In the heart of Topeka, Kansas, during the 1970s, Fat Ronnie’s restaurant was pioneering a culinary innovation that would capture the hearts of mushroom lovers everywhere. Ronald Williams, the mastermind behind Fat Ronnie’s, became the first person to offer deep-fried mushrooms in Kansas, creating an appetizer that was crispy and crunchy on the outside while remaining perfectly tender on the inside.
Served in overflowing paper bags, these golden treasures became legendary among locals and visitors alike. While Fat Ronnie’s may be gone, this faithful copycat recipe preserves the magic of those original deep-fried mushrooms, bringing back the crispy perfection that made them unforgettable.
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Why This Recipe Works
The secret to Fat Ronnie’s perfectly crispy mushrooms lies in the strategic combination of baking powder and buttermilk in the batter. The baking powder creates lift and bubbles for extra crunch, while the buttermilk’s acidity tenderizes the coating and reacts with the baking powder for superior texture. The dry-wet-dry breading method ensures maximum coating adhesion, creating that signature golden crust that made Fat Ronnie’s mushrooms legendary.
Ingredients
- All-purpose flour – Creates the foundation for the crispy coating
- Salt – Enhances natural mushroom flavors and seasons the batter
- Ground black pepper – Adds subtle heat and depth
- Baking powder – The secret ingredient that creates extra crispiness and lift
- Buttermilk – Provides a tangy flavor and reacts with baking powder for superior texture
- Fresh mushrooms – Button or cremini mushrooms work best for frying
- Vegetable oil for frying – High smoke point is essential for proper deep frying
What types of mushrooms can you fry?
You can fry just about any fresh mushroom. For this recipe, we will use fresh button mushrooms. You could use cremini, also known as baby portobello mushrooms. I like to get mushrooms at Costco, they are a good value there.
Snap off the stems, and brush off the mushrooms with a moist paper towel to clean the mushrooms. Don’t rinse off the mushrooms or use your sprayer on them. Mushrooms are delicate and you may damage them.
How to Make Fried Mushrooms
This recipe uses a dry-wet-dry method for breading the mushrooms before frying.
- Preheat vegetable oil to 375 degrees.
- Mix flour, salt, pepper, and baking powder in a bowl.
- Place buttermilk into a separate bowl.
- Dip mushrooms into the seasoned flour, shake off excess flour.
- Place floured mushrooms into the buttermilk.
- Coat the mushrooms with buttermilk, shake off excess buttermilk.
- Place mushrooms back into the seasoned flour. Shake off excess flour.
- Fry mushrooms for 1 to 2 minutes or until they turn golden brown.
- Drain mushrooms on a wire rack over a baking sheet.
Storage & Reheating Instructions
- Best Practice: Fried mushrooms are best served immediately for optimal texture and flavor.
- Short-Term Storage: Store leftovers in the refrigerator for up to 2 days in paper towel-lined containers.
- Reheating Method: Reheat in 375°F oven for 5-7 minutes or air fryer at 375°F for 3-4 minutes to restore crispiness. Avoid the microwave as it makes coating soggy.
Perfect Dipping Sauces
- Arby’s Horsey Sauce
- Campfire Sauce
- Chick-fil-A Sauce
- Creamy Jalapeno Sauce
- Homemade Cocktail Sauce
- Jan Sauce
Favorite Fried Appetizers
- Blossom Petals
- Buffalo Chicken Bites
- Cheese Curds
- Fried Jalapeno Poppers
- Fried Mozzarella
- Fried Pickles
- How to Make Onion Rings
Check out my easy appetizer recipes and the best copycat fast food recipes here on CopyKat!
Fat Ronnie’s Deep Fried Mushrooms Easy Copycat Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 cups Flour
- 1 1/2 teaspoons Salt
- 1 teaspoon Ground Pepper
- 1/2 teaspoon Baking Powder
- 1 cup Buttermilk
- 8 ounces Fresh Mushrooms (washed, dried, and stems removed)
- vegetable oil for frying
Instructions
- Preheat vegetable oil to 375 degrees.
- Mix flour, salt, pepper, and baking powder in a bowl.
- Place buttermilk into a bowl.
Battering mushrooms
- Dip into the seasoned flour, shake off excess flour. Place floured mushrooms into the buttermilk.
- Coat the mushrooms with buttermilk, shake off excess buttermilk.
- Place mushrooms back into the seasoned flour. Shake off excess buttermilk.
- Cook mushrooms for 1 to 2 minutes, or until the turn golden brown. Be sure to stir the mushrooms, and flip them over to both sides cook.
- Drain mushrooms on a wire rack resting in a bar pan.
Notes
Equipment
Nutrition
About Fat Ronnie’s
Fat Ronnie’s was located in Topeka, Kansas in the 1970s. Fat Ronnie’s was known for its delicious food. He was the first person to offer deep-fried mushrooms in Kansas. This restaurant was a favorite of my family when we lived in the area.
Ronnie served his deep-fried goodness in paper bags. The bags were always full and everything they served was delicious. Fat Ronnie’s was the brainchild of Ronald Williams. Sadly, he isn’t around anymore but you can still make food just as good as his!
Simply amazing