Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms have a crispy and crunchy exterior with soft and juicy on the inside. They are perfectly seasoned and adopts an easy method for breading.
Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms
We bring you another air fryer winner!! Mushrooms have not been one of our kid's favorite veggie. But, this recipe was a huge hit - it is crispy and crunchy outside with soft, tender inside and packed with flavor. It is a healthier alternative to deep fried versions and makes a delicious snack, appetizer or side dish.
Breaded bites have always been one of my favorite appetizers to order in a restaurant. The crispy breading with tender and juicy inside makes them incredibly delicious and it is guilt free!
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS?
- The unusual technique for coating the veggie is one of a tried and true method adopted in Air Fryer Chicken Parmesan or this hugely popular Baked cauliflower bites.
- The panko and parmesan combination gives a very crispy crust.
- An easy appetizer recipe that is simple for beginners.
Eat them HOT
Due to the high moisture content in mushrooms, the outside coating tends to get softer as it cools. So, we highly recommend eating these piping hot for a true crunch.
WHAT TYPE OF MUSHROOMS TO USE?
We love all varieties! We used white button variety for this recipe but baby bellas (also known as Cremini), which are nothing but a bit more matured white fungi, will also be delicious.
HOW TO CLEAN MUSHROOMS?
Lightly rinse under cold water and thoroughly pat dry with a clean kitchen towel, until no moisture remain (avoid soaking them as they will absorb water like a sponge and will thin the batter down).
Alternatively, wipe each one with a damp kitchen towel to remove loose dirt and debris (I tend to adopt this method if they look fairly clean).
TROUBLE SHOOTING
The breading mixture is beginning to clump and does not form an even coating
This happens towards the end of the breading process, when the wet batter begins to accumulate in the crumb mixture. To keep this to a minimal - Use one dry hand for dredging and also remove the bigger clumped chunks with a fork and discard them.
Why do Mushrooms browned too much?
Every air fryer is different! We used instant Vortex air fryer and took 10 minutes exactly for ½ pound. So, we'd recommend checking after 8 to 9 minutes and continue cooking, until needed.
Mushrooms not browned even after 10 minutes
There could be one of two reasons for this -
- Over crowding - We were able to fit ½ pound veggie in a single layer without over crowding in a 6-quart Instant vortex air fryer. If you are using a smaller air fryer then cook in two batches, but make sure to check after 7 or 8 minutes.
- Not enough cooking spray - We recommend a double coating of cooking spray once in the beginning and again half way through cooking. This guarantees crispy crunchy
INGREDIENTS
- Mushrooms – Clean, pat dry, cut them into about 2 inch pieces.
- Egg – Helps in binding the crust
- All purpose flour – Just 2 tablespoons for binding
- Panko breadcrumbs – Gives a light, airy crispy coating (the secret for true crispiness).
- Parmesan – Parmesan gives a wonderful salty, nutty flavor.
- Seasonings – A combination of salt, pepper, garlic powder, red pepper flakes and Italian seasoning.
PRO TIPS FOR SUCCESS
- Add chopped mushrooms into the wet batter just before cooking. DO NOT LET THEM SOAK IN THE BATTER. If it does, then it will begin leaving out moisture.
- Alternatively, you can work with one piece at a time, dip into batter (allowing excess batter to drip away) and then coat in parmesan crumb mixture.
- Cut mushrooms into 2 pieces each and small guys can be left whole.
- Dredge well – Using hands, make sure to press bread crumb mixture well on all sides of the piece to help it adhere well and give a thicker coating.
- Make it gluten free – Use gluten free flour and gluten free Panko bread crumbs.
- Panko breadcrumbs – If you don’t have panko, then regular bread crumbs may be used (but, they won’t get as crispy).
- Parmesan – Finely shredded parmesan cheese is highly recommended. If you are using pre shredded cheese (that is very coarse), then process for a few seconds in a small food processor or dry grinder.
- Choose mushrooms of similar size - to make sure they cook evenly and at the same time.
WHAT DIPPING SAUCE TO SERVE?
These make a great appetizer or snack, especially when watching a movie as a healthy homemade bite to enjoy without any guilt. Here are some favorite sauces that pair well:
- Marinara sauce
- Cheese sauce
- Parmesan cream sauce
- Ranch dressing
- Tomato Ketchup
How to make?
Prep- Clean mushrooms and cut them into 2-inch pieces ( cut large ones into halves / small guys left whole ).
Dredge - Toss parmesan, panko bread crumbs, Italian seasoning and red pepper flakes. In another bowl, whisk eggs, flour, garlic powder, salt and pepper, until smooth and lump free.
Add fungi to this and stir until evenly coated. Coat each piece into the Panko parmesan breadcrumb mixture.
Air fry - Place in an air fryer basket, cook at 400 degrees for 10 minutes, until deep golden brown.
How to serve?
They are delicious as appetizer or side dish for dinner with any pasta, rice, sandwich, soups, chicken, fish or shrimp dishes. Kid friendly as well!
It can enjoyed with marinara sauce / ranch dressing / ketchup on the side for dipping.
Can this be frozen?
These fried breaded ones are best made fresh and eaten hot. They tend to get a funny texture when frozen, so we wouldn't recommend it.
Can you make this ahead of time?
Unfortunately the answer is no! This one recipe that needs to be served piping hot for best results.
However, here is a method that can be adopted for reheating if needed - Cool and refrigerate in a covered container and then reheat using the air fryer at 390-400℉ for about 4-5 minutes. They will taste great, but won't be as crunchy as they were when they are fresh out of the air fryer.
Frequently Asked Questions
This recipe makes two servings with 374 calories for each serving.
They are high on copper, potassium, vitamins, minerals and anti oxidants. This air fried version skips the deep frying and are "air fried" without any oil, making them very healthy.
More Air Fryer appetizers to try
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Easy Breaded Mushrooms in Air Fryer
Ingredients
- ½ pound mushrooms
Dry ingredients
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup plus 2 tablespoons grated parmesan
- 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
- 2 pinches red pepper flakes optional
Wet batter
- 2 eggs
- 2 tablespoons flour
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt or to taste
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
Equipment used
Instructions
- Wash mushrooms under running water (don't let them soak in the water), pat dry thoroughly in a clean kitchen towel, until no moisture remains. Alternatively, wipe each mushroom with a damp kitchen towel to remove loose dirt and debris (I tend to adopt this method if mushrooms look fairly clean).
- Cut large mushrooms into 2 halves and leave small mushrooms whole.
- Place all dry ingredients in a shallow bowl and stir to combine.
- In another medium bowl, whisk all wet ingredients until very smooth and lump free. Stir in cut mushrooms and stir with a spoon until the batter coats all sides of the mushroom (Add mushrooms into the batter just before baking, otherwise it will begin leaving out moisture).
- Alternatively, you can work with one mushroom at a time, dip into batter (allowing excess batter to drip off) and then coat in parmesan crumb mixture (we recommend this method for beginners).
- Working with one mushroom piece at a time, dredge into the panko-parm mixture, turning and pressing on all sides to coat evenly and place on a plate (try to to pack the breadcrumbs well on the mushroom).
- Pre heat air fryer at 400°F for 10 minutes. Place half the mushrooms into the air fryer basket (spacing evenly), spray a generous coating of non-stick cooking spray.
- Cook (spray with non-stick cooking spray again after about 5 minutes - don't need to flip) and continue cooking for about 10 minutes or until deep golden.
- Tip: Enjoy hot! Due to the high moisture content in mushrooms, the crunchiness tends to get softer as it cools.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third party calculations, should be considered estimates and not be construed as a guarantee. Varying factors such as product types, brands purchased, produce, the way ingredients are processed and more change the nutritional information in any recipe.
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