Buttermilk Fried Oyster Mushrooms Recipe

Whatever is on your list of favorite appetizers, it's hard to deny the goodness of a crispy fried snack. While chicken and cheese are popular candidates for deep-frying, there is always room for more creativity — especially if you're frying vegetables. Daily Meal recipe developer Deniz Vergara shares this buttermilk fried oyster mushroom recipe that offers something for everyone. This fried snack is deliciously savory, with perfectly spiced batter and a creamy dip to boot.

This recipe is a great alternative if you follow a vegetarian diet and miss certain meat-based bites. As Vergara says, "I really like how this recipe satisfies that craving for fried chicken without the meat." If you've never tasted this type of mushroom, she describes, "Oyster mushrooms have a meaty, chewy texture with a mild taste, so they take on whatever flavor you cook them with while mimicking chicken easily." Even if you continue to eat fried chicken, you'll want to add this mushroom version to your regular rotation.

For this recipe, you'll need buttermilk, hot sauce, and sea salt to start. Next, get oyster mushrooms and wipe them clean, removing the individual mushrooms from the large center stem. Vergara explains, "If you don't, the texture there is tougher and isn't as pleasant to eat. When in doubt, break off smaller pieces rather than larger ones."

For the dry ingredients, you'll need all-purpose flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne pepper, and black pepper. Get a neutral oil, such as avocado, to fry the mushrooms. For the dip, you'll need mayonnaise and sriracha.

In a medium-sized bowl, whisk together the buttermilk, hot sauce, and ½ teaspoon salt. Add mushrooms, mix, and allow to marinate for 10-15 minutes.

To a separate large bowl, add the flour, cornstarch, paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, cayenne, black pepper, and remaining 2 ¼ teaspoons salt. Mix together until well combined.

Once marinated, remove mushrooms from the buttermilk mixture, keeping the marinade, and set aside.

Add ⅓ cup spiced flour mixture to the leftover buttermilk marinade and whisk together until smooth.

Use a fork to dip each mushroom into the wet batter, and then into the spiced flour.

Repeat this process a second time, dipping the mushrooms into the batter and then the flour so they are fully coated.

Heat oil in a pot over high heat. Once hot, carefully drop mushrooms into the oil one at a time. Fry in small batches for 2-3 minutes, until golden.

Remove mushrooms from oil and place on a wire rack to keep crispy until the rest are done.

Combine mayonnaise and sriracha in a small bowl.

Serve fried mushrooms while hot and crispy with sriracha mayo on the side.

Once you take a bite of these crispy buttermilk fried oyster mushrooms, you might be inclined to munch on these all day every day. That being said, they are a great vegetarian option for various special occasions if you'd like to be more selective. Vergara comments, "I like to serve this as an appetizer or on their own with some air-fried french fries." If you're looking for a warm appetizer to add to your lineup, these mushrooms are sure to be a crowd favorite. Sriracha mayo is an easy and tasty dip, but you can get creative to widen the flavor profile. Vergara suggests, "You can also dip these in BBQ sauce, buffalo sauce, or hot honey!"

For a different take, Vergara says, "Sometimes I put these into a potato bun with lettuce, tomato, and sriracha mayo." We'll take that over a veggie patty any day!

Considering these buttermilk fried oyster mushrooms cook in hot oil, creating a crispy exterior shell, they don't fare so well over time. Vergara agrees and notes, "I find that these are best prepared in the moment and then eaten right away." If you miscounted the serving size and end up with leftovers, you can still make it work. "You can reheat leftovers in the air fryer," Vergara instructs but warns, "Note that they won't be as crispy or good as they are when they are fresh."

As far as cooking them fresh, ensuring the oil is hot enough is also important to obtain a crispy shell. "If you have a thermometer, you can heat your oil to 350 F. If not, I take a small prepared mushroom and put it in the oil. If it sizzles right away without getting brown immediately, the oil has heated up," Vergara explains.