Transform Soggy Canned Mushrooms Into The Perfect Side With Your Air Fryer

Packed with a deceptively meaty blast of umami goodness, mushrooms are a chef's secret weapon. However, prepping and cooking fresh mushrooms often requires knife skills and attention to detail — something we don't always have the time or energy for. Enter canned mushrooms — the savvy shortcut to shrooms on the fly. Although they're convenient, canned or jarred mushrooms are typically packed with a preserving liquid, which can make them soggy, sloppy, and not-so-appetizing. The solution? Your air fryer, of course!

Air fryers trigger the Maillard reaction, a chemical heat reaction in food between amino acids and sugars that facilitates browning and deeper, more complex flavor. While fresh-out-of-the-can mushrooms are macerated and water-logged, the air fryer gives them a caramelized, flavor-forward char and a sturdier structure. Although you can achieve a similar effect by oven-baking or stove-top sautéing, air fryers work twice as fast, making them ideal for jazzed-up canned mushrooms on the fly.

Although it's easy to prepare these crispy little shrooms, it's important to avoid making rookie air-fryer mistakes. Never air fry ultra-wet food, as it can disrupt the texture of the final product and set off the fire alarm if the heated liquid splatters or rapidly evaporates, creating excess steam and smoke. To prevent this, thoroughly pat canned mushrooms dry before air frying them.

Mushrooms have a bold flavor on their own, and the air fryer helps deepen and amplify them, making them a tasty dish all on their own. Of course, there's always room for more zhuzhing up, and with a few added ingredients, you can take those browned mushrooms from ordinary to extraordinary.

For something deeply savory and satisfying, garlic powder and grated parmesan is a simple way to give the shrooms a rich taste with whispers of familiar allium goodness accented by nutty undertones courtesy of the cheese. Transform regular canned mushrooms into truffles by tossing them in a thin layer of truffle-infused oil and letting them fry until golden brown and bursting with luxuriously earthy, umami aromas. Pro tip: for perfectly air-fried food, always use less oil than you think. Need something more complex? Canned air-fried mushrooms tossed in a fine coating of soy sauce, sriracha, and honey unite for a bold, salty, spicy, savory, and delicately sweet side dish that combines almost all of the primary flavors.

Whether you're introducing them to a creamy pasta dish, layering them atop a cheesy pizza pie, or featuring them as a side dish alongside a juicy cut of filet mignon, air-fried canned mushrooms are a crave-curbing, must-try provision that marries well with many different entrées. When you don't feel like dealing with fresh shrooms, pop open a can and pre-heat the air fryer, trust us, you won't regret it.