Air Fryer Mushrooms (Breaded)
by Sommer Collier — last updated on Jan 27, 2025 
Love fried mushrooms, but not the deep frying? My breaded air fryer mushrooms are much lighter but just as irresistibly crunchy and delicious. I make this crispy breaded mushroom recipe in only 20 minutes, and serve them warm with creamy dipping sauces as a snack, appetizer or side dish.
Mushrooms can be one of those veggies that either divides or brings people together…They either firmly do or they don’t like them. (Unless my cream cheese stuffed mushrooms recipe is on the table, then suddenly everyone loves them.) If you’ve found your way to this post, I’m going to assume you’re on mushroom team “yum!” and I’m so happy you’re here! Whether or not you’re already a fan of deep-fried breaded mushrooms, my lighter air fryer mushrooms recipe is for you. I dunk button mushrooms in an egg and olive oil wash, coat them with a simple breadcrumb mixture, then air fry crispy in 10 minutes. They’re not as fancy as crab stuffed mushrooms or as fiery as chorizo stuffed mushrooms, but wow, these crunchy and juicy ‘shrooms are just as flavorful. Serve with any number of dipping sauces and I promise, everyone will agree they’re delicious!
Sommer’s Recipe Highlights
Lighter in the Right Ways – Unlike most deep fried mushrooms recipes with double breading, I only coat these mushroom once in egg and breadcrumbs. And of course, there is no actual frying here! This air fryer recipe uses barely any oil, especially compared to deep frying, for breaded mushroom that are still crisp but much healthier. But that doesn’t mean there’s any less flavor! In fact, without so much breading and heavy oil, you can actually taste the delicious tender mushrooms and seasonings.
Best Breading – I’ve tested many different methods to get breadcrumbs to stick to mushrooms, and by golly, I’ve nailed it! I’m sharing my not-so-secret tips for how to prep, bread, and air fry mushrooms to crisp perfection. You’re welcome!
Snack Sensations – Crispy on the outside, and juicy on the inside, these little beauties are fabulous on their own for heavy snacking (one of my favorite types of snacking). I serve them with marinara, ranch and Caesar dressing, but you do you and enjoy fried mushrooms with whatever dipping sauce you like!
Key Ingredients and Tips
- Mushrooms – I think button mushrooms are best the best mushrooms for air frying. They aren’t too big or small, and have a light earthy, almost meaty flavor.
- Egg – Use a large egg as a binder for the breading.
- Olive oil – Or you can use another high-heat oil you like, such as avocado or canola oil.
- Breadcrumbs – I use plain fine breadcrumbs.
- Spices – Garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt and pepper are all you need.
How to Make
Prep – So, I don’t actually wash the mushrooms for this recipe… You can prepare them by wiping them with a damp cloth or damp paper towel, but I do not recommend getting them soaking wet. This will prevent the coating from sticking to them!
Once the mushrooms are ready, I preheat the air fryer to 380°F and get al of my other ingredients together.
I use two bowls in this recipe, one for the wet ingredients and one for dry. In the first bowl I whisk together the egg and olive oil, then add in the mushrooms and toss around until they’re coated.
Make the Breading – In the second bowl, I combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper.
Coat – When the air fryer is hot, that’s when I scoop half of the mushrooms into the breadcrumbs. Roll them around so they get coated, but take it easy so you’re not just knocking the coating off.
Then Fry – I lay the mushrooms in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Don’t let them touch! For super crispy mushrooms it’s important they each have a bit of space to cook properly (I get it). Otherwise, the air from the fryer can’t circulate around and get every side crisp.
I air fry the breaded mushrooms for for 8 to 12 minutes, depending on the size and number of mushrooms I’ve got in there. At the 5 minute mark I give the basket a gentle shake and check to see how much more time to add. You know they’re done when there’s an even golden brown coating all around. But don’t let them get too brown, or they’ll get overcooked and unpleasantly crunchy.
Again! – Meanwhile, coat the remaining mushrooms in breadcrumbs. Once the first batch is out of the air fryer, repeat with the second batch.
Key Tips
- Different sized mushrooms will have different cooking times. You might want to keep an eye on the smaller sized mushrooms and take them out first since these cooking times will vary.
- Use fine, plain breadcrumbs. This recipe is best with regular breadcrumbs, instead of panko breadcrumbs. Panko breadcrumbs are too large and won’t stick well to the mushrooms.
- Air fry in batches. The air fryer will probably not be big enough to cook all of the breaded mushrooms at once, so cook in as many batches as needed. And again, I can’t emphasize this enough: Make sure mushrooms are not overcrowded in the basket to ensure they reach peak crispiness!
Serving Suggestions
I usually serve these hot and crispy ‘shrooms with dipping sauces like warm marinara, ranch dressing, or any of these cool and creamy homemade sauces:
Storage Notes
Battered fried mushrooms taste best when freshly made. But if you do have leftovers, they’ll keep well for up to a day or so in the fridge stored in an airtight container.
I recommend briefly reheating them in the air fryer for 5 minutes at 350 degrees to get that glorious crunch back. Alternatively, you heat them on a baking sheet for 10 minutes in a 350 degree oven.
Frequently Asked Questions
Nope! Dredge the raw mushrooms in the egg mixture and breadcrumbs, then let the air fryer do all of the cooking.
No, and in fact, as noted above you don’t even want to thoroughly was them in water. The mushrooms will absorb the water and not fry properly.
Well, they’re not as healthy as my sautéed mushrooms recipe… I mean, anytime there is a breading and oil involved, I’m going to question the “healthfulness” and don’t want to say anything one way or another. I can say that there is way less oil in this air fryer mushrooms recipe, which means less fat and fewer calories overall.
More Finger Food Recipes
Air Fryer Mushrooms (Breaded)
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Ingredients
- 16 ounces button mushrooms
- 1 large egg
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- 1/3 cup plain breadcrumbs
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- Salt and pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 380°F. Set out two mixing bowls. In one bowl combine the egg and olive oil. Whisk well. Then add in the mushrooms and toss to coat.
- In the second bowl, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic powder, smoked paprika, 1 teaspoon of salt, and 1/2 teaspoon of cracked black pepper. Mix well.
- Once the air fryer is hot, scoop half of the mushrooms into the breadcrumbs. Toss to coat. Then lay the mushrooms in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Air fry for 8 to 12 minutes, gently shaking once after 5 minutes.
- Meanwhile coat the remaining mushrooms and breadcrumbs. Once the first batch is out of the air fryer, repeat with the second batch. Serve warm.
I need to tweak the seasoning for the breadcrumbs………… I have smoked paprika in mild and spicy…………. used the spicy……………… then the final seasong was pepper and salt (I used a mix of chillies and salt – made it more spicy – but gooooooood)………….. final thing was drizzling sriracha mayo over them – even more spice………….. Base recipe was dellicious though, will definitely tweak and do over and over again. I live in Frankfurt am Main in Germany and this used to be a starter in the steak restaurant my (ex) husband and I used to go to with our 5 children. Am sooooooooo happy to be able to recreate that at home with my air fryer…… Thank you sooooooooo much for the recipe :)
Perfect! Made these last night for the college football national championship game. Tasted great, cooked perfectly, will make again. Thanks for the recipe!
Loved making these in the air fryer! Made the perfect lunch, so delicious!
These were so delicious! Even my picky son loved them!
this is perfect! thank you for sharing this recipe for my southern comfort food needs
This is one way I really enjoy mushrooms!! Crisp on the outside & tender inside!