Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms (Vegan Fried Chicken) Recipe
These Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms offer a crispy, flavorful vegan alternative to fried chicken, using a plant-based buttermilk soak and a crunchy coating. Perfectly air fried to golden perfection and served with a tangy bang bang sauce, this recipe is a delightful and healthier comfort food option.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 20 minutes
- Total Time: 35 minutes
- Yield: 4 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Vegan, American
- Diet: Vegan
Ingredients
Scale
Mushrooms
- 9 oz. gray pearl oyster mushrooms or blue, golden oyster mushrooms
Vegan Buttermilk
- 1.5 cup unsweetened soy milk or almond milk
- 1.5 tbsp lemon juice plus extra lemon for serving
Coating
- ½ cup tapioca starch or potato starch (not flour)
- 10 tbsp white rice flour
- 1.25 tsp coarse sea salt
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- 1 tsp onion powder
- Avocado oil spray
Bang Bang Sauce
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- 3 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½–1 tsp hot sauce (Frank’s original recommended)
- 0.2 oz garlic grated or crushed (about 1 large clove)
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1.5 tbsp ketchup
- 2 pinches coarse sea salt
Instructions
- Prep: Clean the oyster mushrooms gently with a paper towel, avoiding washing them directly. Trim off the bottom tip end and use your hands to separate the large clusters into large flat pieces suitable for coating.
- Soak: In a large mixing bowl, combine the unsweetened soy or almond milk with lemon juice to create the vegan buttermilk. Soak the mushroom pieces in the vegan buttermilk for 15-20 minutes. Do not discard the soak liquid as it will be used in the coating process.
- Coating: Prepare two bowls: one with tapioca or potato starch, and another with white rice flour mixed with coarse sea salt, garlic powder, and onion powder. Lightly drip the mushrooms from the buttermilk, then dip each piece into the starch, dip back into the buttermilk, and finally coat in the rice flour mixture. Place the coated mushrooms on a large plate as you go.
- Air Fry Preheat: Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C) for 5 minutes. Spray the air fryer basket with avocado oil to prevent sticking.
- Air Frying First Side: Arrange the coated oyster mushrooms in a single layer in the air fryer basket, ensuring none overlap. Spray avocado oil over the mushrooms thoroughly on all sides. Air fry at 380°F (193°C) for 10 minutes.
- Flip and Cook Second Side: Flip the mushrooms carefully, spray another light layer of avocado oil, and air fry for an additional 6-8 minutes. Check for desired golden crispiness after 6 minutes. This should be done in two separate batches to avoid overcrowding.
- Cooling: Transfer the cooked mushrooms to a cooling rack to rest while you air fry the second batch. This ensures they stay crisp.
- Serving: Serve the air fried oyster mushrooms immediately accompanied by the bang bang sauce and optionally extra lemon wedges for added brightness.
Notes
- Do not wash the oyster mushrooms with water to avoid sogginess; gently wipe with a paper towel instead.
- Ensure mushrooms are in a single layer in the air fryer to allow even crisping.
- Spraying avocado oil on all sides of the mushrooms promotes a golden, crispy texture without deep frying.
- Adjust hot sauce in the bang bang sauce to taste for desired spice level.
- Use gluten-free flour options as noted for a gluten-free dish.
- Serve immediately for best texture and flavor.
Keywords: Air fried oyster mushrooms, vegan fried chicken, vegan appetizer, crispy mushroom recipe, bang bang sauce, plant-based fried food, gluten-free
