Air Fryer Mushrooms, served with Garlic and Shallots

Another big win for your air fryer! Golden brown and tender, air fryer mushrooms are seasoned with shallots, garlic, and thyme.

At a glance

What stands out: Straightforward to mix and a cinch to clean up.

How long it takes: 22 minutes
Equipment you’ll need: Air fryer, sharp knife, cutting board, and mixing bowl
Servings: 4

Perfectly seasoned, juicy and tender, with only two teaspoons of oil, air fryer mushrooms are so tasty and lighter, too. You’ll just love how they turn out.

We'll admit to being a bit skeptical about this recipe the first time we tried it. Our mind tends to go towards deep-fried, breaded food when we use our air fryer. We don’t know why because it does roast evenly. Air fryer salmon is our favorite way to cook salmon and air fryer baked potatoes are a standby! Lately, we’ve been loving air fryer asparagus; it’s straightforward and fast.

Anyways, we were sort of thinking about those fantastic deep-fried mushrooms that are grease bombs, but so good. These air fried mushrooms are not breaded or battered. We would compare them to sautéed or roasted mushrooms. Air fryer mushrooms are flavorful, juicy, and golden brown — in other words, irresistible!

Try them the next time you have steak or pasta, or throw them on a salad with a simple white wine vinaigrette or a drizzle of balsamic reduction. Or eat them just as they are, right out of the air fryer!

About this Mushroom Recipe

You’re going to love this recipe! And the good news? Mushrooms are low in calories and rich in antioxidants, minerals, and fiber (Healthline). And no worries if you’re on a special diet: air fryer mushrooms are vegan, low-carb, keto, Whole30, gluten-free, and dairy-free. Not only that, they taste great!

We'll run through the recipe here and give you a few extra tips.

Mushrooms 101

Begin by choosing fresh mushrooms that are firm, white, and dry but not wrinkled. Store in the fridge in the original container or a porous bag. Never freeze uncooked mushrooms. Clean with a soft brush or cloth, removing surface dirt, or by rinsing lightly, patting dry with a paper towel. For more, The Mushroom Council has some great how-to videos.

What you’ll need

• Baby Bella Mushrooms: White button mushrooms are a good substitute. You’ll need 16 ounces of cleaned mushrooms, halved if large.
• Shallot: Can’t find shallots? Use red onion or just leave the onions out.
• Garlic: Minced fresh garlic adds loads of flavor but if you’re not a garlic fan, decrease the amount or omit it entirely. It gets a toasted flavor in the air fryer, similar to spicy honey garlic shrimp.
• Oil: Any type of vegetable oil works. We like olive oil, canola, or grapeseed. You’ll need only 2 teaspoons!
• Fresh Herbs: Really, any fresh herb goes great with mushrooms! We like thyme and parsley. Rosemary, oregano, tarragon, or basil are good choices, too.
• Salt and Pepper: No fancy spices here, just simple kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper.

How it comes together

Turn your air fryer on and get it preheating. Don’t worry if you forget to preheat it. We find that air fryers preheat so quickly that it actually doesn’t make a whole lot of difference.

Combine all the ingredients in a large bowl, mixing well.

Put the mushroom mixture in the basket of your air fryer and set the timer for six minutes.

Stir or shake the mushrooms, and air fry for another six to eight minutes.

The mushrooms should be golden brown and tender.

Garnish with more fresh parsley, if you like, and serve immediately.

Don't have an air fryer?

This recipe can easily be prepared in a skillet or in the oven on a sheet pan! For more recipes, try oven Roasted Mushrooms with Balsamic, Thyme and Dijon or Sautéed Mushrooms with Garlic Butter.

Before you start

Make It your own

• If you love butter as much as we do, add a tablespoon or two of melted butter to the mushrooms after they’ve been air fried. Tasty! Or drizzle them with a bit of balsamic reduction.
• Try different mushroom varieties.
• Play around with the seasonings. Add more (or less) garlic, a different herb, or dried herbs. Remember that dried herbs are more potent so use 1/3 less.
• If you love creamy sauces, try these creamy Tuscan mushrooms with spinach and sun-dried tomatoes. They are fantastic!
• Not into mushrooms? Try air fryer sweet potato fries, air fryer tater tots, or air fryer Brussels sprouts.

Make Ahead Ideas

There are just a few things you can do to get a head start on this recipe. We don’t recommend washing the mushrooms ahead of time because they tend to discolor and get slimy. However, washing and chopping the shallot, garlic, and herbs can be done a few hours before preparing this recipe. Store them in the fridge in a tightly covered container.

Keeping leftovers

Any leftover mushrooms should be cooled and refrigerated for up to five days. Cooked mushrooms can also be frozen for up to a month. For best results, thaw overnight in the fridge before reheating.

To reheat, add a bit more oil or butter. Microwave briefly (in 15 second intervals) or warm in a skillet until heated through. They can also be reheated in your air fryer at 350°F.

Leftover Love

Leftover mushrooms are a treasure! They are great on pizzas, sandwiches, or in omelets. We love them on salads and they are wonderful with pasta. Add them to cooked rice, stews, or soups.

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• Yield: 4 servings
• Prep: 10 minutes
• Cook: 12 minutes
• Total: 22 minutes

Ingredients

• 16 oz. baby bella mushrooms, cleaned and cut in halves, if large
• 1 medium shallot, chopped roughly or sliced
• 5 cloves garlic, chopped roughly or sliced
• 2 teaspoons vegetable oil (canola or extra virgin olive oil)
• 10 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley, more for garnish if desired
• ½ teaspoon kosher salt
• ⅛ teaspoon coarsely ground black pepper, or to taste

Method

1. Preheat air fryer to 350°F.
2. To a medium bowl, add mushrooms, shallots, garlic, oil, thyme, parsley, salt and pepper. Toss lightly until well mixed.
3. Transfer mushrooms to the air fryer basket. Air fry for 6 minutes, stir. Continue to air fry for another 6-8 minutes, or until mushrooms are golden brown and tender.
4. Serve mushrooms immediately, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.

Notes

Leftovers will keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

For richer mushrooms, stir in a tablespoon of softened or melted butter before serving.

Ways To Eat These Mushrooms: Besides enjoying them as is, air fryer mushrooms are great on pizzas, sandwiches, or in omelets. We love them on salads and they are wonderful with pasta. Add them to cooked rice, stews, or soups.