These gluten free Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms are coated in Panko and fried until crispy. A great appetizer recipe served with dipping sauce!
My recipe for Air Fryer Mushrooms was first published on Sunday Supper Movement where I am a contributor.
After giving these Crispy Breaded Mushrooms a try, I wondered where these tasty little morsels had been all my life. They're crunchy and downright addictive.
Mushrooms are one of my all-time favorite foods. I love mushrooms in all forms - From sautéed to grilled to stuffed. There’s nothing better than a mushroom risotto, mushroom pizza, or roasted mushroom tapenade.
Just when I thought I'd tried every preparation of mushroom under the sun I decided to see how they fared in the newest kitchen contraption - The Air Fryer.
I've tasted fried mushrooms in the occasional tavern and always found them to be kind of slimy and greasy. Not these ones.
They're light, perfectly spiced, and are great paired in any number of dipping sauces - From blue cheese dressing to ranch dressing to marinara sauce!
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What Is An Air Fryer?
What is an air fryer, anyway? It's one of the newest kitchen gadgets to hit the market. These little machines have grown in popularity like the Instant Pot in recent years.
I'm usually skeptical of things like this - I was a little afraid that I would use it once and then it would spend the rest of its days cluttering my kitchen cupboards. Not so. This thing is amazing.
An air fryer is a kitchen appliance that cooks food by rapidly circulating hot air. A mechanical fan circulates the hot air around the contents of the air fryer, a process that both heats and cooks the food quickly.
This is what’s known as the maillard reaction: The caramelization and browning of the food’s surface.
In other words, air fryer foods are nice and brown and crunchy. An air fryer produces the same effect as a deep fryer WITHOUT the need for tons of hot oil!
The result is also a much healthier version of our favorite deep fryer fare, so you can indulge in your favorite fried foods without regretting it later.
Looking for more air fryer recipes? Don't miss these!
- Air Fryer Eggplant Fries
- Air Fried Breaded Shrimp Tacos
- Crispy Air Fryer Fish Tacos
- Air Fryer Butternut Squash Fries
- Balsamic Air Fryer Parsnips
- Frozen Turkey Burgers In Air Fryer
What Type Of Mushrooms Are Best For Air Fryer Mushrooms?
The most important component of air fryer mushrooms is, of course, the mushrooms.
I like to use 'Baby Bella' mushrooms for this recipe (the small brown mushrooms usually located next to the white button mushrooms in the grocery store) although the white button mushrooms would work great as well.
How To Make Crispy Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms
- Simply wipe the excess dirt from 1 8 oz. package of Baby Bella or white button mushrooms using a towel.
- Cut each mushroom into quarters and then cut each piece in half again (each mushroom will equal 8 pieces).
The next step is to dredge them - This process is much like making walleye fingers, chicken parmesan or eggplant parmesan.
They are first dipped into flour, next dipped into beaten eggs, and finally into a spiced breadcrumb mixture.
- Pour ½ cup gluten free flour onto a plate or into a bowl (can use regular AP flour if not GF).
- Whisk 3 eggs in a second bowl.
- Pour 1 ½ cups gluten free Panko breadcrumbs into a bowl (can use regular Panko breadcrumb if not GF). Add 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder, 1 ½ tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and ¼ tsp. kosher salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined.
- Toss the chopped mushrooms in the flour until coated, then dunk the mushrooms in the eggs, and finally toss them in the spiced breadcrumb mixture until completely coated. Repeat with the remainder of the mushrooms.
How Long Do Air Fryer Mushrooms Take To Cook?
Once the mushrooms are fully coated it's time to air fry them! This process is super simple.
- Arrange the mushrooms on a plate or a flat surface and spray them lightly with a little olive oil. Use oil with a high smoke point such as extra light olive oil, avocado or grapeseed in an Air Fryer. It is advised NOT to use a non-stick spray such as Pam, as the additives in them can damage the Air Fryer.
- Place ⅓ of the mushrooms in the basket of the fryer.
- Turn the air fryer ‘On', set the temperature to 360 degrees, and then set the time for 7 minutes.
- Push the basket into the Air Fryer and cook for 7 minutes. Once the time is up, pull the basket out, and remove the cooked mushrooms.
- Repeat with the remainder of the mushrooms until all of them are fried. Sprinkle with a little more salt after removing from the fryer.
It’s best to fry the mushrooms in 3 batches so they cook evenly. When cooking anything in the air fryer, it’s important that there is enough space between the contents so the hot air can circulate evenly and properly brown the entire surface!
What To Serve With Air Fried Mushrooms
These Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms can be enjoyed as-is, especially with an appetizer platter or buffet, or with a variety of sauces.
I recommend ranch dressing as that’s what I prefer, but blue cheese dressing, Thousand Island dressing, or even a dressing like honey mustard is delicious. Marinara or pizza sauce is also an option!
The spices in this portobello mushroom air fryer recipe gives them awesome flavor and the breadcrumbs add an unbelievable crunch.
What I love about them is that they’re delicious right out of the fryer AND after they’ve cooled down a bit. They don’t get soggy like regular fried mushrooms.
These mushrooms would be a great addition to a game day or Super Bowl menu or any type of party.
Looking for more appetizers? Check out these recipes!
- Crockpot Teriyaki Turkey Meatballs
- Maple Spiced Roasted Nuts
- Southwest Baked Egg Rolls
- Prosciutto Wrapped Asparagus
- Cheesy Chipotle Rice Balls
- Tangy BBQ Turkey Meatballs
A big reason why I love the Air Fryer so much is that it allows me to eat a gluten free version of my favorite crispy and crunchy appetizers.
If you are gluten free you know that many fried foods are off limits as they may be coated in flour before frozen and/or fried with other foods that contain gluten.
Preparing these dishes at home with an Air Fryer ensures that you aren't consuming any unwanted gluten.
Can I Make These Mushrooms Even If I'm Not Gluten Free?
Absolutely! Simply substitute the gluten free flour blend for regular All-Purpose Flour and regular Panko breadcrumbs for the gluten free version.
Love mushrooms? Don't Miss These Recipes!
- Mushroom Gruyere Tartlets
- Spinach Artichoke Stuffed Mushrooms
- Steak Diane with Mushrooms
- Black Bean Mushroom Burgers
- Chicken Marsala Pasta
- Garlicky Mushroom Risotto
- Mushroom Arugula Pizza
- Roasted Mushroom Tapenade
Looking For More Air Fryer Recipes? Don't Miss These!
Best Air Fryer Steak
Air Fryer Buckwheat French Fries
Pork Carnitas Empanadas
Easy Air Fryer Falafel
Air Fryer Breaded Mushrooms
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 8 oz. package Portobello mushrooms Baby Bella variety
can use white button mushrooms as well - ½ cup gluten free flour use regular AP flour if not GF
- 3 large eggs
- 1 ½ cups gluten free Panko breadcrumbs use regular Panko breadcrumbs if not GF
- 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder
- 1 ½ tsp. onion powder
- 1 tsp. smoked paprika
- 1 tsp. Italian seasoning
- ¼ tsp. kosher salt plus more for sprinkling
- ¼ tsp. pepper
- non-aerosol cooking oil
- dipping sauce such as ranch dressing or marinara sauce optional
Instructions
- Wipe any excess dirt from 1 8 oz. package of 'Baby Bella' Portobello mushrooms using a towel.
- Cut each mushroom into quarters and then cut each piece in half again (each mushroom will equal 8 pieces).
- Pour ½ cup gluten free flour (can use regular AP flour if not GF) onto a plate.
- Whisk 3 eggs in a bowl.
- Pour 1 ½ cups gluten free Panko breadcrumbs (can use regular Panko breadcrumbs if not GF) into a bowl. Add 1 ½ tsp. garlic powder, 1 ½ tsp. onion powder, 1 tsp. smoked paprika, 1 tsp. Italian seasoning, and ¼ tsp. salt and pepper. Stir until completely combined.
- Toss the chopped mushrooms in the flour until coated, then dunk the mushrooms in the eggs, and finally toss them in the spiced breadcrumb mixture until completely coated. Repeat with the remainder of the mushrooms.
- Arrange the mushrooms on a plate or flat surface. Mist or baste generously with cooking oil.
- Turn the Air Fryer 'On'. Set to 360 degrees and 7 minutes.
- Arrange ⅓ of the mushrooms in the Air Fryer basket. (Make sure the mushrooms are not over-crowded). Push the basket into the fryer and cook for 7 minutes.
- Remove the mushrooms from the fryer when fully cooked. Repeat with the other two batches of mushrooms. Sprinkle with a little more salt after removing from the fryer.
- Serve immediately. Can be enjoyed alone or with any variety of dipping sauces.
Jo Thrasher • Jo Eats
These look seriously addictive and I have GOT to try them!
Christine
They are pretty crunchy and addictive! 🙂
CJ
Just made these and they were wonderful!
Christine
So glad you enjoyed them and thank you for the feedback! 🙂
Ellen S
I used regular portobellas and they turned out crunchy but are very hard to coat. Like you said tgey are good dipped or plain. I dipped in honey mustard dipping sauce.
Christine
Hi, Ellen - Yes, they are a little hard to coat and the process is a bit time consuming but they sure are tasty! Honey mustard is a great dipping sauce choice! 🙂
Fresh
I tried this recipe tonight & when I say delicious, I mean delicious. They are crunchy even when you don’t cut some pieces as thin as others. After cooking I sprinkled a little Pink salt on, jus perfect! This recipe is a must try! I had no problem with the coating.
Christine
So glad to hear you enjoyed this recipe and thank you for the feedback! These mushrooms are definitely crunchy and kind of addicting! 🙂