Learn how to make vegetable tempura at home using simple and easy-to-get ingredients. It's so crispy and delicious, especially with this amazing sauce.
Vegetable tempura is one of my favorite Japanese recipes. It's not the healthiest one, but I still enjoy it once in a while.
Classic tempura is usually made with eggs, but sparkling water is an amazing alternative and so easy to get. Besides, it's super healthy, cholesterol-free, and lower in calories, yay!
Homemade tempura is so tasty, much better than store-bought and you can use the ingredients you want. For example, I prefer to use whole wheat flour instead of refined flour, but it's up to you, any flour will do.
Any type of veggies is okay to make this recipe, and also any starch or oil. Just follow my instructions and you'll make the most delightful tempura ever, I promise!
Tempura is usually served with Tentsuyu sauce, which is made with dashi, mirin, and soy sauce. I've used vegetable stock instead of dashi and it also tastes so good.
Looking for more Asian appetizers? Try Vegan Spring Rolls, Vegan Miso Soup, and Thai Cucumber Salad. They offer a tasty mix of flavors and textures, crisp veggies, savory broth, and refreshing salad. Perfect for adding variety to your menu!
How to make vegetable tempura – Step by step
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and stir until well combined (photo 1).
- Add the sparkling water gently, while you're whisking until well combined (photo 2), but don't over-mix. You can use a whisk, a fork or your chopsticks. Set aside.
- Dip veggies into the batter (photo 3), one at a time, to lightly coat, shaking off any excess batter.
- Pour the oil into a saucepan, wok, pot or a deep skillet and when it's hot, add the veggies (photo 4). Cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes on opposite sides. You could also use a fryer, but I prefer this method.
- To make your tempura extra crispy and extra beautiful, dip your chopsticks into the batter and just pat on the veggies (photo 5). Repeat a few times on each piece of tempura. This step is optional.
- Transfer the veggies to a cooling rack (photo 6), that way they won't go soggy and also they will be less greasy. You can also use a paper towel, but the rack works amazing and is also zero waste.
- To make the dipping sauce, just mix all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes (photo 7).
- Serve the vegetable tempura and the sauce immediately (photo 8).
Pro tips
- Feel free to customize your vegetable tempura recipe with any flour you want or have on hand.
- You can also use any starch, or even omit this ingredient, but I think the batter works great with some kind of starch in it.
- Any oil will do. Extra virgin olive oil is my go-to. The amount of oil may vary depending on the size of the saucepan, wok, pot or skillet you're using.
- Pretty much any veggie is okay to make tempura.
- Mirin is a Japanese sweet wine. You could use some white wine instead, but I would add only 1 or 2 tablespoons and more vegetable stock. You can also use only vegetable stock instead.
- Any sweetener is okay.
What is vegetable tempura
Vegetable tempura is a traditional Japanese dish that consists of some veggies (and other ingredients) that are battered and deep-fried. It is usually made with seafood like shrimp, but this version is 100% vegan.
How to reheat vegetable tempura
This vegan tempura is much better freshly made, but you can keep leftover tempura pieces in an airtight container, so they don't touch each other.
Preheat the oven to 425ºF or 220ºC and place the tempura pieces onto a lined baking sheet. Then bake for 3 minutes on each side and serve immediately.
You could also use the microwave or even a skillet, but the oven is the best choice.
How to serve vegetable tempura
Feel free to serve your vegan tempura with any kind of Japanese-style dishes, such as vegan ramen. It's also delicious with sweet and sour sauce, vegan mayonnaise, and vegan tartar sauce.
Looking for more vegan Asian recipes?
Did you make this vegan tempura recipe?
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Vegetable Tempura
Ingredients
For the vegetable tempura:
- 1 cup flour, I used whole wheat flour
- 2 tablespoon cornstarch
- 1 tablespoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- 1 cup sparkling water
- 2 cups oil, see notes
- 1 large carrot, sliced
- ½ large red bell pepper, julienned
- ½ large head of broccoli, chopped, discard the stem
- ½ large zucchini, julienned
For the sauce:
- 1 cup vegetable stock or water
- ¼ cup soy sauce or tamari
- ¼ cup mirin, see notes
- 2 tablespoon maple syrup
Instructions
- Add the flour, cornstarch, baking powder, and salt to a large bowl and stir until well combined.
- Add the sparkling water gently, while you're whisking until well combined, but don't over-mix. You can use a whisk, a fork or your chopsticks. Set aside.
- Dip veggies into the batter, one at a time, to lightly coat, shaking off any excess batter.
- Pour the oil into a saucepan, wok, pot or a deep skillet and when it's hot, add the veggies. Cook for 1-2 minutes. Flip and cook 1-2 minutes on opposite sides. You could also use a fryer, but I prefer this method.
- To make your tempura extra crispy and extra beautiful, dip your chopsticks into the batter and just pat on the veggies. Repeat a few times on each piece of tempura. This step is optional.
- Don't add too many veggies at the same time or the temperature of the oil will drop and your tempura will go soggy. I usually add 4, but the number may vary depending on the size of your veggies. If you want to save time and you don't mind getting a better result, just add as many veggies as you want.
- Transfer the veggies to a cooling rack, that way they won't go soggy, and also they will be less greasy. You can also use a paper towel, but the rack works amazing and is also zero waste.
- To make the sauce, just mix all the ingredients in a saucepan, bring to a boil and simmer for 5 minutes.
- You can keep the sauce in an airtight container or a jar in the fridge for at least 1 week. The tempura is best when fresh, but you can keep the leftovers in an airtight container in the fridge for 3-4 days. The sauce is optional, but your tempura pieces will taste much better if you dip them into the sauce.
Notes
- Feel free to use any flour you want or have on hand.
- You can also use any starch, or even omit this ingredient, but I think the batter works great with some kind of starch in it.
- Any oil will do. Extra virgin olive oil is my go-to. The amount of oil may vary depending on the size of the saucepan, wok, pot or skillet you're using.
- Pretty much any veggie is okay to make tempura.
- Mirin is a Japanese sweet wine. You could use some white wine instead, but I would add only 1 or 2 tablespoons and more vegetable stock. You can also use only vegetable stock instead.
- Any sweetener is okay.
Nutrition
Update Notes: This post was originally published in December of 2019, but was republished with new photos, step-by-step instructions, and tips in February of 2022.
Marina Scofield says
Love your tempura recipe and hope to try it soon. Are you aware of all the meat ads on your site? Bacon for the tempura, Sausage, Iconic Foods... 🙁 Just thought you should know. I'm a new vegan and happy to find your recipes.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Marina! So glad you liked our recipe 🙂 Sorry for the ads, we can't choose them 🙁
Chris Roest says
Whats wrong with meat ads? Just ignore them if you don't eat meat.
Gianna says
Thank you! You are fantastic.. This is TEMPURA! You always satisfy our family’s cravings with your delicious recipes.. Vegan and Proud..
Kathryn Gannon says
You can buy tempura batter mix at the supermarket or just use self raising flour and fizzy water.
Cathy Carsen says
This was delicious! I love that you used whole wheat flour. I do think it's healthy and I am saving it in my favorite recipe file. Thank you!!! Keep these great recipes coming. 🙂
Iosune Robles says
So glad you liked it Cathy! Have a nice day!
celesta says
Hello and thank you. I made this tonight for our dinner and we really enjoyed. Of course, I varied the batter and sauce ingredients a bit, but used your recipe as a template. During "shelter-in-place" it is so nice to have some variety at home. And right now, with such an abundance of veggies, it's the best. I may have included 8 different veggies. So, just to say, Big Thanks, Celesta
Iosune Robles says
Hi Celesta! Thanks for your kind words 🙂 Have a nice day!
Pete says
simple and great thanks..
Iosune Robles says
Hi Pete! Thanks for your comment! I'm so glad you liked it 🙂
Yaron Margolin says
Great recipe thanks It is clearly written, and see that you understand and love it. Thank you very much
liza miles says
Good sauce but the batter didn't work for me. So I'll use my other batter recipe and your sauce in future. Thanks.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Liza, I am so sorry! How can I help you?
Rek says
This recipe is good, I tried it. I made it because I didn't have panko on hand, but I don't think the recipe should technically be named "tempura", as tempura is made with panko, and results in an airier and crispy texture that resists absorbing oil when fried. Whole wheat flour absorbs a LOT more oil. I wouldn't all this recipe healthier. Saying it might be a good selling point but it's simply not true. I'm not personally worried about the fact it's less healthy, I mean, it's a fried food, but calling it 'super healthy' is very strange indeed.
I'm giving it 4 stars because it's still a good recipe, but knocked one of for accuracy in the text as far as 'health' goes, and for calling it tempura, which it definitely isn't.
Iosune Robles says
Hi Rek, what I wanted to say was that it is healthier than the classic tempura.
So glad you liked it 🙂 Thanks for your words!
Jean-Francois Mignault says
I agree with you Rek that this is not a proper/classic tempura recipe but not for reason mentioned as traditionally and through most of japan top tempura dont use panko at all. Its basically ice cold water and cake flower period and surely not deep fried in olive oil which is quite a bad oil to use for deep frying as you should use vegetable oil or rice oil that you could mix with a bit of sesame oil. And no cornstarch...simplicity is a bliss and even if you dont nail it 1st time around you should keep on trying instead of transforming a simple and traditional recipe...Japenese food is too often seen as simplistic but trust me they are all very deceiving
Iosune says
Hi Jean-Francois! This is not the classic Japanese version, it's more like an American version. Have a nice day!
Wherelocated.net says
It looks really great. I want to do this. Thanks.
Iosune says
Hi! So glad you like it 🙂
Ali Ginn says
I am trying to limit oil. Do you think an air fryer could be used?
Iosune says
Hi Ali! I think it could work, but I've never tried it myself, so I'm not 100% sure. Have a nice day!
Kathryn Gannon says
No the batter would just dribble off.
Edie Gardner says
I heard that whole wheat flour is not good for u
Iosune says
Hi Edi! Whole wheat flour is a really healthy option 🙂 Refined flour is not. Have a nice day!