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The first time I made my breaded and fried mushrooms was earlier this year and I fell in love with them. I fried them Italian-style, which is my de-facto process for making breaded… anything. The end result were the best crispy mushrooms I’ve ever had that are perfect as a side dish, appetizer or party food!

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However, when I was recording the video for the recipe, I decided halfway through to set a dozen or so aside and bake some mushrooms instead of frying them. I’m so glad I did this because I walked away with a bunch of insights that I think you’ll benefit from.

In this recipe post, I’ll explain both methods so you can choose which way is best for you.

Recipe summary

To summarize the recipe, you prep the mushrooms, take them through the coating and breading process, then fry (or bake them). An 8oz container of button mushrooms makes about 6 servings – assuming a good handful of sliced mushrooms per person.

However, this is very dependent on the size and cut of the mushrooms, so feel free to adjust measurements accordingly. The recipe is super flexible.

Ingredients used in this recipe

Extra virgin olive oil. Regular olive oil is fine.
Mushrooms. Any type – I used button mushrooms.
Flour
Eggs
Breadcrumbs. See my section below about making your own.
Dried parsley. This is only needed if you’re seasoning your own breadcrumbs.
Black cracked pepper. Only needed if seasoning your own breadcrumbs.
Romano cheese. Use Parmesan if that’s all you have.

Video

Here’s the video. I step you through the entire process. Remember to subscribe to my YouTube channel and give a like if you like the recipe.

Making your own seasoned breadcrumbs

I like to make my own breadcrumbs because I have more control over the quality of ingredients. If you want to do the same, follow these quick steps:

To make your own breadcrumbs, grab some artisan bread and blend it in a blender until the desired texture is achieved. I like mine a bit fine. You can also use white bread or even whole grain bread.
To season them, add in some dried parsley, and black pepper. This is all you’ll need for a quick Italian-style breadcrumbs.

Otherwise, you can use store-bought Italian breadcrumbs.

Preparing the mushrooms

The first thing we need to do is prepare the mushrooms. Follow these steps regardless if you plan on frying or baking them.

Clean off your mushrooms using a damp paper towel and make sure no dirt remains.
Cut off the hard tip of the stems then slice the mushrooms lengthwise into your desired width. You want them to look like the kind you get in a can. Mine were about an 1/8th to 1/4 inch thick.
Next, grab three bowls for the coating/breading station. This is where you’ll will dip your mushrooms into the breading mix.
In bowl #1 place your flour.
In bowl #2 beat 2 eggs.
In bowl #3 mix the breadcrumbs, parsley and black pepper (if using), and the cheese. You can also use a plate instead of a bowl. See my section about making your own breadcrumbs below.
Drop a few of the mushroom slices at a time in the flour to coat them.
Then dip them in the beaten eggs making sure any excess egg drips off. But they need to be coated with the egg. You can do these one by one or a few at a time.
Move them to the breadcrumb mixture bowl and coat evenly.
Set aside until ready to cook. Follow instructions for either Frying or Baking below.

How to fry the mushrooms

If you want to fry the mushrooms, follow these steps. We are not deep-frying, we are frying these on the stove in a skillet.

Heat the olive oil up to a medium high heat in a medium or large skillet.
When the oil is hot and sizzles when dropping a little bit of the breadcrumbs, then you know it’s ready.
Place the mushroom slices in the oil for about 4 minutes and then turn over and cook until the breading is golden brown. Make sure there is no raw egg remaining.
When done, transfer to a plate that has a paper towel on it. The paper towel will help absorb excess oil.
Serve warm. See my tips for reheating below if they cool down too much.

PRO TIP: If you need to add more oil, try to do so when the mushrooms are not in the pan. The new oil will lower the oil temperature and cause the mushrooms to soak up too much of the oil.

How to bake the mushrooms

If you want to bake the mushrooms instead of frying, then follow these steps.

Preheat your oven to 400F.
On an ungreased baking pan, add the breaded mushrooms. You can use parchment paper if you want.
Spritz (or drizzle) olive oil over the mushrooms. It’s okay if they are not 100% covered.
Bake for 7-8 minutes, then flip them over and bake another 7 minutes or until crispy.
Serve warm. See my tips for reheating below if they cool down too much.

Frying vs. baking

Let’s be honest here, baking the mushrooms is the healthier option to frying. But there are pros and cons to each method.

Frying will produce a deeper and crispier texture since due to the oil. In my video I didn’t add oil to the baked mushrooms and they didn’t have as much flavor as the fried ones. So make sure to drizzle or spritz the mushrooms if baking.
Baking the mushrooms seemed to not cook the mushrooms as thoroughly as the fried versions. However, I didn’t really mind this. Taste test and simply add back into the oven if your batch needs more time. This will vary depending on thick you have the mushrooms sliced.
Frying takes longer than baking because you have to do these in batches. Unlike baking where they can fit on a tray or two and bake all at once.
I recommend baking for large quantities especially if preparing for a party.
It’s okay if you have bits of mushrooms that are not perfectly sliced. Cook it all up and enjoy every bite!

Tips and suggestions

breaded mushrooms with toothpicks for appetizers

If making these as an appetizer or finger food, you’ll want to make sure they don’t go cold. Keep them in an oven under a warm temperature until needed.

Serve with toothpicks or small forks, especially if you decided to fry the mushrooms. This makes it easier to serve and much less mess.

Use my timeframes and measurements as a guideline. Depending on the size of the mushrooms, how thick or thin you cut them, and the amount you’re preparing can alter not just how long these will cook but the quantity of ingredients as well.

Reheating

You can make these ahead of time and keep them in the fridge a day in advance. Remove from the fridge and place on a baking tray or pan. Reheat in the oven at 350F for 10 minutes or until they are nice and crispy.

I hope you enjoy this recipe and it turns out just as delicious as they do in our house. Let me know if you tried the recipe or if you made changes to make it your own!

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