Tempura Fried Strawberries

Tempura Strawberries! Deep fried strawberries with a super thin batter coating. Enjoy with Chocolate Orange Dipping Sugar.

Beauty shot tempura strawberry.

Have you ever eaten strawberries still warm from the sun? That’s what Tempura fried Strawberries taste like.

Compared to other recipes for deep fried strawberries, you find the tempura batter is very thin. The berries just need to fry for 1 minute so they don’t really cook in the coating, they just warm up and become super juicy.

Ingredients for tempura batter in bowls.

Ingredient Notes

  • Cake Flour – Low protein cake flour does not absorb as much moisture as all purpose flour. This keeps the coating very thin.
  • Vodka – By replacing some of the water with vodka you’ll form less gluten in the batter and end up with a super light and crisp tempura coating. If you don’t have vodka available, or don’t like to use alcohol, you can use all seltzer instead.
A grater, a piece of chocolate and a bowl with sugar, orange zest and chocolate.

How to make Tempura Strawberries

  • Assemble the ingredients for the batter.
  • Make the chocolate orange dipping sugar.
a pot of oil and a cooling rack over a sheet pan.
  • Set up a sheet pan with a cooling rack next to the oil. As the strawberries are fried, you will put them on the rack to drain.
A hand dipping a strawberry into batter.
  • Hold a strawberry by the leaf on top.
  • Dip the berry into the batter and let the excess drip back into the bowl.
A pot of oil with a strawberry frying in it.
  • Gently drop the strawberry into the oil.
  • Continue frying several strawberries at a time. Let them cook 1-2 minutes until crisp.
fried strawberries on a cooling rack.
  • Drain the strawberries on a cooling rack and continue frying.

FAQs

How long do Deep Fried Strawberries keep?

They don’t. Eat them still warm from the fryer.

Can I make them ahead?

You can’t fry them ahead. But you can assemble the ingredients for the batter and make the dipping sugar. While the oil heats up finish mixing the tempura batter.

beauty shot tempura strawberries.
a tempura strawberry in a bowl of chocolate dipping sugar.

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4.58 from 7 reviews

Tempura Strawberries Recipe

Have you ever eaten strawberries still warm from the sun? That’s what Tempura Strawberries taste like.
Prep Time20 minutes
Bake Time20 minutes
Total Time40 minutes
4 servings
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Ingredients

Dipping Sugar

Strawberries

  • 2 quarts vegetable oil
  • 4 ½ oz cake flour (1 cup)
  • 1 teaspoon granulated sugar
  • ¼ teaspoon salt
  • 4 oz vodka (½ cup (see note))
  • 4 oz seltzer water (½ cup)
  • 1 large egg (whisked)
  • 1 quart strawberries (wipe clean with damp paper towel)

Instructions

Make Dipping Sugar

  • Finely grate the zest from half the orange. Combine 2 oz granulated sugar with the zest and grated 2 oz semi-sweet chocolate in a small bowl. Toss with a fork to combine. Set aside.

Fry the strawberries

  • Heat 2 quarts vegetable oil in a heavy pan.
  • Combine 4 ½ oz cake flour, 1 teaspoon granulated sugar and ¼ teaspoon salt in a mixing bowl and whisk to combine the ingredients. Combine 4 oz vodka and 4 oz seltzer water. Pour the seltzer/vodka into the flour, mix until partially combined. Pour half the whisked egg into the batter (save the rest of the egg for another use). Stir just until the ingredients are combined.
  • When the oil reaches 400 °F you're ready to fry. Lift a strawberry by the leaf and dip into the batter. Carefully lower the strawberry into the oil. Fry for just a minute until the coating is crisp and lightly browned. Drain on a rack set over a sheet pan. Fry a few strawberries at a time. Avoid overcrowding the pan.
  • Serve while still hot with the dipping sugar.

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Notes

If you don’t have vodka or don’t like to use alcohol, use 1 cup of seltzer water instead of a 1/2 cup of each.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 336kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 13g | Saturated Fat: 4g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 5g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 21mg | Sodium: 160mg | Potassium: 445mg | Fiber: 6g | Sugar: 27g | Vitamin A: 64IU | Vitamin C: 139mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg
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16 Comments

  1. I love Cook’s Illustrated too but I am nowhere near as creative as your son. Kudos to him and to you for making this lovely dessert.

  2. What a super fun idea! I love how it came about too. I don’t usually fry things at home, but may have to make an exception for these!

  3. What an amazing son, strawberry recipe and way to start off a sweet Sunday. Thinking I might like to use sake instead of the vodka =)

    1. Sake would probably work as well. It’s just about replacing water with alcohol and, yes, he is an amazing son. I’m rather fond of him!

  4. Beautiful beautiful beautiful. Vodka in the tempura batter is a stroke of pure creativity. I’m sure it made the strawberries taste brighter. I know what you mean about having difficulty with your shot. For some reason I had similar trouble with mine for this post. I couldn’t find the “sweet” spot. Really nice post. I’m a big fan of yours (if you hadn’t guessed).