True tempura batter drips and won't set in an air fryer, but a light flour-egg-panko coating gives the same crispy, golden result with a fraction of the oil. Here's the trick.
Key takeaways
Q: Can you make tempura in an air fryer?
A: Wet batter won't set, but a flour-egg-panko coating air fried at 200°C (400°F) for 8–10 minutes gives a crispy, tempura-style result.
Q: Which vegetables work?
A: Peppers, courgette, broccoli, mushrooms, sweet potato and green beans all crisp well.
The coating trick
Skip the runny batter — coat the vegetables in seasoned flour, beaten egg, then panko breadcrumbs. The panko crisps into a light, crunchy shell that holds without dripping. A spray of oil helps it turn golden.
The recipe
Air Fryer Tempura Vegetables
Ingredients
- Mixed veg (peppers, courgette, broccoli)
- 50g flour, 1 egg
- 80g panko breadcrumbs
- Oil spray, soy dip
Method
- Coat the veg in flour, egg and panko.
- Spray with oil; single layer.
- Air fry at 200°C for 8–10 minutes.
- Serve with a soy or sweet chilli dip.
Tips
- Panko, not batter — it sets crisp in the air fryer.
- Single layer so each piece crisps.
- Dip in soy, ponzu or sweet chilli.
Frequently asked questions
Can you make tempura in an air fryer?
Traditional wet batter won't set, but a flour-egg-panko coating air fried at 200°C for 8–10 minutes gives a crispy, tempura-style result with far less oil.
Which vegetables work best for air fryer tempura?
Peppers, courgette, broccoli, mushrooms, sweet potato and green beans all crisp up well with a panko coating.
Why won't batter work in an air fryer?
Wet tempura batter drips off before it can set in the dry, circulating air, so a breadcrumb coating works far better.