I finally cracked How To Make Tempura Shrimp that stays impossibly light and crispy, and I’m not kidding when I say your guests will fight over the last piece.
I’m obsessed with Crispy Shrimp and I can’t shut up about that crackling batter, the way it explodes with each bite. I love the salt, the snap, the greasy-hot joy.
And the contrast with tangy soy in a dipping sauce makes me do that happy sigh. I crave Tempura Recipe nights when friends show up and we demolish bowls of fried glory.
But seriously, it’s about texture more than anything. The airy crunch against tender shrimp.
I keep it simple: 1 lb large shrimp and 1 cup ice cold water on standby. Give me more, right now.
No shame. Eat.
Ingredients
- Large shrimp — juicy protein, tails give grip and stay cute when you eat them.
- All purpose flour — gives structure to the batter so it holds on crunchy bits.
- Cornstarch — makes batter lighter and crispier, that’s the real crunch hero.
- Baking powder — adds tiny lift, so batter isn’t heavy and sits nicely.
- Fine salt — seasons everything; you’ll taste the shrimp, not just the batter.
- Egg — binds the batter and adds a little richness, nothing fancy.
- Ice cold water — keeps batter cold so it fries up extra crisp.
- Vegetable or canola oil — neutral frying oil, so the shrimp shines not the fat.
- Extra cornstarch or flour — dusts shrimp for better batter cling, simple trick.
- Dashi stock — savory base for dipping sauce, gives that subtle umami boost.
- Soy sauce — salty backbone for the dipping sauce, you’ll want more sometimes.
- Mirin — adds mild sweetness and gloss to the dipping sauce.
- Grated daikon — optional, brightens the sauce and cuts through the oiliness.
- Lemon wedges — optional, a quick squeeze wakes up the fried flavors.
- Green onions or shichimi togarashi — optional garnish, adds color and a kick.
Ingredient Quantities
- 1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1/3 cup cornstarch
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus extra for seasoning
- 1 large egg
- 1 cup ice cold water (or sparkling water if you got it)
- Vegetable oil or canola oil for deep frying, about 4 cups or enough for a 3 inch deep pot
- 1 to 2 tablespoons extra cornstarch or flour for dusting shrimp
- For dipping sauce – 1/2 cup dashi stock
- For dipping sauce – 1/4 cup soy sauce
- For dipping sauce – 1/4 cup mirin
- Optional: grated daikon radish for the sauce
- Optional: lemon wedges for serving
- Optional: thinly sliced green onions or shichimi togarashi for garnish
How to Make this
1. Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, leave the tails on, then make 3 small shallow cuts along the belly side to straighten them; toss the shrimp lightly with 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour so the batter sticks better.
2. In a bowl sift together 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; mix but dont overwork it.
3. In a separate bowl beat 1 large egg briefly, then add 1 cup ice cold water or sparkling water and stir gently; cold or fizzy water keeps the batter super light.
4. Pour the wet into the dry and fold once or twice with chopsticks or a fork until just combined; it should be lumpy and slightly runny, not smooth. Overmixing makes the batter heavy.
5. Heat about 4 cups vegetable or canola oil in a pot to 350 to 375 F (175 to 190 C); if you dont have a thermometer drop a little batter in and it should sizzle and float immediately.
6. Dust each shrimp lightly with extra cornstarch or flour, dip into the batter letting excess drip off, then gently lower into the hot oil in batches so they dont stick together; fry 2 to 3 minutes until pale golden and crisp.
7. Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate and season immediately with a little fine salt; rest shrimp a minute so they stay crunchy.
8. For the dipping sauce combine 1/2 cup dashi stock, 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup mirin in a small saucepan and warm briefly; add grated daikon radish if you like, it mellows the saltiness.
9. Serve the shrimp hot with the sauce, lemon wedges, and optional thinly sliced green onions or a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi. Eat soon after frying for best crunch.
Equipment Needed
1. Large mixing bowl for the batter and another small bowl for the egg + ice water mix
2. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, water)
3. Whisk or fork (you can use chopsticks to fold too)
4. Sharp kitchen shears or knife and paper towels (to trim and pat shrimp dry)
5. Heavy pot or Dutch oven that can hold about 3 inches of oil
6. Candy or deep-fry thermometer, or a small spoon to test oil temp by dropping batter in
7. Slotted spoon or tongs for lowering and removing shrimp from oil
8. Wire rack set over a baking sheet, or paper towel lined plate for draining
9. Small saucepan for warming the dipping sauce
10. Lemon juicer or small bowl for serving garnishes like lemon wedges, sliced green onions or grated daikon
FAQ
Crispy Shrimp Tempura Recipe Substitutions and Variations
- All purpose flour: swap for cake flour or low protein pastry flour for an even lighter, less chewy batter. Works great if you want extra delicate crunch.
- Cornstarch: use potato starch or tapioca starch instead, same crisping power and they tolerate heat well.
- Ice cold water: if you dont have it, use very cold sparkling water or a light lager beer for extra lift and bubbles in the batter.
- Vegetable oil or canola oil: use peanut oil or grapeseed oil for higher smoke points and neutral flavor, just watch for nut allergies.
Pro Tips
1) Keep the water for the batter ice cold, even stick an ice cube in it for a minute before you mix. Mix the wet into the dry only once or twice, it should be lumpy, not smooth. If you overmix the batter you get a heavy greasy coating.
2) Dry the shrimp really well and make the little belly cuts to straighten them, then dust with a bit of cornstarch so the batter sticks. If the shrimp are wet the batter slides right off and you end up with blobs.
3) Don’t crowd the fryer, do small batches so the oil temp doesn’t drop. Use a candy thermometer if you got one, 350 to 375 F is the sweet spot. If you don’t have a thermometer drop a bit of batter in, it should sizzle and float right away.
4) Season immediately when they come out, a little fine salt while they’re hot makes a big difference. Let them rest a minute on a rack so steam escapes or they’ll get soggy, then serve right away for max crunch.
Crispy Shrimp Tempura Recipe
I finally cracked How To Make Tempura Shrimp that stays impossibly light and crispy, and I’m not kidding when I say your guests will fight over the last piece.
4
servings
426
kcal
Equipment: 1. Large mixing bowl for the batter and another small bowl for the egg + ice water mix
2. Measuring cups and spoons (for flour, cornstarch, baking powder, salt, water)
3. Whisk or fork (you can use chopsticks to fold too)
4. Sharp kitchen shears or knife and paper towels (to trim and pat shrimp dry)
5. Heavy pot or Dutch oven that can hold about 3 inches of oil
6. Candy or deep-fry thermometer, or a small spoon to test oil temp by dropping batter in
7. Slotted spoon or tongs for lowering and removing shrimp from oil
8. Wire rack set over a baking sheet, or paper towel lined plate for draining
9. Small saucepan for warming the dipping sauce
10. Lemon juicer or small bowl for serving garnishes like lemon wedges, sliced green onions or grated daikon
Ingredients
1 lb large shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails left on
1 cup all purpose flour
1/3 cup cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon baking powder
1/2 teaspoon fine salt, plus extra for seasoning
1 large egg
1 cup ice cold water (or sparkling water if you got it)
Vegetable oil or canola oil for deep frying, about 4 cups or enough for a 3 inch deep pot
1 to 2 tablespoons extra cornstarch or flour for dusting shrimp
For dipping sauce – 1/2 cup dashi stock
For dipping sauce – 1/4 cup soy sauce
For dipping sauce – 1/4 cup mirin
Optional: grated daikon radish for the sauce
Optional: lemon wedges for serving
Optional: thinly sliced green onions or shichimi togarashi for garnish
Directions
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels, leave the tails on, then make 3 small shallow cuts along the belly side to straighten them; toss the shrimp lightly with 1 to 2 tablespoons cornstarch or flour so the batter sticks better.
- In a bowl sift together 1 cup all purpose flour, 1/3 cup cornstarch, 1/2 teaspoon baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon fine salt; mix but dont overwork it.
- In a separate bowl beat 1 large egg briefly, then add 1 cup ice cold water or sparkling water and stir gently; cold or fizzy water keeps the batter super light.
- Pour the wet into the dry and fold once or twice with chopsticks or a fork until just combined; it should be lumpy and slightly runny, not smooth. Overmixing makes the batter heavy.
- Heat about 4 cups vegetable or canola oil in a pot to 350 to 375 F (175 to 190 C); if you dont have a thermometer drop a little batter in and it should sizzle and float immediately.
- Dust each shrimp lightly with extra cornstarch or flour, dip into the batter letting excess drip off, then gently lower into the hot oil in batches so they dont stick together; fry 2 to 3 minutes until pale golden and crisp.
- Remove with a slotted spoon to a wire rack or paper towel lined plate and season immediately with a little fine salt; rest shrimp a minute so they stay crunchy.
- For the dipping sauce combine 1/2 cup dashi stock, 1/4 cup soy sauce and 1/4 cup mirin in a small saucepan and warm briefly; add grated daikon radish if you like, it mellows the saltiness.
- Serve the shrimp hot with the sauce, lemon wedges, and optional thinly sliced green onions or a sprinkle of shichimi togarashi. Eat soon after frying for best crunch.
Notes
- Below you’ll find my best estimate of this recipe’s nutrition facts. Treat the numbers as a guide rather than a rule—great food should nourish both body and spirit. Figures are approximate, and the website owner assumes no liability for any inaccuracies in this recipe.
Nutrition Facts
- Serving Size: 300g
- Total number of serves: 4
- Calories: 426kcal
- Fat: 14.4g
- Saturated Fat: 1.5g
- Trans Fat: 0g
- Polyunsaturated: 4.3g
- Monounsaturated: 8.6g
- Cholesterol: 268mg
- Sodium: 1456mg
- Potassium: 348mg
- Carbohydrates: 40g
- Fiber: 1g
- Sugar: 7.5g
- Protein: 31.8g
- Vitamin A: 68IU
- Vitamin C: 0mg
- Calcium: 97mg
- Iron: 0.93mg
