Simple Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura Recipe
Looking for a simple shrimp and vegetable tempura recipe? This is it. When my daughter and I go out to eat and tempura is on the menu, we almost always get it. But for a fraction of the cost, and a fun recipe to make with friends or family. Who says Weight Watchers has to be boring food?
Do you need a deep fryer for tempura?
You don’t need a deep fryer to make delicious tempura at home! All you need is a heavy-bottomed pot and enough oil to submerge your ingredients. The key is maintaining the oil temperature between 350°F and 375°F. This high heat quickly sears the outside, locking in moisture and creating that light, crispy texture without soaking up excess oil. The result? Perfectly crunchy tempura that’s anything but greasy.
We also used our induction burner, which holds the right temperature. If you don’t have a thermometer, simply put a wooden spoon in the middle of the oil. If you see bubbles around the spoon, you are good to go.
We used seltzer for our tempura, but you can use water. Simply make sure the water/seltzer is really cold. Once the batter is made, place that into a larger bowl filled with ice to keep the batter cold between frying. We cooked each individual vegetable separately. The total frying time was about 10-15 minutes. Everything stayed warm and crispy.
Simple Shrimp and Vegetable Tempura
This simple shrimp and vegetable tempura recipe will be a hit with the whole family. Feel free to use your favorite veggies!
Ingredients
- 4 extra large shrimp
- 1 pound of mixed vegetables (we used green beans, broccoli, mushrooms and zucchini)
- For the batter:
- 1 cup all purpose flour
- 1 cup ice cold water (we used cold seltzer)
- 1 large egg
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
Prep your ingredients first (shrimp peeled, veggies sliced), and keep them dry and ready to dip.
In a bowl, beat the egg lightly, then add the ice-cold water (or seltzer) and mix gently.
Add the flour (and optional cornstarch) to the liquid. Stir it just until combined—a few lumps are totally fine! Don’t overmix or it’ll get gummy.
Keep the batter bowl over ice if possible while frying to keep it cold.
Dip shrimp or veggies into the batter and fry immediately in 350°F–375°F oil until golden (about 2–3 minutes per piece). Drain on paper towels.
Notes
Since we fried our tempura at the right temperature, it is crispy, not greasy. But for Weight Watchers, I've added 1 tablespoon of oil to account for the deep frying. As of the date of publication, this is 5 WW points. Click here for the WW tracker. [note: the tracker will only work if you view this recipe on your phone. WW removed recipes from their website in April of 2024]
What kind of dipping sauce can be used for tempura?
Hannah made a quick sauce: 1/8 teaspoon chicken bouillion, 1/4 cup warm water, 1 tablespoon soy sauce, 1 tablespoon mirin
My sauce: 3 tablespoons Greek yogurt mixed with 3 tablespoons reduced sugar Thai chili sauce that can be found in most grocery stores
Both were delish!
New Here?
If you are new here, welcome to My Bizzy Kitchen! I started this blog 16 years ago to document my recipes and daily life, never imagining it would one day become my full-time career. After losing my husband nearly 10 years ago, I navigated the hardest chapter of my life while still finding joy in cooking and sharing my journey.
In December 2020, I took a leap of faith and left my 30-year career as a legal secretary to pursue My Bizzy Kitchen full-time, a decision that changed my life.
Two years later, in October 2022, I was able to hire my daughter, Hannah, full-time, which brings me so much joy. Now, My Bizzy Kitchen is more than just recipes. It’s about embracing life, finding balance, and making healthy living sustainable and fun.
Follow along for delicious recipes (mostly Weight Watchers friendly!), realistic weight loss tips, and my daily adventures on Instagram, YouTube, TikTok, and Facebook (@mybizzykitchen). Let’s get bizzy in the kitchen together!
Looking for more Weight Watchers inspiration? Check out my chicken recipes!
