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Try these portobello fries with cilantro lime aioli for a unique and delicious crunchy snack! Ready in less than 30 minutes, these fries are so tasty that you'll be going back for seconds and thirds!
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What makes this dish special
Turn any vegetable into fries, and it's bound to be good. When I was working as a private chef cooking lunches for about 30 people, I would often make fries as the side dish. Sweet potato fries, zucchini fries, and yes, even portobello mushroom fries were always a hit with the crowd.
I had two versions of portobello fries, one where the mushrooms were coated in panko, and the other where the mushrooms were lightly floured. Although both were good, this recipe is a little different and a little more special with the addition of grated parmesan. Serve this vegetarian side dish as an appetizer or side with cilantro lime aioli, and you'll regret not making more!
Recipe
Portobello Fries with Cilantro Lime Aioli
Ingredients
Cilantro lime aioli
- 1 ounce cilantro
- ½ cup mayonnaise
- juice of 1 lime
- 1 clove garlic
- ½ teaspoon salt
Fries
- oil for frying
- 3 portobello mushrooms sliced into 1-inch thick slices
- ½ cup all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 2 large eggs whisked
- 1 cup grated parmesan
Instructions
- Prepare the cilantro lime aioli. Combine all ingredients in a blender including cilantro, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic, and salt. Puree until smooth and set aside.
- Fill a large wide pan with enough oil to come up ½-inch. Preheat frying oil to 350 degrees F.
- Combine flour with garlic powder, paprika, salt, Italian seasoning, and black pepper in a medium bowl. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl. Put parmesan in a third bowl.
- Dredge the sliced mushrooms in seasoned flour. Dip them in the egg then coat with shredded parmesan. Carefully drop the mushrooms into the hot oil and fry until golden brown, about 3-4 minutes, flipping halfway through. Remove from oil and drain on paper towels. Serve with cilantro lime aioli.
Notes
Step-by-step instructions
Step 1: Prepare mushrooms
When preparing the mushrooms, you can remove the gills or leave them. Recipes that stuff the mushrooms usually call for removing the gills to make more room, but they are generally left in.
I tried the fries both with and without the gills and noticed a very subtle, strong, earthy flavor with the fries with the gills. The gills can be slightly bitter, so if you're not a fan, feel free to scoop them out.
Slice the mushrooms into 1-inch thick slices, not too thick and not too thin. You don't want to slice them any thicker, or they won't cook properly.
Next, step up your breading station with the flour and spices in one bowl, eggs in another, and grated parmesan in a third.
Freshly grated cheese will coat the portobellos better, but you can also use pre-shredded cheese.
Coat the mushrooms in the flour, shaking off the excess. Then, dip them in the beaten eggs, followed by the cheese.
As far as fries go, this recipe is standard. If you ever breaded chicken for parmesan chicken, you'll be familiar with this process. The only difference is that after you coat the mushrooms in flour and egg, you sprinkle parmesan rather than bread crumbs.
Step 2: Fry mushrooms
Now that the mushrooms are ready, we can start frying. We're going to pan-fry the mushrooms rather than deep-frying, so you don't need to fill your fryer with oil. Instead, pour enough oil into a deep saute pan about ½ inch high.
Carefully lay the mushrooms in an even layer in the pan, leaving plenty of space between them. Cook the mushrooms on one side until golden brown, flip, and cook on the other side until browned. Remove the fries and drain the excess oil on paper towels.
Plate up the fries and serve them with cilantro lime aioli. This aioli is my favorite dip so far and is perfect for the mushrooms. Maybe it's all in my head, but because these are mushrooms, they feel a bit healthier than regular fries!
For another delicious mushroom side dish, check out this creamy mushroom gratin with golden parmesan crust!
Make-ahead and storage
- Make-ahead: The fries are best served immediately, but you can prepare the cilantro lime aioli up to 3 days in advance.
- Store: Keep leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Store the cilantro lime aioli in a separate container.
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Mary Frances says
I've never heard of portobello fries before! They sound delicious though, I'm sure if I tried to make them for friends or family I'd end up eating them all before they made it to the table!
cma0425 says
They're unexpectedly delicious especially with the sauce!
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