Crispy Mushroom Sandwich

Prep: 20 mins

Cook: 45 mins

Total: 65 mins

Servings: 4 servings

Yield: 4 fried mushroom sandwiches

This fried mushroom sandwich is made with clusters of oyster mushrooms, a light and simple mayo-free cabbage slaw, a spicy aioli, and a perfectly toasted brioche bun. The fried mushrooms are crispy, crunchy, and ultra tender and, assembled with the other components, make a sandwich that’s bursting with flavor.

Why You Should Eat More Oyster Mushrooms

Whether you’re vegetarian, trying to eat more plant-based, or simply love mushrooms, oyster mushrooms are a great ingredient to start incorporating into your cooking. They have wide, flat, oyster-colored caps, long slender stems, and are held together at the bottom forming large clusters.

They also have a slightly chewy texture that—when fried at least—mimics chicken and other types of meat well. They’re easy to cook, have a subtle flavor, and though they are slightly more expensive than standard white mushrooms, they won’t break the bank.

How To Make This Fried Mushroom Sandwich

First you’ll need to prepare a dredging station that includes bowls of plain flour, an egg wash, and a bowl of seasoned flour. Then, while the oil heats up, batter small clusters of oyster mushrooms one at a time. Make sure that the mushrooms are fully coated in both flour and egg wash before frying.

Once the oil is hot, fry the mushrooms in batches until dark golden brown and super crispy. While the mushrooms fry, prepare the cabbage slaw and the spicy aioli. Once you’ve finished frying the mushrooms, toast the buns and assemble your sandwich. If you’re a fan of pickles, serve one on the side or layer sliced pickles under the fried mushroom.

Serve Them In Style

Serve the sandwiches alongside any remaining cabbage slaw. They also pair well with a side of sweet potato fries, a simple side salad, macaroni and cheese, grilled vegetables, baked beans, or potato salad. You could also play around with different condiments or dress the fried mushrooms in a sauce, such as Buffalo or BBQ sauce for added flavor.

Frying Tips

Keep an eye on the oil temp—Make sure the oil is hot enough before adding the mushrooms. The easiest way to do this is by using a kitchen thermometer. The ideal frying temperature for neutral oil such as canola oil or vegetable oil is between 325 F and 350 F.
Don’t crowd the pan—The temperature of the oil will drop slightly when the mushrooms are added. Make sure the oil comes back up to temperature between each batch of frying, and don’t crowd the pan.
Testing the oil temp without a thermometer—If you don’t have a kitchen thermometer, test the oil by dropping a pinch of flour into the oil. It should sizzle vigorously.
Fry them hard—Although it might be tempting, wait to remove the mushrooms until they are fully dark golden brown. If you don’t let them fry to completion, the dough around the mushrooms will get soggy as they sit and drain.
Use a deep pot—If you’re questioning if your pot is deep enough, grab a bigger pot. There should be at least 5 inches of space between the surface of the oil and the top of the pot. Any less space can cause the oil to boil over and leak onto the stove (which can cause an oil fire).

Make Ahead

The spicy aioli and cabbage slaw can be made a day in advance. Keep them both in airtight containers in the fridge until ready to serve.

«The fried mushroom sandwich really surprised me. I had never thought of frying mushrooms to put on a sandwich! Oyster mushrooms have a great mild flavor and clusters of flat caps that provide lots of crispy edges when dredged and fried. This sandwich reminded me a lot of fried soft-shell crab. So, so good! —Joan Velush

A Note From Our Recipe Tester

Ingredients

For the Fried Mushrooms

Neutral oil for frying, such as vegetable or canola
1 large cluster of oyster mushrooms, about 250 grams or 8 3/4 ounces
2 cups all-purpose flour, divided
1 teaspoon fine salt
1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
1/4 teaspoon baking powder
1 large egg
1/2 cup water

For the Cabbage Slaw

2 tablespoons neutral oil
1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar
1/4 teaspoon fine salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage
1/2 apple, preferably Honeycrisp, cut into thin matchsticks
1 small carrot, grated

For the Spicy Aioli and To Serve

1/3 cup mayonnaise
1 tablespoon sriracha
4 brioche buns
Pickles for serving, optional

Steps to Make It

Gather the ingredients. Line a plate or rimmed baking sheet with paper towels.
Heat 2 inches of neutral oil in a large pot over medium until the temperature reads 350 F on a kitchen thermometer.
Gently tear 1 large cluster of oyster mushrooms into 4 pieces, breaking off at the stem end so that the mushrooms remain in clusters.
Place 1 cup of the all-purpose flour in a shallow medium bowl.

Combine the remaining 1 cup all-purpose flour, 1 teaspoon fine salt, 1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika, 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder, and 1/4 teaspoon baking powder in a second shallow bowl.

Whisk to combine 1 large egg and 1/2 cup water in a third shallow bowl.
Once the oil is hot enough, dredge 2 of the mushroom clusters in plain flour, then egg wash, then seasoned flour, turning to coat in each mixture until completely coated.
Carefully lower the battered mushrooms into the oil and cook, flipping halfway through, until dark golden brown and crispy, 12 to 14 minutes. Keep an eye on the oil temperature and lower the heat as needed to ensure the oil remains around 350 F.

Transfer the fried mushrooms to the prepared paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil and repeat the process with the remaining mushrooms.
While the mushrooms are frying, combine 2 tablespoons neutral oil, 1 tablespoon apple cider vinegar, 1/4 teaspoon fine salt, and 1/4
teaspoon freshly ground black pepper in a large bowl and whisk to combine.
Add 2 cups thinly sliced green cabbage, 1/2 medium Honeycrisp apple, cut into thin matchsticks, and 1 small carrot, grated and toss to combine.
In a small bowl, stir to combine 1/3 cup mayonnaise and 1 tablespoon sriracha. Set the slaw and spicy aioli aside until ready to serve.
Heat a lightly oiled large nonstick skillet over medium-high and toast 4 brioche buns until dark golden brown on both sides, about 30
seconds each.
Spread some of the spicy aioli on all bottom sides of the brioche buns, then place the fried mushrooms on the bottom bun. Add the desired amount of cabbage slaw, then finish off with more spicy aioli and the top toasted bun. Serve the fried mushroom sandwiches with pickles on the side, if desired.

How To Store

Store the components of the sandwich separately until you’re ready to assemble. Let the fried mushrooms cool completely, then place in an airtight container lined with paper towels to absorb any oil/moisture. Although they are best eaten the day of, you can keep them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Store the aioli and cabbage slaw in separate airtight containers in the fridge for up to 3 days as well.
To reheat the fried mushrooms, microwave until just warmed through, about 1 minute. Alternatively, re-crisp the fried mushroom in the air fryer at 375 F for about 4 minutes, flipping halfway through.

Feeling Adventurous? Try This

Swap red cabbage for green—Use red cabbage instead of green cabbage (or a blend of both) for the cabbage slaw. You could also omit the carrots and/or apples depending on taste preference.
Make a garlic aioli instead—Swap the Sriracha in the spicy aioli for garlic, lemon juice, salt, and pepper to make a more classic aioli.
Easily make it vegan—Make this recipe vegan by dredging the mushrooms in water or a vegan liquid egg replacer instead of egg wash, and by making the aioli with a vegan mayo.

Nutrition Facts
Servings: 4
Amount per serving
Calories	937
% Daily Value*
Total Fat 56g	72%
Saturated Fat 7g	37%
Cholesterol 81mg	27%
Sodium 1255mg	55%
Total Carbohydrate 92g	34%
Dietary Fiber 7g	25%
Total Sugars 11g
Protein 18g
Vitamin C 31mg	157%
Calcium 167mg	13%
Iron 6mg	36%
Potassium 665mg	14%
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.