It is finger-licking good and plant-based! This crispy fried oyster mushrooms recipe is a go-to for something tender, ‘meaty‘, and crunchy. It is a vegan alternative to crispy chicken using pull-apart oyster mushrooms seasoned to perfection.
What To Love About Crispy Fried Oyster Mushrooms
You gotta love mushrooms for their versatility, as well as their earthy and smoky flavors. If you are looking for something umami and ‘meaty’, the best mushrooms are shiitake and oyster mushrooms. Oyster mushrooms are one of the healthiest ingredients out there.
Consuming oyster mushrooms benefits our health in many ways, from improving vitamin D levels to promoting heart health and boosting immune system support. There are several types of oyster mushrooms, such as king oyster mushrooms and elm oysters. In this recipe, I pulled apart oyster mushrooms for a chunky look and shredded texture.
The mushrooms are dipped in a wet batter before frying in oil. You can enjoy this on its own or with a dipping sauce such as BBQ and ketchup. Serve it as a snack, appetizer, or side dish.
If you love crispy fried plant-based snacks, try these recipes as well and adjust the ingredients to make it vegan:
- Crispy Fried Wonton Strips
- Crispy Salt And Pepper Tofu
- Super Easy Accordion Potatoes
- Air-Fried Taro Chips Recipe
- Easy Three Methods To Make Taro Fries
How To Serve Fried Oyster Mushrooms
Oyster mushrooms are best eaten with a dipping sauce! Use the sauces you typically use for fried dishes like Easy Air-Fried Crispy Pork Belly and The Juiciest Chinese-Style Salt And Pepper Chicken Wings. Here are my top dipping sauce suggestions for fried oyster mushrooms:
- BBQ sauce
- Buffalo sauce
- Cheese sauce
- Creamy garlic sauce
- Ketchup
- Mayonnaise
- Ketchup and mayonnaise mix
- Mustard
- Sweet and sour sauce
- Sweet chili sauce
- Salad cream
- Sriracha or Tabasco
- Tartar sauce
- Tomato salsa
What To Know About The Ingredients
Here are a few ways to customize the dish according to your liking:
- Oyster mushrooms: Oyster mushrooms are great for their fibrous velvety texture and briny taste. Clean the mushrooms using a damp paper towel. I don’t recommend washing with water as it will make the mushrooms soggy. You want to remove as much water as you can from the mushrooms to make them ultra-crispy when fried. If you don’t have oyster mushrooms, use king oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus eryngii), wider oyster mushrooms (Pleurotus ostreatus), and large portobello mushrooms (Agaricus bisporus). Aside from mushrooms, you can also make this recipe using chunks of firm tofu.
- Salt:Salt is key in removing water from the mushrooms. Coat the mushrooms with enough salt and let it soak for about 15 minutes. Afterward, squeeze out as much water as you can. Removing excess water from the mushrooms is important to have a crispier texture.
- Wet Batter: Making the batter to coat the mushrooms requires cornstarch, all-purpose flour, Chinese Five Spice Powder, Salt And Pepper Seasoning, eggs, water, and oil.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch makes the mushrooms extra crispy and golden brown. If you don’t have cornstarch, use tapioca flour or potato starch. For 1 tbsp of cornstarch, substitute it with the following:
- All-Purpose Flour (1:1 ratio)
- Arrowroot Powder (1:1 ratio)
- Tapioca Starch/Flour (1:1 ratio)
- Potato Starch (1:1 ratio)
- Rice Flour (1:1 ratio)
- Flour: Use regular or all-purpose flour for the batter. You can also use gluten-free flour like arrowroot flour and oat flour if you need something gluten-free. For an egg-like taste, I recommend using chickpea flour. Chickpea flour is loved for its eggy flavor and hint of yellow that mimics the yolk of the eggs when mixed in the batter.
- Chinese five spice powder: This special powder is unlike any other because it imparts a variety of tastes, including sweet, warm, and a hint of licorice-like flavor to the dough. It is a mix of Star anise (八角), Chinese cinnamon (肉桂), Fennel seeds (小茴香), Szechuan peppercorns (花椒), and Cloves (丁香). Look for this in the spice section of a local grocery store or in Asian markets. Alternatively, you can make one yourself with my homemade Chinese Five Spice Powder If you are looking for the closest alternative, try any of the 5 Best Chinese Five Spice Substitutes.
- Salt and pepper seasoning: Similar to Chinese five spice powder, salt and pepper seasoning is another special powder that is made with six spices. This is a blend of Sichuan peppercorn, fennel seed, shrimp skin, white sesame, salt, Chinese five spice powder, and paprika (optional for a slightly spicy taste). Get this in the spice section of a local grocery store or in Asian markets. If you prefer, make your homemade version by following my Salt And Pepper Seasoning Once you have this seasoning, you can make a variety of salt and pepper dishes, such as salt and pepper tofu, salt and pepper pork chops, and salt and pepper chicken wings.
- Eggs: For added flavor and to help the batter stick better, I included eggs to serve as a binder. Make this eggless and vegan-friendly by removing eggs and replacing them with chickpea flour and water slurry (3 tablespoons of chickpea flour with 3 tablespoons of water + a pinch of black salt for an eggy taste).
- Water: The water is usually a 1:1 ratio with the flour. Generally, add water until you get a smooth and creamy consistency. It should not be too runny or too thick to coat the mushrooms easily. For a creamier batter, use soy or oat milk instead of water. You can also use buttermilk, which is a mix of 1 cup soy milk and 1 tablespoon of vinegar.
- Oil: Any cooking oil will do for the batter. Use olive, avocado, sesame, or safflower oil for a healthier option. If you want a neutral taste, go for peanut, soybean, or vegetable oil.
- Optional flavoring ingredients: You can adjust the taste of the batter with a few spices, such as brown sugar, paprika, turmeric, sea salt, onion powder, and garlic powder. If you love spicy food, season it with cayenne pepper powder.
- Cornstarch: Cornstarch makes the mushrooms extra crispy and golden brown. If you don’t have cornstarch, use tapioca flour or potato starch. For 1 tbsp of cornstarch, substitute it with the following:
- Oil for frying: I recommend oil with a high smoke point, such as avocado, peanut, canola, and corn oil. Oils with a high smoke point are ideal since they reduce the amount of oil oxidized and cook better at high temperatures.
Expert Tips For A Crispy Fried Oyster Mushrooms
Mushrooms tend to go mushy because of their high water content. But don’t worry! There are a few ways to make sure you don’t end up with soggy or mushy fried oyster mushrooms.
Follow these helpful tips to get super crispy mushrooms:
- Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel. Do not wash it with water! Otherwise, it will absorb more water and make it mushy.
- Coat the mushrooms with the batter two times. In this way, you get an ultra-crispy coating when fried.
- Heat the oil before frying. If the oil is not hot enough, the mushrooms will absorb the oil and become soggy. That is why it is important to use high smoke point oils to heat well and evenly. You will know the oil is ready when you drop a small amount of batter and the oil starts to sizzle or bubble.
- Avoid overloading the pan. Although you want to finish the cooking process right away, I don’t recommend overcrowding the pan with too many mushrooms. It is best to cook in batches to ensure the mushrooms cook evenly and crisp up.
- Drain as much oil as you can. Remove excess oil by straining the mushrooms and letting them drain on paper towels. This removes excess moisture to ensure a crispy texture.
Frying Cooking Alternatives
Deep frying has been a favorite because it makes the food crispy on the outside and juicy on the inside. However, it is a health risk because the food is drenched in oil inside out. If you don’t like incorporating too much oil into your food, here are my suggestions:
- Bake in an oven at 475°F or 246°C for about 16 minutes. Flip the mushrooms halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking. Spray the mushrooms with oil if you want a deeper golden brown color and crispier texture.
- Air-fry in an air fryer at 380°F or 193°C for about 10 minutes. Flip the mushrooms halfway through the cooking time to ensure even cooking. Spray the mushrooms with oil if you want a deeper golden brown color and crispier texture.
Storage And Reheating Suggestions
Leftovers can be kept in the fridge for up to 3 days. Store it in an airtight container to preserve its quality. However, it won’t be as crispy as before.
To make it crispy again, reheat it in an oven or air fryer at 380°F for about 10 minutes until you reach your desired crispiness. You can also reheat it by deep-frying it again in oil. I don’t recommend heating in a microwave since it will only make it too soggy without the delightful crispy texture.
Ingredients And Kitchenware To Get Started
Prepare your bowls for soaking and making the batter. Moreover, you will need a shallow pot or pan for deep-frying and a strainer. The ingredients to prepare are the following:
- 400g of oyster mushrooms
- Salt (for soaking the mushrooms)
- Batter
- 2 tbsp of cornstarch
- 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tsp of salt and pepper seasoning
- 2 eggs
- Water
- 10g of oil
- Oil for frying (enough for deep-frying)
10 Steps To Make Fried Oyster Mushrooms
Making this recipe is simple and easy with 10 basic steps. Soak the mushrooms in salt, coat them with the wet batter, and deep fry them. These are pretty much the steps to think about.
Check out my short tutorial video on Instagram or TikTok to learn more about the steps. When you are done, don’t forget to share them by tagging @kitchenmisadventures. Leave a comment to let us know your thoughts and the dipping sauce you used. Here’s how to make fried oyster mushrooms:
- Tear the oyster mushrooms and add salt. Allow them to rest for 15 minutes.
- Squeeze out excess water from the mushrooms.
- In a bowl, mix cornstarch, all-purpose flour, Chinese Five Spice Powder, salt and pepper seasoning, and eggs. Pour in an appropriate amount of water and stir well.
- Add oil to the batter and mix thoroughly.
- Coat the oyster mushrooms evenly with the batter.
- Heat oil to 356°F then carefully place the mushrooms in the hot oil.
- Fry the mushrooms on low heat for 4 minutes. Then, increase to high heat for 2 minutes.
- Remove the fried mushrooms and drain the excess oil.
- Sprinkle some salt and pepper seasoning.
- Enjoy these super crispy fried oyster mushrooms with your favorite dipping sauce!
- If you love mushrooms, try these mushroom recipes as well: Flavorful Stir-Fried Bok Choy And Mushrooms, Tofu with Minced Pork & Mushrooms, Creamy Mushroom Soup, and Mushroom Grilled Cheese Sandwich.
Crispy Fried Oyster Mushrooms Recipe
Ingredients
- 400 g of oyster mushrooms
- Salt for soaking the mushrooms
- Water
- 10 g of oil
- Oil for frying enough for deep-frying
Batter
- 2 tbsp of cornstarch
- 2 tbsp of all-purpose flour
- 1 tsp of Chinese five-spice powder
- 1 tsp of salt and pepper seasoning
- 2 eggs
Instructions
- Tear the oyster mushrooms and add salt. Allow them to rest for 15 minutes.
- Squeeze out excess water from the mushrooms.
- In a bowl, mix cornstarch, all-purpose flour, Chinese Five Spice Powder, salt and pepper seasoning, and eggs. Pour in an appropriate amount of water and stir well.
- Add oil to the batter and mix thoroughly.
- Coat the oyster mushrooms evenly with the batter.
- Heat oil to 356°F then carefully place the mushrooms in the hot oil.
- Fry the mushrooms on low heat for 4 minutes. Then, increase to high heat for 2 minutes.
- Remove the fried mushrooms and drain the excess oil.
- Sprinkle some salt and pepper seasoning.
- Enjoy these super crispy fried oyster mushrooms with your favorite dipping sauce!
