perfect as a snack or appetizer—delivering restaurant-quality flavor while being healthy with no oil!
Crispy breaded mushrooms are one of my favorite restaurant starters. They’re deep-fried to perfection, with a crunchy exterior that gives way to a tender, melt-in-your-mouth mushroom, similar to the toasted tortellini.
However, I wanted to create a homemade version without deep frying. I relied on my trusted breading technique, as I used in the crispy air fried eggplant parmesan to achieve a crispy, crunchy exterior in the air fryer, resulting in a healthier appetizer or snack.
It's the perfect choice for game days, holidays, or a healthy snack for the whole family. I've included this recipe in our roundup of 20 air fryer game day recipes.
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Why you'll love it?
- Crunchy with juicy interior
- Light and crispy breading
- Perfectly seasoned
- Almost no oil
- Easy breading procedure
- Perfect appetizer, starter or snack
Mushroom selection for breading
The most common mushrooms for breading are white button mushrooms, but baby bellas (cremini) or other brown mushrooms also work wonderfully. Their small bite-size makes them ideal for serving as a snack or appetizer at parties. Using whole mushrooms ensures a juicy, tender interior while keeping the exterior delightfully crispy.
If using larger mushrooms like portobellas, you can cut them into thick slices or use them as whole caps before breading.
How to make crispy breaded mushrooms in air fryer?
You can find full printable recipe below, but here is a quick overview of the procedure along with step-by-step photos.
Proo tip: I recommend processing both the parmesan and panko breadcrumbs in a mini food processor or small blender for a few seconds before using it in the recipe. This ensures a more uniform coating.
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Tip: Dip each mushroom individually into the wet batter. If you dunk several at once, they can release moisture, which may dilute the egg batter.
Step 7 - Cook in a preheated 400 degree air fryer for about 10 minutes.
Pro tip - Don't overcrowd the air fryer! Arrange the mushrooms in a single layer, leaving some space around each one to allow hot air to circulate. This helps achieve that perfect crispy texture.
Sauces to pair
I typically serve air fryer breaded mushrooms as a snack, but they also make excellent appetizers or starters. They pair beautifully with red sauces like marinara or arrabbiata.
For added flavor, a garlicky dip such as garlic aioli or garlic parmesan sauce works wonderfully. In a pinch, simple options like ranch dressing, honey mustard, chipotle sauce, or tzatziki sauce are also great choices!
Recipe tips
- Choose mushrooms of similar size to ensure they cook evenly.
- Dip each mushroom individually into the wet batter. If you dunk several at once, they can release moisture, which may dilute the egg batter.
- Using your hands, firmly press the breadcrumb mixture onto all sides of each mushroom. This helps it adhere better and creates a thicker coating.
- Process the panko and parmesan in a mii food processor, which will help give an even coating.
- Don't overcrowd the basket. I used a 6-quart Instant Vortex air fryer and found that half a pound of mushrooms fit perfectly in one batch.
More mushroom recipes
Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms
Equipment
Ingredients
- ½ pound mushrooms
Dry ingredients
- ½ cup panko breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons parmesan cheese
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ⅛ teaspoon red pepper flakes optional
Wet batter
- 1 egg
- 1 tablespoon all purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ⅛ teaspoon ground black pepper
Instructions
- Clean the mushrooms with a vegetable brush or a kitchen towel—avoid washing them with water. It's essential that they are completely dry and trim the stems slightly as needed.
- Optional step - Process the panko and parmesan in a mini food processor or a dry grinder for a few seconds, which will help give an even coating.
- Place all dry ingredients in a bowl and stir to combine.
- In a separate bowl, whisk all the wet ingredients together until the mixture is smooth and free of lumps.
- Working with one mushroom at a time, dip it into the wet batter and gently toss to ensure an even coating. Allow any excess batter to drip off, then place the mushroom into the breadcrumb mixture.Tip: If you dunk several at once, they can release moisture, which may dilute the egg batter.
- Using your hands, firmly press the breadcrumbs onto all sides of the mushroom to ensure they adhere well and create a satisfying crunch.
- Pre heat air fryer at 400°F. Place the mushrooms into the air fryer basket, spacing evenly and spray a generous coating of cooking spray.
- Cook for about 10 minutes or until they are a deep golden brown. I like to spritz them with cooking spray again around the 5-minute mark for an extra crispiness.
- Enjoy hot with your favorite dipping sauce.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information, based on third-party calculations, should be seen as estimates, not guarantees, as various factors like product types, brands, processing methods, and more can alter the nutritional content in recipes.
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