Chicken Fried Mushrooms with Gravy (Printable View)

Crispy golden mushrooms with creamy peppery gravy. A vegetarian comfort dish.

# What You Need:

→ For the Mushrooms

01 - 1 lb large button or cremini mushrooms, cleaned and stems trimmed
02 - 1 cup buttermilk
03 - 1 tsp hot sauce (optional)

→ For the Dredging

04 - 1 cup all-purpose flour
05 - ½ cup cornstarch
06 - 1 tsp garlic powder
07 - 1 tsp onion powder
08 - 1 tsp smoked paprika
09 - ½ tsp cayenne pepper
10 - 1 tsp salt
11 - ½ tsp black pepper

→ For Frying

12 - 2 cups vegetable oil (for frying)

→ For the Gravy

13 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter
14 - ¼ cup all-purpose flour
15 - 2 cups whole milk
16 - ½ tsp black pepper
17 - ½ tsp salt
18 - ¼ tsp garlic powder (optional)

# How-To Steps:

01 - Whisk buttermilk with hot sauce in a large bowl. Add mushrooms and toss to coat thoroughly. Let marinate for 15 minutes to absorb flavors.
02 - Combine flour, cornstarch, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, salt, and black pepper in a shallow dish. Mix well to distribute spices evenly.
03 - Remove mushrooms from buttermilk, allowing excess liquid to drip off. Press each mushroom into the flour mixture to coat thoroughly. For extra crunch, return dredged mushrooms to buttermilk and repeat the flour coating process.
04 - Heat vegetable oil in a deep skillet or pot to 350°F. Fry mushrooms in batches for 4–5 minutes, turning occasionally, until golden brown and crispy. Transfer to a paper towel–lined plate to drain excess oil.
05 - Melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook for 1–2 minutes until lightly golden and fragrant. Gradually whisk in milk, then add black pepper, salt, and garlic powder. Cook, whisking constantly, for 3–5 minutes until thickened and smooth.
06 - Arrange crispy fried mushrooms on a serving platter. Pour warm gravy generously over the top or serve alongside for dipping. Best enjoyed immediately while hot and crispy.

# Expert Advice:

01 -
  • The shattering crunch against that velvety gravy is the kind of texture combination that makes people close their eyes while eating
  • Buttermilk does something magical to mushrooms, making them taste meatier than they have any right to
  • Everything comes together in under an hour but tastes like you spent all Sunday afternoon over the stove
02 -
  • Double-dipping is the difference between good and great, that second coat creates the kind of crunch that makes people pause mid-bite
  • Letting the oil return to temperature between batches prevents soggy, greasy mushrooms
  • The gravy needs constant whisking, no walking away even for a second
03 -
  • Pat mushrooms dry before marinating so the buttermilk actually penetrates instead of beading up
  • Let fried mushrooms rest on a wire rack instead of paper towels to maintain that crunch

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