Crispy Mushroom Sandwiches

By Yewande Komolafe

Updated August 3, 2026

  • Andrew Bui for The New York Times. Food Stylist: Rebecca Jurkevich.
Media 1 of 1
Ready In
50 min
Rating
4(17)
Comments
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Golden fried mushrooms taste like magic between soft, warm buns. Coating the mushrooms first in cornstarch ensures that the seltzer-aerated batter sticks to their surfaces while sizzling in oil. The still-warm mushrooms are then tossed in a quick marinade of hot sauce and honey laced with parsley and feathery dill. You may find it hard to resist a few nibbles of the meaty, crispy-crunchy mushrooms, so go ahead and snack. Build the rest into sandwiches with a sprinkle of hot sauce and slices of fresh tomato and onion. Enjoy this alongside a bright green salad for a delightful new addition to your picnic or dinner table.

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Ingredients

Yield:4 servings

For the dressing

  • ¼ cup honey

  • ¼ cup hot sauce, plus more for serving

  • 1 heaping tablespoon grated fresh ginger

  • 1 tablespoon Dijon mustard

  • 1 lemon, zested and juiced, divided

  • 1 tablespoon soy sauce

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal)

  • ½ teaspoon black pepper, plus more to taste

  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh parsley leaves and tender stems, coarsely chopped

  • 1 cup loosely packed fresh dill or tarragon or a combination, coarsely chopped

For the mushrooms

  • 8 ounces oyster and maitake mushrooms (about 3 cups)

  • 1 cup cornstarch, divided

  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt (such as Diamond Crystal) 

  • Black pepper

  • 1 cup all-purpose flour

  • 1 teaspoon baking powder

  • 1 (12-ounce) can plain seltzer or sparkling water 

  • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice 

  • Safflower, grapeseed or canola oil, for frying (about 2 cups)

To assemble

  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced into rounds

  • 1 medium green or firm red tomato, thinly sliced into rounds

  • 1 cup shredded romaine

  • 4 soft burger buns, such as potato or brioche, split

Ingredient Substitution Guide

Preparation

  1. Step 1

    Make the dressing: In a large bowl, combine the honey, hot sauce, ginger, mustard, lemon zest, soy sauce, salt and pepper. Whisk together until smooth. Add the parsley and tarragon and stir. You should have about 1 cup.

  2. Step 2

    Prepare the mushrooms: Tear mushroom clumps apart into pieces so the bases are ½-inch wide. Spread them out on a large baking sheet. Set a wire rack or paper towels inside a second baking sheet for draining fried mushrooms later (or prepare the same pan later).

  3. Step 3

    Place ½ cup cornstarch in a medium bowl and whisk in ½ teaspoon salt. Working in batches, add the mushrooms and toss to evenly coat. Spread the mushrooms out in a single layer on the baking sheet.

  4. Step 4

    In another medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, remaining ½ cup cornstarch and ½ teaspoon salt.

  5. Step 5

    Fill a large skillet with ¼ inch oil. Heat over medium-high until it reaches 350 degrees. A sprinkle of cornstarch should foam and sizzle when it lands in the oil.

  6. Step 6

    Pop the seltzer open and pour into the flour mixture. Add the lemon juice and gently whisk just to combine but do not overmix; a few lumps in the batter are OK.

  7. Step 7

    Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, dip the mushrooms one by one in the flour mixture and carefully place in the hot oil. Cook, flipping the pieces every 2 to 3 minutes to evenly brown, until the crust is golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes total. Transfer to the prepared wire rack or paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper. Bring the oil back up to 350 degrees between batches.

  8. Step 8

    Once all the mushrooms have been fried, add them to the bowl with the dressing and toss to coat.

  9. Step 9

    To assemble: Warm the buns in a microwave or toaster oven. Place a mound of mushrooms on the bottom buns, along with any dressing that remains in the bowl. Top with slices of onion and tomato and sprinkle with additional hot sauce. Top with the romaine and top buns. Serve immediately.

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Ratings

4 out of 5
17 user ratings
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Comments

Eva

Did you mean consumption? I love a mushroom sandwich, but I do have limits.

Sophia

i need to remember i do not like to fry things and that it’s often more trouble than it’s worth! remembered that today after frying one batch. after that i took the rest (that were covered in cornstarch) and tossed them in oil and baked them at 425 for 20-30 min. prob not as crispy but did the job when they were going to be tossed in the dressing anyway. also i used half the amount of hot sauce (tabasco is what i had around) and that was plenty for me

Sam M.

Could this be made with a portobello mushroom for easier prep and easier consummation on a bun?

Ann Brothers

Do not warm any bread or bun with yeast as an ingredient in a microwave! It makes them tough and rubbery-

Jeanne V

I've loved Yewanda's recipes in the past, so I gave this a try for my solitary lunch today. I loved the balance of ginger, lemon, hot sauce, mustard, etc in the dressing. The prep looks time consuming but it isn't (especially if you use the same bowl for coating the mushrooms and draining the fried shrooms). As it was hard to cut down for one serving of dressing, I still have enough for a second sandwich in the near future. I served this on a ciabatta roll with fresh spinach. Delicious!

R

Can the mushrooms initially be dipped in flour instead of cornstarch because of allergies?

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