This Japanese Broccoli Tempura recipe is one of the best ways to make broccoli irresistible. Made with a light, airy, crispy homemade tempura batter and perfectly fried broccoli florets. It's a golden, crunchy, easy, and wildly satisfying!
This Japanese batter works well with any protein or vegetables you love. If you’re as tempura-obsessed as we are, you’ve gotta try Khin’s family favourite Prawn Tempura and Chicken Tempura recipes next!
Broccoli Fries that Kids Actually Eat
Even my pickiest kid can’t resist this crispy veggie tempura! You know how kids can sniff out a vegetable from a mile away? Mine certainly can. But the first time I made these tempura broccoli bites, the sound alone made me curious. One bite later, he said, “These are broccoli fries! Love it!”
Now, broccoli tempura has become our weekly crispy treat. Honestly, it is way cheaper than ordering takeout from a Japanese restaurant. Plus, it’s super easy, fun to make, and really tasty!
So next time, if you’re staring at a head of broccoli wondering what to do with it, tempura it!
Ingredients ( Broccoli and Pantry Staples! )
You’ll find the full measurements in the recipe card, but here’s the quick idea:
- Fresh broccoli ( tenderstem or regular broccoli )
- A light homemade tempura batter made with flour, cornstarch, salt, baking powder, egg, and ice-cold water.
- A quick tempura dipping sauce with soy sauce, mirin, rice vinegar (or lemon juice), sugar, and ginger.
How to Make Tempura with Broccoli
- Prepare the Broccoli:
Rinse broccoli with plenty of water, shake off excess water and pat dry with a clean towel. Cut into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly.
You can also slice the stalks into thin sticks if they are too thick.
- Mix the Batter:
In a large mixing bowl, combine the tempura batter flour ingredients except water.
- Coat with flour: Dredge each broccoli piece in the flour mixture, then set it aside.
Preheat the oil before dipping in the batter. Fill the frying pot with oil until it’s about 2-3 inches deep. Heat the oil to around 170-180°C (340-355°F). Use a thermometer if you have one. If it is too hot, the batter will burn, and if it is too cool, it will be greasy!
- Dip in the tempura batter: Gently stir in the cold water into the leftover flour mix. Do not overmix, and it’s okay if the batter is a little lumpy. Then dip the broccoli pieces.
- Fry in Preheated Oil: Dip each broccoli piece into the batter, letting any excess drip off. Carefully place them in the hot oil. While frying, sprinkle a little extra batter on top to create a beautiful tempura coating.
- Drain Oil and Serve: Fry in small batches so the temperature stays consistent. Cook for 2-4 minutes until the batter is crispy. Place on paper towels or a wire rack to drain excess oil.
Combine dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until sugar dissolves. Serve it together while the tempura is warm, fresh, and crispy.
Japanese Secret to Perfect Tempura
Traditional Japanese tempura chefs keep the batter ice cold and mix it for only a few seconds, just enough to combine. Lumps are a good thing! They create those little pockets of air that make the coating so light and crisp.
Serve Right Away! Because tempura is like a snowflake, beautiful, fleeting, and best enjoyed when freshly fried.
A thin, airy coating brings out the vegetable's natural flavour, so you do not need much seasoning to make it taste amazing.
Khin’s Little Tempura Tricks That Make a Difference
- Place the tempura batter bowl over an ice bowl if your kitchen is warm.
- Never overcrowd the oil, as the tempura coating needs room to breathe and get crispy.
- Any moisture on the broccoli can make the batter soggy, so pat it dry thoroughly after washing.
- Slice florets and stalks into similar sizes so they cook at the same rate. Smaller pieces are easier to dip, fry, and eat, especially for kids.
- Don’t throw away the stalks. They’re sweeter than you think and taste beautiful when battered and deep-fried!
- Not a Broccoli Person? No Problem! You can try cauliflower, sweet potato, green beans, asparagus, mushrooms, or even potatoes!
Reheating What Works and What Doesn’t
Tempura tastes best fresh, straight from the fryer, but that doesn’t mean leftovers have to be sad.
Skip reheating in the microwave. It makes the batter soggy. Instead, pop it in the oven or air fryer at 175–180°C (350–360°F) for a few minutes, and it comes out crispy again.
Can you make a big batch and freeze it for later use?
Yes! If you want to keep it longer, you can freeze fried broccoli bites in a freezer-safe bag and reheat them later in the air fryer.
Remember: a quick reheat is enough, tempura is delicate, and frying it again can overcook the broccoli and burn the batter.
Dip with your Favourite Sauce
Tentsuyu is the classic Japanese dipping sauce, made with dashi, mirin, and soy sauce, that goes well with broccoli tempura. Tempura also pairs well with other sauces like ponzu, sweet chilli sauce, sweet and sour sauce, or Thai sriracha for a different twist.
We love having it with our simple, quick ginger-soy dipping sauce with soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, sugar, and ginger.
More Crispy Batter Goodness to Try!
- Fish Tempura ( Crispy fish with classic Japanese tempura batter! )
- Vegetable Pakora ( Fried golden mixed vegetables with crispy batter. )
- Crispy Fried Courgette ( Courgette slices with simple panko coating )
- Battered Sausage ( Delicious sausages coated in classic egg and flour batter. )
- Chinese Chicken Balls ( Chinese takeaway style, fluffy batter fried chicken balls )
Love This Recipe?
If you give this Tempura broccoli a try, don’t forget to leave me ⭐ ratings and share your thoughts in the comments below! It’s one of our family favourites and I’d love to hear how it turns out in your kitchen. Save, share, and subscribe to my newsletter so you never miss another tasty recipe!
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📖 Recipe
Broccoli Tempura
Ingredients
- 300 grams Broccoli Tenderstem or regular broccoli
- Oil for frying High smoke-point neutral flavour oil
For the Batter
- 100 grams Flour All purpose flour
- 30 grams Cornstarch Potato starch
- ½ tsp Salt
- ½ tsp Baking powder
- 1 Egg
- 180 ml Water Ice-cold water
For the Dipping Sauce
- 1 tbsp Soy Sauce Regular all-purpose soy sauce
- 1 tbsp Mirin Japanese rice cooking wine ( optional )
- 1 tbsp Rice vinegar Or Lemon juice
- 1 tsp Brown sugar Or honey
- ¼ tsp Ginger Grated ginger
Instructions
Prepare the Broccoli and Batter Flour
- Rinse broccoli with plenty of water, shake off excess water and pat dry with a clean towel. Cut into bite-sized pieces so they cook evenly. You can also slice the stalks into thin sticks if they are too thick.
- In a large mixing bowl, combine the tempura batter flour ingredients except water.
Coat with Flour and Preheat the Oil
- Dredge each broccoli piece in the flour mixture, then set it aside. Preheat the oil before dipping in the batter.
- Fill the frying pot with oil until it’s about 2-3 inches deep. Heat the oil to around 170-180°C (340-355°F). Use a thermometer if you have one. If it is too hot, the batter will burn, and if it is too cool, it will be greasy!
Dip in the Batter and Fry
- Gently stir in the cold water into the leftover flour mix. Do not overmix, and it’s okay if the batter is a little lumpy. Then dip the broccoli pieces.
- Dip each broccoli piece into the batter, letting any excess drip off. Carefully place them in the hot oil. While frying, sprinkle a little extra batter on top to create a beautiful tempura coating.
- Fry in small batches so the temperature stays consistent. Cook for 2-4 minutes until the batter is crispy. Place on paper towels or a wire rack to drain excess oil.
Make Dipping Sauce and Serve
- Combine dipping sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix until sugar dissolves. Serve it together while the tempura is warm, fresh, and crispy.
Notes
- Use the right neutral high smoke point frying oils like sunflower, canola, or vegetable oil.
- Why baking powder in the batter? It is added to the tempura batter to make it lighter and crispier. Baking powder releases tiny bubbles when fried, creating that delicate, airy crunch.
Robert T says
Love the ideas of this recipe. My fussy son enjoy the broccoli so much now.