Easy Air Fryer Mushrooms with Parmesan & Garlic

These delightful mushrooms are the perfect quick and easy side dish for weeknight meals, but they're special enough for holidays. Ready in 15 minutes, simply toss the fresh mushrooms in a homemade savory sauce with Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and dried thyme, and air fry.

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Mushrooms are available all year round, but they're in season from late fall through early spring and taste their best during this time. Holiday tables around the world feature sautéed mushrooms with roast turkey and ham. But as much as you may love them cooked that way, this recipe for air fryer mushrooms may change your mind. 

Toss fresh mushrooms in savory soy sauce with Parmesan cheese and garlic powder, and air fry for a few minutes. That's all there is to it!

This recipe's simplicity makes it ideal for those busy weeknights when you need something quick and easy, but the fabulous flavors make it special enough for your holiday table. 

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Why This is the Best Air Fryer Mushrooms Recipe

This is a quick and easy recipe. These air fryer mushrooms are ready in 15 minutes with very little prep work required before popping them into the air fryer.

This recipe uses simple, common ingredients. All you need to make these air fryer mushrooms is a handful of ingredients that you probably already have in your pantry. 

These mushrooms have a deep, savory flavor. Combining soy sauce and Parmesan cheese with the mushrooms enhances their satisfying savory umami flavor. 

This is a flexible recipe. You can replace the thyme with whatever seasonings you and your family like in this easy recipe.

This can be a make-ahead recipe. These air fryer mushrooms can be made ahead, stored in the refrigerator, and reheated when needed.

You will find tons of uses for these easy mushrooms. Serve them as a delicious side dish on their own or add to pasta, casseroles, salads, or your next grilled cheese sandwich.

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Equipment 

Air Fryer: There are a lot of air fryers available today, ranging from stand-alone models to toaster ovens that offer an air fryer function. Air fryers roast food using less oil than traditional roasting or frying and in less time, thanks to a high speed convection fan and a perforated air fryer basket. 

Chef's Knife: Be sure your knife is sharp so you don't tear or squish the mushrooms.

Cheese Grater: Parmesan is a hard cheese, so a strong grater perforated with small holes for finely grated cheese is best instead of a rotary grater or one with larger holes.

Ingredients

See the printable recipe card at the bottom of the page for all measurements and nutritional information.

Baby Bella Mushrooms: Baby bella, button, and shiitake mushrooms all air fry beautifully, but for best results, they should be as fresh as possible.

Avocado Oil: Always use a cooking oil with a high smoke point when air frying at high temperatures. Grapeseed and safflower oils are also good choices, but avoid olive oil in this recipe.

Low Sodium Soy Sauce: This ingredient adds a punch of umami and all the salt you'll need for your mushrooms.

Parmesan Cheese: Finely grate the cheese yourself for the best flavor. I normally say it's not necessary to grate your own cheese, but in this case, the only thing that comes close to the right consistency is the stuff in the green can, and I think that stuff is an abomination, so I just buy a small block of Parmesan and grate it myself using the smallest holes on the grater.

Garlic Powder: Don't be tempted to substitute garlic salt in this recipe! It will make the mushrooms too salty.

Thyme: This recipe calls for both dried thyme and fresh thyme. The fresh thyme is added just before serving.

Ground Black Pepper: Freshly ground pepper is the most flavorful.

Do not be tempted to salt your mushrooms! The soy sauce has plenty of salt, and if you additional, your mushrooms will be too salty to eat.

Best Types of Mushrooms to Air Fry

This easy air fryer mushroom recipe works well with several different types of mushrooms. Here are my favorites.

Baby Bella Mushrooms: Also called cremini mushrooms, baby bellas are the same plant as common white mushrooms, also called white button mushrooms. Baby bellas are a little older than white mushrooms, which gives them a darker color and more rich mushroom flavor. 

Shiitake mushrooms: Many people believe these are the best-tasting mushrooms with their earthy flavor and touches of smoke. Shiitake mushrooms air fry beautifully and take less cooking time than baby bellas.

How to make air fryer mushrooms

Prep the mushrooms. Clean the mushrooms following the instructions below. Trim off any stem bottoms that are dried out or split. If they're not already sliced, use a very sharp knife to slice them into ¼" slices.

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Whisk together the sauce ingredients. Whisk together the avocado oil, soy sauce, grated Parmesan cheese, garlic powder, and dried thyme in a medium bowl. Toss with the prepared mushrooms to coat them completely.

Air fry the mushrooms. Arrange the mushrooms in more or less a single layer in the air fryer basket and let the air fryer work its magic. Halfway through air frying, toss the mushrooms around by shaking the basket. If some mushrooms stick, use a spatula to remove them, then make a single layer again and slide the basket back into the air fryer.

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Sprinkle with fresh thyme. Sprinkle the hot mushrooms with fresh thyme and additional grated Parmesan cheese and serve hot.

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How to Clean Mushrooms

There are a lot of opinions on the best way to clean mushrooms, but they absorb a lot of moisture, which can affect their texture when cooked.

• It's safe to rinse whole mushrooms. You can gently wash whole mushrooms and them completely dry them, but my preference is to use a damp paper towel to remove dirt on the caps and stems. 
• Rinse whole mushrooms only right before using them. If you rinse them too far in advance, they will get slimy. You have to keep mushrooms dry until you're ready to cook them.
• Use a salad spinner to dry mushrooms. Line the inner salad spinner basket with a paper towel, place the mushrooms on top, and spin until dry.
• Never rinse sliced mushrooms. All that exposed flesh absorbs liquids like a sponge. The only way to clean pre-sliced mushrooms is to gently brush any dirt from all surfaces using a dry paper towel.

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Tips for Air Frying Mushrooms

The air fryer is my favorite way to cook veggies like these bacon-wrapped air fryer asparagus spears. It's also a fantastic way to cook mushrooms. The dry environment of the air fryer intensifies their earthy flavor while cooking them up tender and juicy. Here are a few tips for the best air fryer mushrooms:

• Even thickness. For more even cooking, use sliced mushrooms that are all roughly the same thickness and size. I buy presliced mushrooms for this reason.
• Start with dry mushrooms. Dry mushroom surfaces allow the soy sauce to coat the mushrooms more evenly.
• No added salt! The soy sauce and Parmesan cheese add all the salt you need in this recipe. You can always add a sprinkle of salt at the end after you've tasted them, if you really think they need more.
• Single layer. Always air fry mushrooms in a single layer.
• Shake the basket. Shake the basket of your air fryer halfway through cooking for more even cooking.
• Cooking time. The exact cooking time varies by the variety of mushrooms, freshness, and thickness of slices, as well as the specific model of air fryer you're using.

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Variations & substitutions

Be aware that soy sauce often contains gluten. If you follow a gluten-free diet, look for a soy sauce labeled gluten-free or use Tamari soy sauce.

• Feel free to experiment with other spices and herbs, such as onion powder, dried oregano, or tarragon. Or go a little wild and try taco seasoning, ranch dressing mix, or BBQ rub.
• Finish the dish with a drizzle of melted butter and gently toss for buttery mushrooms. 
• Add pomegranate seeds and chopped walnuts for a festive holiday side dish. 
• Use another hard cheese in place of Parmesan, such as Romano, Asiago, or pecorino.

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Storage

Whether you make this recipe ahead or have leftovers, follow these guidelines for storing air fryer mushrooms.

To Store: Cool the mushrooms to room temperature and store them in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 5-7 days.

To Reheat: Warm in the microwave oven for 15 seconds, on the stovetop over medium heat, or in the air fryer for 2-3 minutes. Add avocado oil or butter to the mushrooms if they are dry.

To Freeze: Cool the mushrooms to room temperature, store them in a freezer-safe container or plastic freezer bag, and freeze them for up to 1 month. Thaw overnight in the refrigerator before reheating.

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Serving Suggestions

• Mushrooms pair well with both beef and chicken dishes. 
• These mushrooms are delicious served with CrockPot mashed potatoes. Potatoes and mushrooms belong on the plate together.
• Add air fried mushrooms to salads, soups, sandwiches, or casseroles.
• Or make a pasta dish with these mushrooms. Add them to chicken asparagus alfredo or pesto primavera.

Air Fryer Mushrooms FAQs

Is it better to buy whole or sliced mushrooms?

Whole mushrooms will always be the freshest. Sliced mushrooms will spoil more quickly due to their exposed surfaces and can absorb other flavors in your refrigerator.

I typically buy sliced mushrooms because they are sliced evenly and easier to cook with, but I never let them sit in the fridge for more than 24 hours.

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What should I look for when buying mushrooms?

Look for firm, dry, and unblemished mushrooms.

Should mushrooms be refrigerated?

The best way to store raw mushrooms is to take them out of their package, wrap them in paper towels, and store them in a small paper bag in the refrigerator. If you have to use a plastic bag, keep it open for air circulation.

Try these other delicious air fryer recipes

• Air Fryer Prime Rib with Horseradish Rub
• Air Fryer Asparagus (wrapped in bacon!)
• Air Fryer Teriyaki Chicken Thighs
• Air Fryer Taco Burgers
• Air Fryer Mozzarella Sticks
• Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
• Air Fryer Potato Chips
• Classic Cheddar Cheese Sausage Balls (Air fryer instructions)
• Air Fryer Carrots
• Air Fryer Ribeye Steak

And check out our air fryer archives!

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