Baked or Air Fryer Portobello Mushroom Fries | Air fryer portobello mushrooms are breaded with Parmesan cheese and light and crispy panko bread crumbs for a delicious and easy-to-make snack, side dish, or appetizer and are perfect for a game day spread. You can bake or air fry these cheesy, breaded portobello mushrooms, and both methods are quick!
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French fries are my FAVORITE, I'm sure you could tell just by browsing my loaded fries category with 14 poutine recipes like my greek fries, loaded chili fries, pizza fries, pierogi poutine, and taco fries.
Because I love fries and variations on fries, I play around and test a lot of recipes and that's how I came up with crispy breaded Avocado Fries and this easy recipe for panko breaded air-fried mushrooms. Serve these crispy portobello mushroom fries with your favorite dipping sauce like my easy ranch dressing.
What are portobello fries?
Portobello fries are breaded portobello mushroom slices that are baked or air fried. Portobello mushrooms are mushrooms with large caps, about the size of the palm of your hand.
Ingredients
See the recipe card below for exact amounts.
Substitutions
How to make Baked Parmesan & Panko Portobello Fries
Prep Tips
Portobello mushrooms are easy to prep and air fry, just follow these easy step-by-step directions.
How to clean a portobello mushroom
- To clean the portobellos first break off the stem of the mushroom if you bought whole mushrooms. I buy just caps (without the stems).
- Next, use a spoon to scrape up the dark gills. They are edible but I prefer to remove them. See the photo below.
- You don't need to wash mushrooms. You can wipe them with a damp paper towel or washcloth. If you prefer to wash them, make sure to dry them thoroughly. Excess water on the mushrooms can make them soggy during cooking.
Once the mushrooms are cleaned, slice them into thick slices. These will be your fry shapes.
Next, get your breading station set up.
- Use one bowl for the flour and the spices (mix them together).
- Use a separate bowl for the egg and a splash of water (whisk it with a fork).
- And use one more bowl for the breadcrumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley (mix them together).
You'll dip the mushroom pieces into each bowl in turns.
RECIPE TIP: Use one hand as your 'dry' hand and one as a 'wet' hand. Your dry hand picks the mushrooms up from the bowls of dry ingredients and your wet hand only picks up the mushroom from the egg! This helps prevent coating both of your hands in the breadcrumbs.
Start with coating the mushroom in the flour mixture. The flour is what will help the egg stick to the mushroom and the egg helps the bread crumbs stick, so each step is important in this recipe.
Next coat the floured mushroom slice in egg.
Finish by dipping the egg-coated mushroom in the breadcrumb mixture. Press the breadcrumbs into the mushroom, making sure to coat the sides of the mushrooms also, to coat them well.
To Air Fry the Mushrooms
- Spray an air fryer basket.
- Place the mushrooms in the basket and air fry at 350°F for 4-5 minutes.
- Turn the mushroom fries over and air fry for another 4-5 minutes or until golden brown and crispy. Serve hot.
Note: Know your air-fryer or keep an eye on the time. I used to have the Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer and I suspect that it cooks a bit faster than some air fryers. I now use the Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer which I like even better.
To Oven Bake the Mushrooms
To bake the mushrooms place the coated mushrooms in a single layer on a baking rack that is set on top of a sheet pan. This allows the air to circulate and helps the pieces get crispy while baking and stay that way. You can spray them with coking spray if you want to but it's not necessary - they get very crispy.
Bake at 400°F for 20 minutes, flipping them over halfway. Serve them hot, while they are crispy.
What to serve with Portobello Fries
If you want to serve your portobello fries as a snack or gameday appetizer, I like to serve them alongside a dip. In these photos, I serve them with my Greek Tzatziki sauce, but these would also be good with my Gochujang Aioli for something with a bit of spice, my herby Whipped Riccota Dip, or my Creamy Avocado Sauce.
Equipment
For baking, I use a cooling rack on top of a baking sheet to help the air circulate around the mushrooms while they cook.
For air frying, I use my Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer. I've also made these in my Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer.
Storage
These portobello fries are best served right after making them, but you can reheat them in the oven or air fryer for a few minutes, just until warmed through.
More Appetizer Recipes
If you want to serve these as part of a game day spread, you could pair these air fryer portobello mushroom fries with similar snacks like my breaded and baked Avocado Fries, Cheeseburger Spring Rolls, or my Breaded Cauliflower Bites!
FAQs
The brown gills on a portobello mushroom are edible, but I prefer to remove them. In recipes where you're sauteing the portobello, the brown gills can lend a brownish color to your dish.
Recipe
Baked or Air Fryer Portobello Mushroom Fries
Ingredients
- 170 grams portobello strips 2 portobellos caps
- 1 large egg plus a splash of water
- ¼ cup all-purpose flour
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon sea salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 cup Panko breadcrumbs
- ¼ cup freshly shredded Parmesan cheese
- 1 teaspoon dried parsley or 1 tablespoon fresh parsley
Instructions
- Prep the mushrooms: Trim the stems off of the caps. Use a spoon to scoop out the brown gills. Slice the portobello caps into thick strips, about half an inch to an inch thick.
- Set up the three breading stations: One bowl with egg and a splash of water, a second bowl with flour and spices, and a third bowl with bread crumbs, Parmesan cheese, and parsley.
- Bread the mushrooms: Designate one hand as your dry hand and one as your wet hand. Place each portobello strip into the flour and coat them using your dry hand and then place it in the egg. Using your wet hand, coat the mushroom in the egg and then place it into the breadcrumbs. Use your dry hand to coat the mushroom in the bread crumbs.
To Oven Bake
- Preheat oven to 400°F.
- Place each breaded portobello strip on top of a baking rack that is set on top of a cookie sheet.
- When all mushroom strips are breaded, bake them for 20 minutes, flipping halfway, until crispy and golden brown.
- Serve hot.
To Air Fry
- Spray an air fry basket with cooking oil. Place the breaded mushrooms in the basket and cook at 350°F for 8-10 minutes, flipping halfway.
Equipment
- Baking Sheet and
- Baking Rack or
- Air Fryer I use the Instant Pot Vortex Air Fryer
Video
Notes
- I used to use the Cuisinart Convection Toaster Oven Air Fryer and I think it might cook faster than other air fryers so keep an eye on your mushrooms while they cook.
Nutritional information is an estimate. Values vary based on products used. Read our full Nutrition Disclaimer.
Disclosure: This post may contain affiliate links, meaning I get a commission if you decide to purchase through my link, at no extra cost to you.
Originally published February 22, 2018.
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Albert Bevia says
This is such a brillaint idea! I would have never thought of using portobello mushrooms in this way, these fries look insane good, love the panko bread crumbs for that extra crunch