This recipe is a real crowd-pleaser! I mean, who doesn’t love crunchy food !? I KNOW I DO!
While other deep-fried recipes are often way too greasy, these crispy vegetables will win you over with their light coating.

The first time I tried Tempura was in a vegetarian restaurant in Buenos Aires. I’m not a big fan of deep-fried vegetables, but luckily, I didn’t know what I was ordering. And to my surprise, I absolutely loved these crispy veggies!
It is impossible to compare Japanese Tempura with other fry batters. It is super light and airy, and these vegetables are coated with only a very thin layer of batter.

Tempura is a popular Japanese dish, and usually consists of seafood, meat, and vegetables that are battered and deep-fried. With this recipe, I wanted to create a vegetarian appetizer, so I only included different types of veggies. However, this batter can definitely work with other ingredients, too, so feel free to get creative and coat your favorite seafood and meat with it!
JAPANESE CRISPY VEGETABLE TEMPURA
INGREDIENTS
Tempura Batter
- 1 egg
- 120 ml water ice cold
- 1 tsp salt
- 100 g all-purpose flour
- 100 g cornstarch
- 2 tsp baking soda
Vegetables
- 1 zucchini halved and quartered lengthwise
- 2 carrots peeled, halved and quartered lengthwise
- 1 small cauliflower cut into smaller florets
- 1 beetroot peeled and thinly sliced
- 1 tsp salt
Miso sauce
- 1 tbsp miso paste
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2-3 tbsp water
- 0.5 tsp garlic grated
Fry
- 3 dl frying or vegetable oil
INSTRUCTIONS
- Instructions
Tempura Batter
- Mix egg, water and salt in a small bowl. Combine the flour, cornstarch and baking powder in a separate, medium-sized bowl; add the egg mixture and mix in with a hand whisk. Cover and chill for 1 hour in the refrigerator.
Vegetables
- Spread the vegetables out on a cutting board, drying them first with a kitchen towel, and then add salt to taste.
Miso Sauce
- Mix all ingredients in a small bowl.
Frying
- Heat the oil in a medium-sized pan. Working in batches, dip the vegetables into the batter and slightly shake off any excess batter before immediately frying. If the batter is too thick, add 1-2 tablespoons of water. Fry over medium heat for about 3 minutes until the vegetables are tender and light brown. Lay out to dry on a paper towel. Repeat with all the batches.
- Immediately serve with miso sauce while still warm. Enjoy the crunch!