Mouthwatering Air Fryer Oyster Mushrooms

Vegan Air fryer oyster mushrooms are great to be served on their own as a quick snack, appetizer, side dish, or to use as an addition in any recipe. It is a great plant-based meal that everybody will love, even those that hate mushrooms. Be sure to make some extra mushrooms! I’m convinced that you will not resist and will eat some directly from the air fryer.

Looking for air fried oyster mushrooms recipe? Are you ready to elevate your mushroom game?

I promise that you will make this recipe over and over again, and no matter how many you will cook, they will never be enough.

You will always regret that you didn’t cook a larger number of mushrooms in the air fryer.

These beauties are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a savory flavor that will have you licking your fingers. Plus, they’re super easy to make and ready in a flash, making them the perfect snack or side dish for any occasion.

These air fried oyster mushrooms cooked in an air fryer are an amazingly versatile dish. They are light and packed full of flavor.

But wait, it gets better! We’re taking these oyster mushrooms to the next level by adding dried onions and fresh garlic. The combination of these aromatic ingredients will transport your taste buds to a whole new level of deliciousness.

The result is a dish that is both simple and sophisticated, with a flavor profile that is sure to impress.

Because of their meaty texture, you can use them as a meat substitute in any vegan or vegetarian dish. You can use these oyster mushrooms as a replacement for fried chicken in the air fryer.

They will have a similar texture to the chicken wings. Especially if you will bread them in panko or breadcrumbs.

Another advantage of this recipe is that you can prepare a bigger number of mushrooms, and keep them in the fridge for about 3-4 days, and when you will want to prepare a quick snack as a quick wrap or taco, you can reheat them and use in your dishes.

If some of your friends or family members are hating mushrooms and don’t prefer to eat them, ask them to try this recipe. It may change their mind.

So good they are.

🔖 What You Will Find in This Post?

• Why do you need to break the mushrooms with your hands?
• Why don’t need to wash the mushrooms with water?
• Serving Suggestions. Ideas to Substitute Ingredients.
• Detailed step-by-step instructions.

🤚 How to Choose Oyster Mushrooms?

Pick the oyster mushrooms that are neither moist nor dry and have a uniform creamy white color.

Avoid those oyster mushrooms that have some red or green patches. Also, oyster mushrooms should be firm, not slimy and plump, without any wrinkles.

Ideally, pick those that have the cap intact.

🔪 How to Clean the Oyster Mushrooms?

As the oyster mushrooms usually grow on wood and mushrooms don’t get in contact with any dirt, you probably will not find a lot of things to clean with them.

Is important to not wash them under the water because the oyster mushrooms will absorb it and will become mushy.

Use a paper towel instead to gently rub away any dirt they may have on them.

😊 The Benefits of Oyster Mushrooms?

Besides the fact that we will cook the oyster mushrooms in air fryer with almost no oil, the oyster mushrooms are very healthy by their selves.

They are fully packed with vitamins, minerals, fibers, and other healthy properties.

🥗 Why These Oyster Mushrooms are Healthy?

As we are using an air fryer but not a deep fryer, we almost don’t use oil. Because of that, they are a lot healthier than other variants that you are common with.

Also, as a bonus, you will get a crispy crust without using tons of oil.

👩‍🍳 How to Prepare Oyster Mushrooms in Air Fryer?

1. Using a paper towel, eliminate all possible dirt from the mushrooms.
2. Put the mushrooms in a large bowl and pour over them all the spices and oil. Mix well.
3. Arrange the Oyster mushrooms in a single layer on the air fryer basket.
4. Cook for about 12 minutes at 400°F.
5. Decorate with freshly chopped parsley in the end.

🥰 Why You Will Love This Recipe?

• It is a recipe that cooks very quickly and is easy to make even if you don’t have too much experience in the kitchen. It’s perfect for busy weeknights when you want a quick and healthy snack or side dish.
• Oyster mushrooms are low in calories but high in protein, fiber, and antioxidants, making them a healthy and nutritious addition to any meal.
• With a few ingredients, you get a delicious snack that you can serve both hot and cold. The combination of oyster mushrooms, dried onions, and fresh garlic creates a flavor explosion that is sure to impress even the pickiest eaters. Plus, the crispy texture of the mushrooms adds an extra layer of deliciousness.
• You can make it ahead of a few days and use it later as a component in other dishes.
• It is perfect for vegetarians, vegans, or just those who are looking for a delicious meat substitute.
• Oyster mushrooms are a budget-friendly ingredient that is widely available at most grocery stores. This recipe is an affordable and delicious way to enjoy a gourmet-style dish at home.

🥘 Ingredients and Substitutes

Quick Note: I recommend cooking some extra mushrooms because I’m more than convinced that you will be tempted and you will eat some directly from your air fryer basket.

• Oyster Mushrooms. Make sure to pick the best oyster mushrooms you can find. Also, pick those that don’t have some blemishes and that have a nice creamy color. Also, for this recipe, you can use blue oyster mushrooms. They have a subtle seafood flavor that will go very well with the rest of the ingredients. If you will go with the blue oyster mushrooms in the air fryer, keep in mind as they are smaller in the size you will also need to reduce their cooking time. Or another great option is to use the king oyster mushroom in the air fryer. The only thing you should pay attention to is to cut them in evenly pieces to make sure that all of them will cook the same. If you leave them as is, you risk not cooking them evenly, plus the interior of the mushroom may remain raw.
• Olive Oil. The fat of the oil accentuates the taste of the mushrooms. Also, the oil will stick the spices to the mushrooms and it also helps the spices to open their taste better.
• Dried Onion. I used dried onions because they offer a creamy aroma to the dish. If you do not have it at hand, you could omit it altogether.
• Fresh Garlic. The combination of garlic and mushrooms is one that leaves you speechless, and you can never go wrong with it. If you don’t like the fresh taste of fresh garlic, you can replace it with granulated garlic because it has a lighter taste and is not so pronounced as fresh garlic.
• Seasonings. I used a simple mixture of salt and pepper, to keep the fine taste of the oyster mushrooms, but if you want, you can add chili peppers and other aromatic herbs such as thyme, parsley, and oregano.

👩‍🍳 Step-by-step Directions

Clean the mushrooms with a paper towel in case the mushrooms have any dirt on them.

Pro Tip: I don’t recommend washing the mushrooms with water because they will absorb too much water and the mushrooms will change their taste and texture. These will become mushy.

Quick Note: Break the mushrooms by hand into approximately equal pieces so that you can be sure that they will all cook evenly.

After that, take a deep bowl which will allow you to mix all the ingredients. Put the mushrooms in it and add all the spices over them.

Mix well until the mushrooms are well-covered on all sides with oil and spices.

After that, put the mushrooms in the air fryer basket.

Quick Note: For a better and even result, don’t overload the air fryer tray. If you need to prepare a larger quantity or if you use a smaller air fryer, cook them in a few batches for the best results.

Cook at 400°F / 200°C for about 12 minutes.

Halfway through the cooking time, take the tray out of the air fryer and shake it well to rotate the mushrooms in the air fryer basket.

Quick Note: The cooking time is approximate only because it may differ from one air fryer model to another because the air fryer may work differently, they may have different sizes and the quality of the ingredients may differ. The timings from this recipe are for the Cosori Air Fryer 5.8QT.

In the end, if you decide to serve them as a side dish, or eat them as a quick snack, you could sprinkle the oyster mushroom with some finely chopped parsley over them.

🍽️ How to Serve the Air-Fried Oyster Mushrooms?

If you plan to serve them in addition to other recipes, consider adding them in a wrap, sandwich, burrito, pasta, salad, or toss the oyster mushrooms in enchiladas or tacos.

As you can see, this recipe is very versatile and it goes well in a lot of dishes.

Dipping Sauces to Serve the Oyster Mushrooms?

If you plan to enjoy the air-fried oyster mushrooms as a quick snack, I highly recommend you to serve them near your favorite dipping sauce.

If you don’t know with what you can combine the oyster mushrooms, I will leave you below a few suggestions that you can’t go wrong with:

• Homemade Romesco Sauce
• Sweet Chili Sauce
• Tzatziki Sauce

How to Cook Blue Oyster Mushrooms?

Follow the same recipe, and all the steps, just reduce the cooking time to 7-8 minutes if you want to cook the blue oyster mushrooms in the air fryer.

Can You Freeze Oyster Mushrooms?

Yes, you can freeze the air fried oyster mushrooms for about 1 month in the freezer. Make sure that you will freeze the oyster mushrooms in air tight containers or freezing bags from which you will squeeze all the air excesses.

When you will need to serve them, just leave them on the table for about 30 minutes until they will thaw and you’re good to go.

🏆 Expert Tips. What to Pay Attention To?

• Do not wash the mushrooms in water because they will absorb a lot of liquid and the mushrooms will lose their taste and texture. Use only a dry paper towel to remove any rubbish that may be on them.
• Mushrooms, in contact with steel, will oxidize. For this reason, if you are unsure of the composition of your knife, I recommend breaking the mushrooms by hand so you will be sure that the mushrooms will not change their color.
• Try to break all the mushrooms of about the same size to make sure that all the mushroom pieces will cook evenly.
• If you prefer the oyster mushrooms even crispier, add a few extra minutes to the cooking time.
• Dried onions work better than fresh onions in this recipe because they add a concentrated burst of flavor without adding moisture to the mushrooms.
• Toss the mushrooms, dried onions, and fresh garlic with olive oil before adding them to the air fryer. This helps to ensure that they become crispy and evenly coated with seasoning.
• Keep an eye on the mushrooms as they cook, and flip them over halfway through the cooking time to ensure that they cook evenly.

♻️ Make Ahead, Storage, and reheating:

Can I Prepare them Ahead?

Even if this is a dish that is very easy to prepare, you could make the oyster mushrooms ahead of time and for 3-4 days you can keep them in the fridge and when you will want, you can quickly prepare a sandwich or a quick wrap.

How Long Do They Last in the Fridge?

After the oyster mushrooms have cooled down, you can keep them in a tightly closed container for 3-4 days in the fridge.

How to Reheat the Oyster Mushrooms?

You can reheat them in a microwave for 1-2 minutes or to reheat the oyster mushrooms in an air fryer for 4 minutes at 400°F.

🤔 Answering Your Questions:

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