I Tried the Reddit-Famous Crispy Air-Fried Mushrooms (and Whoa, They’re Good)

The internet has officially won me over when it comes to the air fryer. I can’t escape the number of delicious recipes that involve this legendary small appliance, and right now I have my sights set on a wildly easy recipe that’s all over the air fryer subreddit: air-fried mushrooms. I love mushrooms, I love crispy things — what more could I ask for? Follow along as I try this out at home. (Spoiler: Start making grocery arrangements to pick up every ingredient for this recipe right now. It’s that good.)

Get the recipe: Crispy Air Fryer Mushrooms from Sunday Supper Movement

To start, grab about four medium-sized bowls — you’re going to need them to prepare these crispy bites of deliciousness! Quarter your baby portobello mushrooms into bite-sized pieces and put them in a bowl; whisk together a few eggs in a different bowl; scoop some flour into another bowl; and finally mix plain panko breadcrumbs into your last bowl with an array of seasonings (garlic and onion powder, Italian seasoning, and smoked paprika).

Now that your dredging station is all set up, you’re going to coat your mushrooms in the flour first, then into the whisked eggs, and finally into the seasoned panko breadcrumbs. This process is a lot more fun if you dedicate one hand to your wet bowls and your opposite hand to the dry — trust me. After your mushrooms are wearing fashions (the Panko Breadcrumb Coat) you’ll place them into the air fryer and cook at 360°F for around 7 minutes. Once the mushrooms are golden-brown and crispy, they’re ready to eat.

You can eat the crispy mushrooms by themselves or with a dipping sauce. I wanted to take advantage of the umami flavor inherent to portobello mushrooms and that is when my spicy sesame dipping sauce was born. Here’s a rough recipe.

• 2 tablespoons mayo
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 2 teaspoons hoisin sauce
• 2 teaspoons chili paste
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1/2 lime, juiced
• 1 teaspoon peeled and grated ginger (optional)

Mix all of the ingredients in a medium-sized bowl or a Mason jar with a lid. Store in the fridge for up to two weeks. 

Let me say these air-fried mushrooms are pretty delicious, and they only take around 20 minutes to prepare from start to finish. Although I would usually prefer to deep-fry instead of air fry, I can honestly say the air fryer provided enough crispy action for me to stop and say Whoa, these are good. And when you add the spicy sesame dipping sauce to the party, the flavor gets taken to a whole other level. Whenever I introduce my tastebuds to umami, my eyes light up, and I instantly want more and more of whatever it is that I’m eating. This quick snack did just that. I foresee these air-fried mushrooms in my future, maybe on top of a burger or salad next time?

Make sure to properly coat each mushroom bite with each dredging component (the egg, flour, and seasoned panko); this ensures you have mushrooms that are evenly golden-brown and fully coated with crispy panko when they’re finished cooking in the air fryer.