These air fryer mushrooms are ready in less than fifteen minutes and are so easy to prepare! Made with cremini or baby bella mushrooms, they’re simple, savory, and versatile. You have the option to give them additional seasoning with herbs or balsamic vinegar, and you can add them to many types of dishes.

One of the beauties of having an air fryer is the ability to cook vegetables in less time than roasting or sautéing.

These quick air fryer mushrooms have become one of my favorite vegetables to prepare at a moment’s notice or when I’m in a rush to get dinner ready.

I love mushrooms, in all of their umami-packed, savory, ultra-nutritious goodness. For a long time I prepared them almost exclusively by sautéing. Then I switched over to sheet pan roasting.

There’s a time and a place for both of those methods. And there’s a time and a place for shortcuts.

I can’t think of an easier way to prepare mushrooms flavorfully. If you have an air fryer and a taste for funghi, then I recommend it highly!

A savory and nutrient-dense topping

Like many plant-based eaters, I make a lot of recipes that include mushrooms.

Mushrooms are hearty and firm; they also have naturally occurring glutamate, the amino acid that’s associated with umami, or savoriness.

For all of these reasons, mushrooms are often described as being “meaty.” Whether you see it that way or not, they’re a great ingredient for crafting satisfying, plant-based meals.

Mushrooms find their way into my cozy vegan mushroom bourguignon, creamy vegan mushroom pasta, and my savory mushroom farro.

When they’re not playing a starring role in a recipe, mushrooms can also be an easy, savory “add-on” for something else.

What I mean by that is that you can use them as a topping or an instant means of adding more texture, more savoriness, or more heft to a dish that’s otherwise simple.

I like piling my air fryer mushrooms onto think spaghetti marinara, avocado or hummus toast, or a butter side lettuce salad.

And what a nourishing add-on they are: mushrooms are rich in B Vitamins, fiber, potassium, and Vitamin D2. They’re superfoods in the sense of the word that I stand by: nutrient-dense, versatile, and delicious.

What type of mushrooms should I use?

When I make air fryer mushrooms, I usually use halved cremini or baby bella mushrooms. These are two of my favorite varieties.

However, they’re quite similar in shape to humble white button mushrooms. And you can certainly use button mushrooms in the recipe instead.

You can also use halved shiitake mushroom caps—they work nicely in the air fryer! If you use them, you may need only 10 minutes of air frying time.

Air fryer tricks of the trade

My air fryer recipes are written for a four-liter capacity, basket-style air fryer. You can of course convert it to fit a toaster oven style air fryer, if that’s what you have.

And if you also have a basket-style air fryer, but with a larger or smaller capacity than mine, you can scale the recipe up or cut the amounts in half to make it work.

When I make veggies in my air fryer, including these air fryer mushrooms or my cubed air fryer sweet potatoes, I follow a few rules of thumb.

First, I always stop to shake the basket of my air fryer once halfway through the cook time. This helps to avoid any vegetables sticking or uneven cooking.

I also try to avoid over-crowding my appliance. Four liters sounds roomy, and for a solo-dweller it works well. But it’s not a ton of capacity, and if I pile in too many vegetables, they’ll lose some of their crispiness. (They may also take longer to cook.)

Seasoning options

Most of the time, I keep my air fryer mushrooms super simple: olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder.

If I’m in the mood for variation, the two seasoning additions that I turn to are usually balsamic vinegar or fresh herbs, such as thyme, oregano, or rosemary. I’ve included both options in the recipe card.

Other seasonings that I’ve added to the mushrooms before they get air fried:

• Truffle salt
• Crushed red pepper flakes
• Smoked paprika
• Lemon juice or zest

After the air fryer mushrooms are fully cooked, you can also season them with a dressing or sauce. Some ideas:

Of course, these are only ideas. There’s lots of room for possibility here!

How to make air fryer mushrooms

Making air fryer mushrooms couldn’t be easier. When I meal prep them, I nearly always do a double batch. Even when I think I won’t use them all up by the end of the week, I do.

Step 1: Season the mushrooms

First, you’ll put your halved baby bella or cremini mushrooms into a mixing bowl. Add olive oil, salt, pepper, and garlic powder, then mix them well.

I prefer garlic powder to minced garlic for this recipe for two reasons: first, it’s easier to distribute and mix evenly into the mushrooms than fresh garlic. Second, minced garlic can easily burn in an air fryer, turning bitter.

If you have a mister or spray bottle of either olive or avocado oil at home, you can also use it to season the mushrooms. Oil spray is often easier for evenly coating vegetables than a spooned measurement.

Step 2: Air fry for 10-12 minutes

You’ll air fry for a total of 10-12 minutes, but you need to stop midway through the cook time to shake the air fryer basket. This ensures that the mushrooms cook evenly.

One more step to consider: if you’d like to season the mushrooms, you can do so about four minutes before the end of cooking time.

As you can see above, fresh thyme leaved and a drizzle of syrupy balsamic vinegar are my favorite seasonings here.

Shake the basket of the air fryer again, then continue with the last few minutes of air frying. At this point, your mushrooms are ready.

Serving suggestions

You may make a batch of the air fryer mushrooms with a specific purpose in mind: putting them into a vegan pasta dish, for example.

Once you have them in the fridge, though, I bet you’ll find yourself wanting to add them to everything.

I routinely sprinkle them onto bowls of savory oats, crostini with cashew cheese, the top of a bowl of mushroom bulgur bean chili, or a cup of vegan potato leek soup.

You’ll find your own favorite uses. And as you do that, you can rest assured that you’re coming up with new ways to enjoy an especially nutritious veggie.

Meal prep & storage

The air fryer mushrooms can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days.

The recipe makes only two servings (easily doubled), and I almost never have reason to freeze them. But you can freeze them, for up to six weeks.

Prep Time: 10 minutes minutes

Cook Time: 12 minutes minutes

Yields: 2 servings

• 8 ounces baby bella or cremini mushrooms, brushed and halved
• 1 tablespoon olive or avocado oil (substitute olive or avocado oil spray)
• Salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1 1/2 tablespoons fresh thyme or rosemary leaves (optional)
• 2 teaspoons balsamic vinegar (aged or commercial-grade)

• Transfer the mushrooms to a large mixing bowl. Drizzle them with the oil, then season them to your liking with salt and pepper (I prefer a generous hand with both) and the garlic powder. Toss everything together. In place of the tablespoon oil, you can spray the mushrooms generously with an olive or avocado oil spray, then add the seasonings as directed. This helps to disperse the oil more evenly. 

• Transfer the mushrooms to the basket of an air fryer. Air fry them at 400°F / 200°C for 10-12 minutes, shaking them vigorously in the basket once halfway through roasting. The mushrooms should be soft, gently browning, and greatly reduced in size once done.

• If you like, add the herbs and balsamic vinegar to the mushrooms 4 minutes before they finish air frying, then give the basket a shake to disperse. Continue cooking them with these additional seasonings for their last 4 minutes in the air fryer.

• Serve the mushrooms or store them in an airtight container in the fridge for up to four days. 

Within the vegetable kingdom, mushrooms can be a little intimidating to cook. This recipe is an approachable starting point, and I hope you’ll find it useful!

xo