Mushrooms are an amazingly versatile ingredient. Whether you’re sauteing them to crispy perfection, adding as a filling to dumplings, cooking up into hearty mushroom ragu, adding to coffee, or using them to make a vegan fried chicken – like these air fried oyster mushrooms or this mushroom shawarma – you’ll never run out of ideas! This crispy oyster mushrooms recipe yields wonderfully “fried” oyster mushrooms with a breaded coating and tender, juicy middle. Their meaty texture makes these roasted oyster mushrooms perfect for use in all sorts of meat-free and vegan dishes like vegan shawarma, po’boy sandwiches, etc. With the right seasonings, you can even serve crispy mushrooms in place of fried chicken! More so, they make for a wonderful natural meat substitute in comparison to many of the mock meats available in store, and the vegan buttermilk coating helps to enhance the “fried chicken” vibes. Adapt the spices/seasonings used based on your mood and the dish for hundreds of ways to enjoy this crispy oyster mushroom recipe! I also have an easy and delicious deep-fried mushroom recipe, if you’d like to give that a try!
What Are Oyster Mushroom Benefits?
Not only do oyster mushrooms make for a great vegan chicken alternative, but they’re also packed with vitamins and minerals (like vitamin B5, folate, niacin, potassium, etc.), fiber, and other healthful properties. More so, oyster mushrooms are full of antioxidants and may contain other healthful benefits, including blood sugar regulation, heart and gut health benefits, and even immune-boosting properties (with antiviral and antibacterial effects).
The Ingredients
Oyster mushrooms: the shape and texture of oyster mushrooms make them perfect for frying/roasting, especially as a meat substitute. Cornstarch: this should work with other starches (i.e., potato starch, sweet potato starch), but I’ve only tried cornstarch. You could also use flour (regular, chickpea flour, rice flour, etc.), but I find that I get crispier results with cornstarch. Breadcrumbs: use the breadcrumbs of your choosing. I used homemade. Use gluten-free if necessary or even panko breadcrumbs for a slightly “lighter” coating. Milk: use the milk of your choice. For these crispy oyster mushrooms, I used oat milk. Lemon: by combining the milk and lemon, we make a “buttermilk” substitute. Spices: swap out the spices based on the dish you’re serving the mushrooms in. This time I used a shawarma spice blend and salt. You could alternatively use garlic powder, onion powder, paprika, chili powder, Mexican spice blend, garam masala, Cajun seasoning, Italian seasoning, chicken seasoning, etc. Or just some black pepper. Oil: use a neutral cooking oil like olive oil or avocado oil.
How to Make Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms
Step 1: Prepare the “batter” ingredients
First, combine the cornstarch with your spices of choice and the salt and mix. At the same time, prepare the vegan buttermilk by combining the milk and lemon juice (it’s best to let this sit for 5-10 minutes). Place the cornstarch bowl next to the buttermilk bowl, next to the breadcrumb bowl, next to your baking tray or air fryer basket to create a simple “dredging station.”
Step 2: Batter the oyster mushrooms
Then, cover the mushrooms with the cornstarch mixture before dipping each mushroom into the vegan buttermilk and then the breadcrumbs, making sure to coat it well. Repeat until all the mushrooms are fully coated.
Step 3: Cook the oyster mushrooms
For this recipe, I’ve tested air-frying and roasting the oyster mushrooms, so you can do either. First, drizzle or spray some oil (spray is best if you have one) over the mushrooms, then arrange them in a single layer within your air fryer basket or an oven tray (to roast). It’s best to lightly grease the pan/air fryer tray to make sure none stick. Air-fryer: cook the mushrooms, untouched, for 12 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC. Oven: roast the mushrooms for 20 minutes at 400ºF/200ºC. Once cooked, you should have golden brown and super crispy oyster mushrooms ready to enjoy!
How to Store
Fridge: store any leftover crispy oyster mushrooms in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days, lined with a paper towel. They will soften over time – however, you can re-crisp them up somewhat when reheating. You may also be able to freeze the leftover fried oyster mushrooms for later and reheat with an air fryer/oven – though I haven’t tried, so I can’t guarantee results. Reheat: while technically you can microwave these, the results will be soft. For that reason, I recommend broiling them.
How to Serve
There are several ways you can enjoy these crispy oyster mushrooms, primarily as a tasty meat alternative in meals like vegan shawarma, etc. I like to serve them in a shawarma wrap with creamy hummus, pickles (gherkin and pickled turnips), tomatoes, and lettuce. However, you can also serve the fried oyster mushrooms:
To top soups – like this creamy tomato soup, mushroom soup, and Japanese ramen. Serve with salads – like this avocado cucumber tomato salad, Shirazi salad, this massaged kale salad, and other leafy green salads. In sandwiches and wraps – like a po’ boy sandwich or shawarma wrap. Add to tacos – use in place of softer mushrooms in these mushroom tacos. As an appetizer with a dip, like spicy mayo (dairy-free if preferred), ranch dressing, or vegan buffalo sauce. Serve over mashed potatoes with gravy or alongside smashed potatoes.
Other Mushroom Recipes
Creamy mushrooms on toast Cream of mushroom soup Super creamy mushroom pasta sauce Mushroom and lentil vegan meatballs How to Sauté Mushrooms To Perfection (Garlic Butter Mushrooms) Mushroom Shawarma Wrap (Vegan Shawarma)
If you try this vegan crispy oyster mushrooms recipe (chicken oyster mushrooms), I’d love to hear your thoughts/questions below. Also, I’d appreciate a recipe card rating below, and feel free to tag me in your recipe recreations on Instagram @Alphafoodie!
