You Must Air Fry Mushrooms Without Oil, Actually

Having an air fryer increased vegetable consumption by at least 60%. Instead of waiting for the whole regular oven to heat up or thinking about a hot pan, I just toss whatever part of the plant I want into some fat, season it, and then toss it into the deep fryer, which is usually heated to somewhere between 375℉ . and 400℉. It’s easy, but air frying mushrooms is even easier because they don’t need oil to brown and crisp up. In fact, they brown better without it.

If this sounds familiar, it’s because I’ve written about cooking mushrooms (in a skillet) without fat before , but the same principles still apply. Moisture is almost always the culprit for raw, pale mushrooms that won’t brown:

First, oil is at least 15% water by volume, and adding it to a pan increases the overall moisture content of the pan, which is what we’re trying to avoid. But even pure fats can create a kind of oil film on top of the moisture that exudes from mushrooms, delaying its evaporation.

This doesn’t mean that mushrooms tossed with butter will never brown, but without it they will brown faster, and it allows you to skip a step (and cut back on the fat if you’re so inclined).

All you have to do is rinse, dry, and chop ( or tear ) the mushrooms, then place them in a single layer in an air fryer set at 400℉. Cook for 10 minutes, shaking the basket once or twice, and you’ll be rewarded with golden-brown mushrooms, crispy edges and stems, and tender, juicy caps. You can also boil them for a little over 10 minutes if you want a mushroom with a darker, deeper and more concentrated flavor. Just watch; too long and your mushrooms may become shriveled and leathery.

Once your mushrooms are browned and crispy, you can add a bit of fat for flavor. This can be a dab of your favorite scented finishing oil, or you can do as I did and finish them off with a healthy drizzle of salted brown oil. Season as you wish and you’re done. Personally, after salted sautéed butter, I did not season further. Salted butter itself is a condiment.