No splatter, healthier, and lighter – these Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms recipe (AKA Vegan Oyster Mushroom Fried Chicken) are insane! Made in the air fryer, Japanese chicken karaage-inspired, and perfectly golden crunchy all over but with just a fraction of the calories, you’ll love the irresistible crispy crunchy bites…a total crowd pleaser!

Photo shows fried oyster mushrooms on a blue white color plate with sauce on the side
Super crunchy, addictive, and air fried!

Crispy. Delicious. Comfort food – Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms

Inspired by Japanese chicken karaage, these vegan fried oyster mushrooms come out of the air fryer perfectly golden all over and crunchy. They are so delicious that even my husband LOVES these air fried mushrooms.

Perfect for those nights when you don’t feel like a full meal or you crave something crunchy and fried. Serve them as an appetizer or as a topping to anything you like!

Ingredients

  • Oyster mushrooms – pearl, blue, or golden oyster mushrooms. Look for large pieces and clusters without signs of wilting.
  • Vegan buttermilk – unsweetened almond milk or organic soy milk, lemon juice
  • The coating – White rice flour, tapioca or potato starch, garlic and onion powder, coarse sea salt
  • Dipping sauce – Homemade bang bang sauce
Photo shows ingredients to make the dish

How to make the dish

  1. Prep – clean the oyster mushrooms with a paper towel (don’t wash them), trim the bottom tip end, and use your hands to separate the large clusters into large flat pieces.
  2. Soak – soak the mushrooms in vegan buttermilk for 15-20 minutes.
  3. Coating – Dip the mushrooms in the following order starch – buttermilk – rice flour and lightly dust them for even coating.
  4. Air fry – Spray the basket with avocado oil and make sure you spray the mushroom with oil on both sides. Air fryer at 380°F (193°C) for 10 minutes and 6-8 minutes the flip side. Do this in batches.
  5. Cooling rack – rest the fried mushrooms on a cooling rack as you work through the second batch.

Dipping sauce for Vegan fried oyster mushrooms recipe

Since this dish is inspired by Japanese chicken karaage, you can simply serve these delicious crispy fried mushrooms with lemon wedges on the side.

To dial up the flavor, dip them in a creamy and cold dipping sauce like my bang bang sauce! This sauce is great for “fried” food – crispy rice sushi, air fryer bang bang shrimp, and a stovetop version of bang bang shrimp!

Common FAQ

What does oyster mushroom taste like

Oyster mushrooms have a very subtle earthy flavor. The mushroom texture is meaty and it makes them extremely versatile in a variety of cuisines.

How to pick good oyster mushrooms

Look for large pieces and clusters without signs of wilting. The fresh ones have a springy texture and are not wilted. (learn more here).

How to clean oyster mushrooms

  1. Unlike most mushrooms that are grown in dirt, oyster mushrooms actually grow on trees so this makes them relatively cleaner than others.
  2. Use a clean paper towel to wipe off any dust/dirt. Don’t rinse them in water. Trim the bottom tip end if it looks dry or dirty.
  3. For large clusters, carefully use your hands to separate the cluster into large pieces.
Photo shows dipping the fried oyster mushrooms in the bang bang sauce
Delicious Vegan Fried Oyster Mushrooms with Bang Bang Sauce

How to store and reheat this dish

This vegan oyster mushroom fried chicken recipe tastes the best when it’s fresh and hot out of the air fryer. If you do have leftovers, the best way to reheat them is to send them back to the air fryer for a couple of minutes on each side. I do not recommend heating them in the microwave.

Umami Tips

  • Select oyster mushrooms – look for large pieces and clusters without signs of wilting.
  • Don’t rinse them with water. Use a paper towel to clean them and remove any dirt.
  • Vegan buttermilk: I found that soy milk works best for vegan buttermilk. The next option is almond milk.
  • Dip in order: Dip the mushrooms in the correct order: starch – buttermilk – rice flour. Rice flour creates a light and airy texture.
  • Shake out the access: After you coat the mushrooms, shake out the access. The coating should be even – not too thick or too thin.
  • Use avocado oil spray: Spray the air fryer basket with a thin layer of oil and spray the mushrooms with oil on all sides. Make sure there are no white spots so the mushrooms can fry evenly.
  • Don’t overcrowd the basket. Try not to overlap the mushrooms. Air fry them in batches.
  • Air fryer temperature varies depending on the air fryer brand. The finishing color of the mushrooms should be golden brown and the coating should be crisp.
  • Rest them on a cooling rack until all the mushrooms are done. This will keep them crispy.
  • Enjoy them right away – fresh, crispy, hot out of the fryer!

More Air Fryer Food Ideas

Photo shows fried oyster mushrooms on a blue white color plate with sauce on the side
4.93 from 14 votes

Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms (Vegan Fried Chicken Karaage)

Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 18 minutes
Soaking time:: 20 minutes
Total Time: 43 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: ChihYu Smith
Air Fried Oyster Mushrooms (AKA Vegan Oyster Mushroom Fried Chicken) are perfectly crunchy with a fraction of the calories. No splatter, healthier, and so addictive!
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Ingredients 

  • 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:

Bang bang sauce:

  • ½ cup mayonnaise
  • 3 tbsp rice vinegar
  • ½-1 tsp hot sauce, I use Frank’s original
  • 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 with a paper towel (don’t wash them), trim the bottom tip end, and use your hands to separate the large clusters into large flat pieces.
  • Soak: In a large mixing bowl, soak the mushrooms in vegan buttermilk for 15-20 minutes. Do not dump the milk. Save it for the next step.
  • Coating: Prepare 1 bowl with the starch and another bowl with the rice flour, salt, garlic and onion powder. Lightly drip the mushrooms from the buttermilk and then dip them in starch, then back to the buttermilk, and then the rice flour. You can place them on a large plate as you work through the pieces.
  • Air fry: Preheat the fryer at 400°F (204°C) for 5 minutes. Spray the basket with avocado oil. Place the oyster mushrooms in a single layer without overlapping. Spray oil over the mushrooms. Make sure you spray on all sides and there are no white spots.
  • Air fryer at 380°F (193°C) for 10 minutes, flip the mushrooms and spray with another thin layer of oil and air fry 6-8 minutes on the flip side. Check after 6 minutes. Do this in 2 separate batches.
  • Cooling rack: Rest the fried mushrooms on a cooling rack as you work through the second batch.
  • Enjoy them right away with bang bang sauce on the side or with extra lemon wedges.

Notes

  • Select oyster mushrooms – look for large pieces and clusters without signs of wilting.
  • Don’t rinse the mushrooms with water. Use a paper towel to clean them and remove any dirt.
  • Vegan buttermilk: I found that soy milk works best for vegan buttermilk. The next option is almond milk.
  • Dip in order: Dip the mushrooms in the correct order: starch – buttermilk – rice flour. Rice flour creates a light and airy texture.
  • Shake out the access: After you coat the mushrooms, shake out the access. The coating should be even – not too thick or too thin.
  • Use avocado oil spray: Spray the air fryer basket with a thin layer of oil and spray the mushrooms with oil on all sides. Make sure there are no white spots so the mushrooms can fry evenly.
  • Don’t overcrowd the basket. Try not to overlap the mushrooms. Air fry them in batches.
    Air fryer temperature varies depending on the air fryer brand. The finishing color of the mushrooms should be golden brown and the coating should be crisp.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving, Calories: 153kcal, Carbohydrates: 29g, Protein: 6g, Fat: 2g, Saturated Fat: 1g, Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g, Monounsaturated Fat: 1g, Sodium: 1048mg, Potassium: 416mg, Fiber: 2g, Sugar: 1g, Vitamin A: 221IU, Vitamin C: 3mg, Calcium: 123mg, Iron: 2mg
Course: Appetizer
Cuisine: American, Japanese
Keyword: air fried oyster mushrooms, fried chicken mushrooms, fried oyster mushrooms, mushrooms fry, mushrooms in air fryer, oyster mushroom fried chicken, oyster mushroom recipe, oyster mushroom recipe vegan
DID YOU MAKE THIS RECIPE?Tag @iheartumami.ny on Instagram and hashtag it #iheartumami.
A close side shot of the vegan fried chicken on a plate