fried oyster mushrooms in a bowl next to dips in smaller bowls

Crispy and tender fried oyster mushrooms with a breaded pistachio crust. These are great as an appetizer, party snack or a side served with a salad, beans or potatoes.

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5 from 9 votes

This recipe is:

fully vegan/plant-based
delicious
Crunchy and tender
A great appetizer
Comfort food the vegan way (I promise, you won’t even know you’re eating mushrooms)

Ingredients

Pistachios

this recipe will be a lot easier (and quicker) to make if you choose unshelled pistachios. I personally love the ones from Setton Farms (you can buy them online and/or find them in most bigger supermarkets).

Panko bread crumbs

most brands you’ll find in supermarkets are vegan and contain ingredients like wheat flour, yeast, oil, and salt. If you need this recipe to be gluten-free, simply look for a gluten-free label on the package.

All-purpose flour (or oat flour)

you can use oat, almond or gluten-free all-purpose flour to make this gluten-free, but try not to use coconut flour as it is a lot more absorbent than other types of flour.

Aquafaba

aquafaba is the liquid you get when you drain a can of chickpeas and its texture is similar to that of eggs, making it a great substitute in vegan recipes. You can save the chickpeas in the fridge or freezer for another recipe (click here to view 25+ vegan chickpea recipes that aren’t hummus). If need be, you can also omit the aquafaba.

Unsweetened oat or cashew milk

or any other kind of unsweetened plant milk (click here for 23 homemade plant milk recipes).

King oyster mushrooms

this recipe will work with other types of mushrooms too, but I’d highly recommend trying it with king oyster mushrooms if you can find them.

Oil for cooking

any heat-resistant vegetable oil will work. I usually use olive oil, avocado oil or sunflower seed oil.

Seasonings and condiments

cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, paprika or smoked paprika, pepper, sea salt.

To Serve

your favorite dips or sauces like vegan mayo, maple mustard or BBQ sauce.

These are great:

by themselves, as an appetizer with dips or sauces
as a side dish with greens (like steamed or sautéed collard greens or kale) and beans or lentils for extra protein.
In a salad.

How to make this recipe in four simple steps

Step one: prepare the dry mix.

For the dry mix, process the pistachios using a small food processor or blender until they’re crumbly and not too finely chopped, then mix them with the bread crumbs in a large bowl or deep plate.

crushed pistachios and breading in a bowl

Step two: prepare the wet mix

Sift the flour and cornstarch into a bowl for the wet mix and then mix with the remaining ingredients using a whisk or fork (or use a blender).

Step three: prepare and coat the mushrooms

Cut the Oyster mushrooms into 1/2 inch discs, then dip each one of them into the wet mix (until fully coated) and then the dry mix and set aside. Continue until there are no mushrooms left.

Step four: fry the oyster mushrooms

Pour high heat resistant oil into a large pan (you don’t have to fill the pan, but make sure you’re using enough to make the mushrooms as crispy as possible) and set it to high. Once the oil is hot, add the coated mushroom discs to the pan using kitchen tongs (for safety) and fry them for about 2 minutes on each side (use the tongs to flip them), They should be crispy and golden brown. Increase the cooking time by 1-2 min if need be.

Use a kitchen or paper towel to remove excess oil, then serve immediately with your favorite dips or sauces and enjoy!

Frequently asked questions

What do oyster mushrooms taste like?

They have a fairly neutral taste and their texture is very absorbent, almost like a sponge. It’s the seasoning that gives them their great taste, so you can use them like a canvas and turn them into anything you’d like.

How do you cook oyster mushrooms?

You can fry, sauté, cook or bake them, they’re super versatile. I’d recommend using a non-stick pan and either sufficient oil or other liquids (like liquid smoke or soy sauce) so that they don’t taste dry.

How do you clean oyster mushrooms before cooking them?

Brush them clean, but do not wash them with water.

Can this recipe be made gluten-free?

Yes! Simply use gluten-free bread crumbs and either oat flour, almond flour or gluten-free all purpose flour instead of all purpose flour.

Can you fry the oyster mushrooms in an air fryer?

I personally haven’t tried it, but I don’t see why it shouldn’t work. Just make sure you space them out enough. If you try this recipe using an air fryer, please let me know how it goes.

How to store the fried mushrooms?

You can store these in the fridge for 1-2 days max (you could also freeze them, but I wouldn’t recommend it) and then reheat them in a pan or a microwave oven before you eat them.

Crispy Pistachio Crusted Fried Oyster Mushrooms