Baked Portobello Fries. Sliced portobello mushrooms coated in olive oil, Parmesan cheese, cornstarch, Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper then baked in the oven until crispy and delicious. These easy portobello fries are packed with umami — and are positively addictive! Serve them as a fun appetizer or veggie-forward side dish.

We love mushrooms of all varieties in our house. So much so that we signed up for a mushroom CSA this upcoming summer at our local farm — so, soon will be trying all sorts of different mushroom types each week. Portobellos (also know as portabellas or portabellos) and baby bellas (baby portobellos) are the variety we purchase most often. We love their meaty and hearty texture and umami-rich flavor. We often grill portobellos in the summertime and during the cooler months  will saute or roast them.

A few months ago, Adrian went to Martha’s Vineyard for work and he and his colleagues went to one of the few open restaurants for lunch. They ordered deep fried portobello fries as an appetizer. He came home raving about them — and of course, I had to try recreating a healthier version at home. He couldn’t remember what spices were on them, so I used my go-to blend for many roasted veggies – garlic powder, Italian seasoning, black pepper and kosher salt. At first, I tried air-frying them — they turned out delicious! Only problem was, you had to cook them in batches, which I find to be annoying and unrealistic, especially at dinnertime. Plus, I store the air fryer in the basement, so on a busy weeknight it’s unlikely I have the time or energy to go dig it up. So, the next time, I made these fries in the oven and they turned out just as good as in the air fryer — no batch cooking necessary.

So, here you have them: Baked Portobello Fries. Crispy. Delicious. And a very fun way to eat a mushroom!

What ingredients do you need to make these mushroom fries?

• Portobello mushrooms (I used organic, so they were a bit on the smaller side)
• Olive oil
• Grated Parmesan cheese
• Cornstarch
• Italian seasoning
• Garlic powder
• Kosher salt
• Black pepper
• Marinara sauce (for dipping)

How do you make these fries?

These portabella fries are really simple to make:

1. Toss the mushrooms slices with olive oil, then with a mixture of Parmesan plus cornstarch, followed by Italian seasoning, garlic powder, salt and pepper.
2. Place on a baking sheet and bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking time.
3. Serve hot with marinara sauce.

Frequently Asked Questions:

Are these mushroom fries kid-friendly?

Yes! These mushroom fries are kid-friendly – they are crisp and flavorful. Plus they have a marinara dipping sauce which kiddos love. My kids started devouring them until I told them they were mushrooms – they do not like mushrooms. Ha! So, if you’re kids like mushrooms, they will love these fries.

Are portabellas good-for-you?

Yes! Portabellas are packed with nutrients – B Vitamins, potassium, Vitamin D (if they were exposed to UV light during their growing period), selenium and more.

Can you use an air fryer instead of the oven?

You can air fry these, you’ll just need to do it in batches, unless you have a large air fryer. I cooked them for 8-9 minutes until they started to crisp up. No need to flip them.

Here’s how to make these fun veggie fries: