Vegan Fried Oyster Mushrooms
Tender and flavorful vegan fried oyster mushrooms are the crispy finger food you were looking for. They’re super easy to make!
These vegan fried oyster mushrooms are breaded and fried to crispy perfection, making them a delicious appetizer for parties.
They are gluten-free, although you can use plain flour like with my tofu fried “chicken” recipe.
Crunchy on the outside, juicy on the inside, they are perfect one-bite snacks for game day. You’ll enjoy making them on the regular.
Key tips to follow
- Make sure the cooking oil is high. Between 360-375°F (182-190°C) is ideal to ensure crispy and golden tenders.
- If you don’t have a thermometer, drop in a small piece of mushroom to test if you don’t have a thermometer.
If it bubbles too vigorously and gets dark brown in less than 60 seconds, the oil is too hot. Cool things down a little.
If you see no bubbles, let it heat up some more.
- Oyster mushrooms keep a lot of moisture, so don’t wash them. Instead, use a damp cloth to remove any dirt stain, and be thorough.
- Be very careful when frying. Mushrooms lose a lot of moisture while cooking which could cause the oil to sputter.
Do not overcrowd the pan. Take a step back if needed after adding the mushrooms to the oil and allow them to cook until the oil stops sputtering.
- Make sure the mushrooms are fresh. They should not be slippery or fishy. They should smell like fresh-turned oil.
Ingredients you’ll need
- Fresh oyster mushrooms – I purchased them from an Asian grocery store. They may be difficult to find in regular grocery stores.
- Gluten-free all-purpose flour – A 1-to-1 or cup-for-cup blend works best. I wouldn’t recommend a blend that has nuts as they could burn easily. Use one with a rice flour blend.
- All-purpose seasoning – use your favourite blend that doesn’t have large bits of garlic or onion which could burn easily.
- Cayenne or ground chipotle – Optional but adds a bit of heat and smokiness from the chipotle but optional.
- Black pepper, to taste
- Plant-based milk – Any type could work fine, whether it’s soy, coconut, almond or oat milk.
- Oil for frying – any neutral flavored oil could work such as peanut, soybean or canola oil.
How to Make Vegan Fried Oyster Mushrooms
1. On a plate, combine the flour, all-purpose seasoning, cayenne and black pepper. In a separate bowl, add the plant based milk.
2. Working in batches, dip ¼ of the mushrooms in the plant milk with one hand. Shake off the excess and add them to the gluten-free flour. Use the other hand to coat them in the flour.
3. Dip the pieces once more in the milk and flour then set aside on a plate or tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat the steps with the remaining mushroom pieces.
4. Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium heat. The pan should be half full. The oil temperature should be about 360-375°F (182-190°C).
5. Drop-in a small piece of mushroom to test if you don’t have a thermometer. If it bubbles too vigorously and gets dark brown in less than 60 seconds, the oil is too hot. Cool things down a little. If you see no bubbles, let it heat up some more.
6. Cook the mushroom pieces in small batches until they are golden brown. It should only take about 4-5 minutes. Move them around slightly to prevent clumping.
7. Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any extra oil.
8. Serve as is or with your favourite dipping sauce.
Other Recipe Variations and Substitutions
1. Make a batter instead by combining the flour, plant-based milk and seasonings. Add more milk if needed to make a smooth but thick batter. It should coat and stick to the mushrooms without dripping off too easily.
Dip the mushrooms in the batter and shake off any excess before carefully dropping them in the oil to fry.
2. Use panko bread crumbs (regular or gluten-free) to give your oyster mushrooms some extra volume and crunch. Add the coating after dipping in the batter or use at the final step instead of a flour coating.
3. Use plain all-purpose flour instead of gluten-free.
4. Similar to this Air Fryer Cauliflower Wings these mushroom tenders can also be made in an air fryer. I recommend using a batter coating for this version.
Storage Suggestions
A common problem is the crispy crust can get soggy for the food’s moisture, and that’s particularly true with mushrooms.
Make sure the mushrooms have completely cooled down to room temperature before storing.
Line an airtight, food-safe container with paper towels and place your fried mushrooms in. Store in the fridge for up to 4 days.
How to Reheat
When reheating fried mushrooms straight from the fridge, you have two options:
- Frying the mushrooms again, which will bring back all their crispiness. This will also add unwanted extra oil, so check out the following alternative instead.
- Using dry heat, such as warming them up in an oven. This will help remove the moisture, bringing back the mushrooms crunchy texture. Heat at 350°F or 180°C for 5 to 10 minutes.
Serving ideas
- Pair with a vegan buffalo sauce or ranch dipping sauce.
- Get the best of both sauce flavors by making a version of this Vegan Buffalo Chicken Sandwich with these mushroom tenders.
- Serve with a salad and dressing.
More vegan appetizer recipes
Vegan Fried Oyster Mushrooms (GF)
Baking Recipes: For more accuracy, use Metric measurements and measuring spoons.
Ingredients
- 1 lb (453 g) oyster mushrooms
- 1 cup (150 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour, 1-to-1 or cup-for-cup blend
- 2 teaspoon (8 g) all-purpose seasoning
- ½ teaspoon (1 g) cayenne or ground chipotle, optional
- black pepper, to taste
- ¾ cup (177 ml) plant based milk
- oil for frying
Instructions
- On a plate, combine the flour, all-purpose seasoning, cayenne and black pepper. In a separate bowl, add the plant based milk.1 cup (150 g) gluten-free all-purpose flour ,2 teaspoon (8 g) all-purpose seasoning ,½ teaspoon (1 g) cayenne or ground chipotle ,black pepper ,¾ cup (177 ml) plant based milk
- Working in batches, dip ¼ of the mushrooms in the plant milk with one hand. Shake off the excess and add them to the gluten-free flour. Use the other hand to coat them in the flour.1 lb (453 g) oyster mushrooms
- Dip the pieces once more in the milk and flour then set aside on a plate or tray lined with parchment paper. Repeat the steps with the remaining mushroom pieces.
- Heat the oil in a deep pan on medium-heat. The pan should be half full. The oil temperature should be about 360-375°F (182-190°C).oil for frying
- Drop in a small piece of mushroom to test if you don’t have a thermometer. If it bubbles too vigorously and gets dark brown in less than 60 seconds, the oil is too hot. Cool things down a little. If you see no bubbles, let it heat up some more.
- Cook the mushroom pieces in small batches until they are golden brown. It should only take about 4-5 minutes. Move them around slightly to prevent clumping.
- Remove and place on a plate lined with paper towels to absorb any extra oil.
- Serve as is or with your favourite dipping sauce.
Notes
- Oyster mushrooms keep a lot of moisture, so don’t wash them. Instead, use a damp cloth to remove any dirt stain, and be thorough.
- Be very careful when frying. Mushrooms lose a lot of moisture while cooking which could cause the oil to sputter.
- Take a step back if needed after adding the mushrooms to the oil and allow them to cook until the oil stops sputtering. Make a batter instead by combining the flour, plant-based milk and seasonings. Add more milk if needed to make it smooth but thick. It should coat and stick to the mushrooms without dripping off too easily. Dip the mushrooms in the batter and shake off any excess before carefully dropping them in the oil to fry.
- Use panko bread crumbs (regular or gluten-free) to give your oyster mushrooms some extra volume and crunch.
- They can also be made in an air fryer. I recommend using a batter coating for this version.