How To Make Shrimp Tempura At Home - Carmy

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    Light and crispy, this homemade Shrimp Tempura is surprisingly simple to make! Coated in a simple batter and then fried, you’ll be making this crunchy tempura shrimp in no time with these easy-to-follow steps.

    A popular dish at sushi restaurants, shrimp tempura is an appetizer, side dish, main dish, and an ingredient all at once! It can be served on its own or inside of a sushi roll. It’s definitely one of my favourite items to order as it’s light, crispy, and absolutely addictive.

    A platter of shrimp tempura with a bowl of dipping sauce.

    Why You’ll Love This Tempura Shrimp

    • It’s made with everyday ingredients. You can actually whip up a batch of shrimp tempura in no time. The ingredients are pretty much pantry staples at my house so it doesn’t require me to go out to buy anything so chances are, you won’t have to either!
    • It’s so easy to make as all you have to do is dip the shrimp in a batter then fry it. It also only takes a couple of minutes to fry as well so it cooks quickly!
    • It’s super addictive and tasty as I can literally eat a whole batch by myself!

    Ingredients You’ll Need

    For the Shrimp

    • tiger prawns — also named giant tiger prawn, Asian tiger shrimp, or black tiger shrimp. I like using these ones are they are large. They are also sold in stores deveined and with an easy peel option so I love how it’s a time saving option.
    • mirin
    • potato starch — if you don’t have potato starch, you can use cornstarch.
    • oil for frying — I use vegetable oil but you can use whatever neutral oil with a high smoke point.

    For the Tempura Batter

    • flour — all purpose flour is perfectly fine for making tempura batter. No need to break out the fancy flours.
    • egg
    • ice cold water

    How to Make Shrimp Tempura at Home

    Bowl of raw tiger shrimp.
    Shrimp being peeled.
    • Prepare the shrimp by peeling it and deveining it as needed. I keep the tail on. While the easy peel and deveined shrimps cost a little more, I find it’s worth the cost to save time!
    Shrimp on a cutting board.
    Shrimp being cut.
    Shrimp being cut.
    Prepared shrimp on a cutting board.
    • Straighten the shrimp by cutting small slits on the underside (curved side) of the shrimp. Around 3 to 4 slits are needed.
    Prepared shrimp in a plate.
    Mirin being added to shrimp.
    • Add the shrimp to a shallow plate and add the mirin. Let the shrimp marinate in the fridge for up to 15 minutes.
    • Add oil to a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and bring it up to 340F/170C.
    • Prepare the tempura batter by mixing together the flour, egg, and ice water.
    Potato starch added to shrimp.
    Shrimp being dipped in tempura batter.
    • Lightly dust the shrimp with potato starch before dipping the shrimp into the batter.
    Shrimp tempura added to a pot of oil.
    Shrimp tempura being scooped out of pot of oil.
    • Add the batter-coated shrimp into the hot oil and allow the shrimp to cook for 2 to 3 minutes in small batches.
    • Transfer the fried shrimp to a cooling rack over top of a sheet pan to cool. Between batches, skim the crumbs in the oil with a fine-mesh strainer.
    • Enjoy immediately or store in an airtight container once cooled.
    Shrimp tempura on a cooling rack.

    Recipe Tips

    • To make the small slits, I prefer using a paring knife over a chef’s knife.
    • Avoid cutting the slits more than halfway through. I usually cut around a quarter of the way through when straightening the shrimp.
    • Avoid letting the batter sit for too long, you want to make sure the ingredients for the batter and the batter stays cold.
    • While the shrimp is in the fridge, prepare the oil for frying. It takes time for the oil to come up to a temperature ideal for frying.
    • Don’t overload the oil with too much shrimp at once as it’ll bring the temperature down. Be sure to cook in batches. If the oil gets too cold, the batter will get soggy and if the oil is too hot, the exterior will burn before the inside cooks.
    • Try my Vegetable Tempura if you want to have a mini feast or to make the best use of your oil.
    Close up of shrimp tempura beside a dipping sauce.

    FAQs

    How do I thaw shrimp?

    You can thaw shrimp overnight in the fridge or you can do a quick thaw by soaking it in cold water for up to 30 minutes.

    Why does the batter have to be cold?

    The cold ingredients helps the batter stay light and fluffy as the cold batter won’t absorb a ton of oil as it fries. It’s also important to use the batter ASAP as gluten will form if it sits around for too long.

    What do I use to skim the oil?

    I use a shallow fine mesh strainer to skim the oil. I find it must easier to maneuver than one that’s deeper.Fine mesh strainer.

    Why do I coat the shrimp with potato starch?

    When you coat the shrimp with potato starch, it helps the batter stick better to the shrimp. If you don’t have potato starch, cornstarch works as well.

    What do I do with the leftover oil?

    Be sure to dispose of your leftover oil correctly. Do not pour it down the sink as it will clog your pipes. Where I live, the oil must be disposed in the trash once it has cooled.

    Can I reuse frying oil?

    Yes, you can! You can save the oil and reuse it by straining the oil through a fine mesh sieve. Check out this post by Epicurious for tips on reusing frying oil. You should definitely try my Chicken Katsu if you’re looking for something else to fry with the oil.

    What can I serve this with?

    You can serve shrimp tempura on its own, with rice, with ramen, with sesame noodles, in sushi rolls, in a sushi bowl, in a sandwich, or more! I also like to serve my tempura shrimp with tempura dipping sauce. This tempura is also great for tempura udon!

    Why is my tempura not crispy?

    It’s important that the oil is at 340F/170C. If the oil is not hot enough, then the batter absorbs too much oil, causing it to be soggy. I use an instant-read thermometer and recommend you get one as it’s a super handy kitchen tool!

    Close up of shrimp tempura on a plate.

    Make Ahead Tips

    • Meal prep: once cooled, store the cooked shrimp tempura in an airtight container for up to 4 days in the fridge. Reheat it in the oven or air fryer to keep it crispy. When storing the tempura shrimp, if it’s still hot, it will get soggy.
    • Freezer: allow the cooked shrimp tempura to cool before transferring them into an airtight container before storing them in the freezer. They can last for up to 2 to 3 months.
    A platter of shrimp tempura with a bowl of dipping sauce.

    Shrimp Tempura

    Light and crispy, this homemade Shrimp Tempura is surprisingly simple to make! Coated in a simple batter and then fried, you’ll be making this crunchy tempura shrimp in no time with these easy-to-follow steps. 5 from 50 votes Print Recipe Rate this Recipe Prep Time: 20 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 30 minutes Servings: 4 servings

    Ingredients

    • oil, for frying

    For the Shrimp

    • 20 tiger prawns, around 1 lb
    • 1 tbsp mirin
    • potato starch, for dusting, approximately 1 tbsp

    For the Tempura Batter

    • 1 cup all purpose flour
    • 1 large egg, cold
    • 1 cup ice cold water

    Equipment

    • Dutch oven

    Instructions

    • Prepare the shrimp by peeling it and deveining it as needed. I keep the tail on.
    • Straighten the shrimp by cutting small slits on the underside (curved side) of the shrimp. Around 3 to 4 slits are needed.
    • Add the shrimp to a shallow plate and add the mirin. Let the shrimp marinate in the fridge for up to 15 minutes.
    • Add oil to a large Dutch oven or heavy-bottomed pot and bring it up to 340F/170C.
    • Prepare the tempura batter by mixing together the flour, egg, and ice water.
    • Lightly dust the shrimp with potato starch before dipping the shrimp into the batter.
    • Add the batter-coated shrimp into the hot oil and allow the shrimp to cook for 2 to 3 minutes in small batches.
    • Transfer the fried shrimp to a cooling rack over top of a sheet pan to cool. Between batches, skim the crumbs in the oil with a fine-mesh strainer.
    Tried this recipe?Did you make this recipe? I’m always so happy to hear about it! I’d love to see how it turned out. Tag me at @CarmysHungry on Instagram so I can see it! If you enjoyed the recipe, I’d really appreciate a comment with a 5 star rating! ♥ Author: Carmy Course: Appetizer, Main CourseCuisine: Japanese Nutrition Disclaimer

    More Recipes You’ll Love

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    Want More Shrimp Recipes?

    • Honey Walnut Shrimp
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    • Stir Fry Shrimp and Noodles

    Other places to connect with me@carmyshungry on InstagramFacebookShop my Amazon favesEmail: [email protected]

    5 from 50 votes (50 ratings without comment)

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    Carmy is a healthy-ish living blogger based in Ontario. Here, you can find healthy-ish recipes including meal prep recipes, Instant Pot recipes, air fryer recipes, and lightened-up family favorites! Follow along for easy, straightforward recipes for any cooking level.

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