Fry

Fried Mushrooms with Smoked Paprika Remoulade

by:
October  4, 2022
5
2 Ratings
Photo by Bobbi Lin
  • Prep time 30 minutes
  • Cook time 20 minutes
  • Serves 4
Author Notes

Fried mushrooms are one of my favorite fried foods (vying for the title with fried pickles). As with fried pickles, I prefer to slice the mushrooms instead of leaving them whole: More surface area means more fried goodness. I've experimented with different variations of the breading, but this one with panko and parsley is hard to beat. I've also included a recipe for smoked paprika remoulade, a nice dipping sauce if serving the mushrooms as an appetizer or snack. The mushrooms are also delicious atop a lightly dressed green salad with shavings of Pecorino cheese. —EmilyC

Test Kitchen Notes

WHO: EmilyC is an environmental scientist who has been a member of the Food52 community for almost five years.
WHAT: Button mushrooms dredged in buttermilk, flour, panko, Italian parsley, and lemon zest, then fried and served with a mayonnaise-y paprika dipping sauce.
HOW: Dredge the button mushrooms in breading, then pan-fry in olive or canola oil until crispy and golden. Combine mayonnaise, chopped cornichons, mustard, smoked paprika, and lemon juice for an accompanying dipping sauce, then serve to a room of hungry people and watch them disappear.
WHY WE LOVE IT: Even for those of us who aren't fans of fried vegetables, these are irresistible. The lemon zest and parsley make the battered mushrooms tangy and light -- and the slightly sweet paprika will make you wonder why you've never thought to add it to remoulade before. Our advice: Serve these at your Super Bowl party -- they'll make even the most die-hard football fans take their eyes off of the screen, at least for a moment. —The Editors

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Ingredients
  • For the fried mushrooms
  • 2 cups panko
  • 6 tablespoons flat-leaf parsley leaves
  • 1/2 cup all-purpose flour
  • 2/3 cup buttermilk
  • Zest of 1 lemon
  • 10 button mushrooms, stems removed and sliced 1/4-inch thick
  • 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
  • 1/3 cup olive or canola oil for frying
  • For the smoked paprika remoulade
  • 1/2 cup mayonnaise
  • 2 tablespoons cornichons, capers, or pickles, finely diced
  • 1 teaspoon whole-grain mustard
  • 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
  • 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
  • 1 tablespoon lemon juice
  • 1 pinch salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Directions
  1. To prepare the fried mushrooms, combine the panko and parsley in the bowl of a food processor, then pulse until finely ground. If you've just washed your parsley, dry it before adding it to the food processor.
  2. Set up a "breading" station with three low bowls. In the first bowl, add flour. In the second, add buttermilk. In the third, add the panko/parsley mixture, then stir in lemon zest and season with salt and pepper. (Set the lemon aside to use later -- see "Optional" note below.) Dunk the mushrooms into each bowl, covering them with flour, then buttermilk, then the panko/parsley mixture. Place the breaded mushrooms aside until ready to be fried.
  3. In a skillet, heat the oil until simmering. Fry the mushrooms in batches over medium to high heat, turning them, until golden and crispy, about 3 minutes total -- a fish spatula works well to flip the mushrooms without tearing the breading. Drain the mushrooms on a paper towel-lined plate, and sprinkle with salt. To keep the mushrooms warm, transfer them to a baking sheet -- fried mushrooms can be held in an oven at 225º F for 20 to 30 minutes.
  4. Optional: Instead of throwing away the lemon, add it to the fry. Slice the lemon as paper-thin as possible with a sharp knife or mandoline, then follow the same process as with the mushrooms to bread and fry the lemons.
  5. To prepare the smoked paprika remoulade, combine the mayonnaise, cornichons, mustards, smoked paprika, lemon juice, salt, and pepper in a small bowl and mix until combined.

See what other Food52ers are saying.

Recipe by: EmilyC

I'm a home cook. I love salads. Two things you'll always find in my refrigerator are lemons and butter, and in my pantry good quality chocolate and the makings for chocolate chip cookies.

23 Reviews

Gretel March 21, 2022
I just made these and they were the BEST! Incredibly crunchy,savory and the Remolade Sauce was divine. The parsley and lemon zest are just such a wonderful tweak to the panko crust and I imagine many vegetables or shellfish (oysters!) will sing with this recipe.Thank you Emily,,,worth every calorie!
EmilyC March 23, 2022
Yay, so glad you made and liked them! And yes, the same breading works well on many other things. I never leave the lemon zest out! : )
admccue February 3, 2019
What are your thoughts on breading the mushrooms ahead of time and freezing them?

Anything I should look out for?
EmilyC February 3, 2019
I’ve never tried them this way so I’m not sure! I have more experience deep-frying frozen foods (vs pan-frying)...maybe that would be a safer bet? Let me know if you end up trying them from frozen!
admccue March 7, 2019
UPDATE: you can fry these babies from frozen.
I used a heavy-bottomed pot with about 1 cm of oil to fry them. It works just fine as long as you don't touch them for the first minute or so.
Chris G. January 3, 2017
All your advertisements on your web page are really beginning to frustrate me to no end! Can't even access the "more great recipes" on the web page anymore! That and they bog down my computer so it wont run right!
Craig C. January 25, 2015
Looks like a great superbowl appetizer.
EmilyC January 27, 2015
I agree! : )
anotherfoodieblogger January 21, 2015
Congrats from me too Emily! I'd never seen this one before either. Great game day idea!
EmilyC January 21, 2015
Thanks so much!
cookinginvictoria January 20, 2015
Congratulations, Emily! Don't know how I missed these before. They look wonderful, and, like Sara, I am totally drawn to that smoked paprika remoulade! Saved -- and am putting this recipe on my "to make ASAP" list. :)
EmilyC January 21, 2015
Thanks civ! Really hope you try and like them!
hardlikearmour January 19, 2015
Congratulations! I think I might want smoked paprika remoulade on absolutely everything...
EmilyC January 20, 2015
Not a bad idea at all! : )
Bevi July 23, 2012
I used to make a similar recipe from Anna Thomas'
Cookbook, but I much prefer your creation! I'll try soon!
EmilyC July 23, 2012
Thanks Bevi! I'd be delighted if you try them!
Bevi January 28, 2014
I made the remoulade sauce with capers, and it was delicious! I used an egg wash with minced garlic and salt and pepper, and cut the mushrooms into quarter chunks, since they were rather large. I can now end my search for a great sauce; thanks so much!
EmilyC January 28, 2014
Oh that's great to hear! So happy you liked it! I love this sauce too.
Sagegreen April 18, 2011
What great flavor combinations. These sound really delicious.
EmilyC April 18, 2011
Thank you! I love to fry things -- but I just recently thought to add lemon zest and parsley to the breading, instead of a garnish at the end. The flavors really come through.
Frontalgirl April 13, 2011
Oh my! Lucky me..I have all the ingredients on hand. Pardon me while I go make this!
EmilyC April 13, 2011
Hope you try it -- and like it!
drbabs April 12, 2011
love