Vegan Nashville Hot Oyster Mushroom Burgers
Craggy, shatteringly crisp fried oyster mushrooms are brushed with a fiery cayenne-paprika oil, then stacked on a toasted bun with cool pickle mayo and plenty of dill pickle chips. It is all the heat and crunch of Nashville hot chicken, completely plant-based.
Steps
Before you start
- Read the whole recipe first: the mushrooms need a 10-minute soak and the oil needs about 10 minutes to reach 350°F (175°C).
- Use unsweetened soy milk if you can. Its higher protein curdles best with vinegar and gives the thickest, crunchiest coating.
- Set up a landing zone before frying: a wire rack set over a sheet pan for fried mushrooms, and a heatproof bowl for the hot oil paste.
- The hot oil is genuinely spicy. Wear gloves or use a spoon when handling it, and keep it away from your eyes. Start with 1 tablespoon of cayenne for a medium heat.
Prep the mushrooms
- Wipe the oyster mushrooms with a damp paper towel (do not rinse them, because they soak up water).
- Trim off the tough, woody base.
- Tear the mushrooms into 8 to 12 clusters, each about the size of your palm and roughly ½ inch (1 cm) thick, so that 2 to 3 pieces fit a bun.
- Pat dry with a clean towel.
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Ready when: Clusters are dry to the touch and hold together, with no loose crumbled bits.
Tip: Keep the clusters intact. The ruffled edges are what turn extra crunchy when fried.
Soak in vegan buttermilk
- In a medium bowl, stir together the soy milk, apple cider vinegar and ½ tsp salt.
- Let sit 2 minutes until it thickens slightly and looks curdled.
- Add the mushroom clusters, turn to coat, and let them soak for 10 minutes.
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Ready when: Milk looks slightly curdled and thickened, and the mushrooms are fully coated.
Mix the dredge
- In a large shallow dish, whisk the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, garlic powder, onion powder, 2 tsp smoked paprika, black pepper and 1½ tsp salt until evenly blended and no streaks of spice remain.
- Drizzle 3 tablespoons of the soaking liquid into the dredge and rub it in with your fingertips to form small, shaggy clumps.
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Ready when: Dredge is a uniform, rusty-orange color and has pea-sized clumps scattered through it.
Tip: Those clumps become the craggy crust, so do not skip them.
Mix the pickle mayo
- In a small bowl, stir the vegan mayonnaise with the pickle brine until smooth and pourable like thick yogurt.
- Cover and refrigerate while you fry.
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Ready when: Smooth and creamy, with no streaks of brine.
Heat the oilOven 350°F / 175°C
- Pour the frying oil into a 5-quart (4.7 L) Dutch oven so it is about 1½ inches (4 cm) deep.
- Clip on a thermometer and heat over medium-high heat to 350°F (175°C), about 10 minutes.
- Adjust the heat to hold it between 340 and 360°F (170 to 182°C) while frying.
- Set a wire rack over a sheet pan nearby.
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Ready when: Thermometer reads 350°F (175°C), and a pinch of dredge dropped in sizzles right away.
Tip: Keep the pot no more than half full of oil to avoid dangerous boil-overs.
Coat the mushrooms
- Working with one cluster at a time, lift a mushroom out of the soak, letting the excess drip off, and press it firmly into the dredge.
- Flip and pack the dredge on all sides.
- Dip it quickly back into the soak, then back into the dredge for a second coat.
- Shake off the excess and set on a plate.
- Repeat with all clusters, then let them rest 5 minutes.
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Ready when: Each cluster is thickly coated with a shaggy, craggy crust and no bare spots.
Tip: Use one hand for wet and the other for dry to avoid clumpy fingers.
Fry in batchesOven 350°F / 175°C
- Carefully lower 3 to 4 clusters into the hot oil, one at a time, away from you.
- Fry 4 to 5 minutes, flipping once halfway, until the crust is deep golden brown and crisp.
- Lift out with a slotted spoon, let the oil drain for a few seconds, and transfer to the wire rack.
- Return the oil to 350°F (175°C) between batches and repeat with the remaining clusters.
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Ready when: Deep golden brown, with the bubbling around the mushrooms noticeably slowing and the crust sounding crisp when tapped.
Tip: Do not crowd the pot. Too many clusters at once drop the oil temperature and make the crust greasy.
Make the hot oil
- After the last batch comes out, turn off the heat.
- In a small heatproof bowl, whisk together the cayenne, brown sugar, 1 tsp smoked paprika, 1 tsp garlic powder and ½ tsp salt.
- Carefully ladle ⅓ cup (80 ml) of the hot frying oil over the spices and whisk until it forms a smooth, glossy, brick-red paste.
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Ready when: Sizzling stops and the mixture is a smooth, glossy paste with no dry pockets of spice.
Tip: Spices will sizzle and give off fumes, so lean back and keep your face away from the bowl.
Brush with hot oil
- While the mushrooms are still hot, brush every side generously with the hot oil, using all of it.
- Let them sit on the rack for 1 minute so the oil soaks into the crevices.
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Ready when: Mushrooms are a glossy deep red and the crust stays crisp when pressed.
Tip: Brush while they are hot so the oil absorbs without turning the crust soggy.
Toast the buns
- Brush the cut sides of the buns with the melted vegan butter.
- Toast them cut side down in a large skillet over medium heat for 1 to 2 minutes.
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Ready when: Cut sides are golden brown and slightly crisp.
Tip: Toasted buns create a barrier that keeps the mayo from soaking in.
Assemble and serve
- Spread the pickle mayo on the cut sides of both bun halves.
- Layer 4 pickle chips on each bottom bun, then top with 2 to 3 hot mushroom clusters.
- Cap with the top bun and serve immediately.
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Ready when: Burgers are stacked and the mushrooms are still hot and crunchy.
Tip: Assemble right before eating so the crust stays crisp.
Good to know
Tips
- Pat the mushrooms dry before the soak. Surface water thins the coating and causes it to slide off.
- Hold your oil at 350°F (175°C). Below 325°F (163°C) the crust turns greasy, and above 375°F (190°C) it browns before the mushroom is tender.
- Fry in small batches of 3 to 4 clusters and keep finished pieces on a wire rack, never a paper-lined plate, so steam does not soften the bottom.
- Cool the used frying oil completely, strain through a fine sieve and store it in a sealed jar for one more fry, or discard it responsibly. Never pour it down the drain.
Make ahead
You can tear and soak the mushrooms up to 2 hours ahead, covered in the fridge, and mix the dredge and pickle mayo up to 2 days ahead. Fry, coat in hot oil and assemble just before serving for the crispiest results.
Storage & reheating
Best eaten immediately. Store leftover fried mushrooms (without buns) in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat on a wire rack in a 400°F (200°C) oven or air fryer for 6 to 8 minutes until crisp. Not recommended at room temperature for more than 2 hours. Freezing is not recommended because the crust turns soggy. Leftover pickle mayo keeps in the fridge for up to 5 days.
Substitutions
- oyster mushrooms → king oyster mushrooms sliced into ½-inch (1 cm) thick rounds, or lion's mane torn into thick pieces. King oyster is meatier and may need 1 extra minute of frying.
- unsweetened soy milk or other plant milk → unsweetened oat or almond milk. Works, but the coating will be a little thinner than with soy.
- all-purpose flour → 1:1 gluten-free flour blend. Use the same weight. The crust will be slightly more delicate.
- cayenne pepper → 1 tbsp cayenne for mild or 3 tbsp for extra hot. Adjust to taste, since cayenne brands vary in heat.
