Gluten Free Tempura Shrimp

If you love tempura shrimp but need to keep things gluten free, this recipe is for you. It’s crispy, light, and just as good as the traditional version.

Classic tempura batter is made with wheat flour, which obviously doesn’t work if you’re avoiding gluten. But with a few simple swaps, you can get that same delicate, crunchy coating without any wheat at all.

The batter comes together in minutes, and the key is to keep everything cold and barely mix it. That’s what gives tempura its signature light and airy texture.

I also included a quick dipping sauce that takes about 30 seconds to stir together. It’s savory with a little bit of tang, and it pairs perfectly with the shrimp.

This is a great appetizer or even a main dish if you serve it with some rice on the side. Let me show you how to make it.

Why You’ll Love This Recipe

Incredibly Crispy Coating – The mix of rice flour and tapioca starch creates an ultra-light and shattery crunch you will not believe is gluten free.

Tastes Like Restaurant Quality – This batter fries up so delicate and golden that it rivals any Japanese restaurant tempura you have ever had.

Ready in Under 30 Minutes – From mixing the batter to plating the shrimp you can have this entire dish done in about 20 minutes.

Ingredients

• 1 lb Large Shrimp, peeled and deveined, tails on
• 1/2 cup Rice Flour
• 1/4 cup Cornstarch
• 1/4 cup Tapioca Starch
• 1/2 tsp Salt
• 1/4 tsp Baking Soda
• 3/4 cup Club Soda, ice cold
• 1 Large Egg, cold
• Avocado Oil, for frying

For the Dipping Sauce

• 1/4 cup Tamari
• 2 tbsp Mirin
• 2 tbsp Water
• 1 tsp Rice Vinegar
• 1/2 tsp Grated Fresh Ginger

How to Make

Step 1

Stir together the tamari, mirin, water, rice vinegar, and grated ginger in a small bowl. Set the dipping sauce aside.

Step 2

Pat the shrimp very dry with paper towels. Make a few shallow cuts along the underside of each shrimp to prevent curling, then lightly dust all the shrimp with a thin coat of rice flour taken from the measured amount, shaking off the excess.

Step 3

Heat about 2 inches of avocado oil in a large heavy pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat until it reaches 375°F.

Step 4

While the oil heats, make the batter. In a bowl, whisk together the remaining rice flour, cornstarch, tapioca starch, salt, and baking soda. Add the ice cold club soda and cold egg and stir very briefly with chopsticks or a fork just until barely combined. The batter should be lumpy and thin – do not overmix.

Step 5

Holding each shrimp by the tail, dip it into the cold batter, letting the excess drip off for a second. Carefully lower it into the hot oil. Fry 4 to 5 shrimp at a time for 2 to 3 minutes, until the coating is very light golden and crisp.

Step 6

Transfer the shrimp to a wire rack and repeat with the remaining shrimp.

Step 7

Serve the tempura shrimp immediately while still hot and crispy, alongside the dipping sauce.

My Tips

Keep Everything Cold

The batter needs to be as cold as possible. Put your club soda in the fridge or freezer ahead of time, and use an egg straight from the fridge. Cold batter hitting hot oil is what creates that light, crispy shell.

If the batter warms up while you’re frying in batches, it won’t puff up the same way. You can even set your bowl of batter over a second bowl filled with ice to keep it cold the whole time.

Don’t Skip the Shallow Cuts on the Shrimp

Those small cuts along the belly side of the shrimp aren’t just for looks. Shrimp have a tendon running along the underside that tightens up in the heat and makes them curl into a ball.

Make 3 to 4 shallow cuts crosswise along the inner curve, then gently press the shrimp flat on the cutting board. You’ll feel a little snap as the tendon releases. This gives you straight, restaurant-style shrimp that cook evenly.

The Batter Should Look Undermixed

This is the hardest part because it goes against your instincts. Give it about 10 quick stirs with chopsticks or a fork and then stop. You should still see streaks of dry flour and lumps throughout.

If the batter looks smooth and uniform, you’ve already gone too far. Overmixed batter loses all the air pockets that make tempura light and crispy, and you’ll end up with a dense, doughy coating instead.

More Tasty Recipes

• Gluten Free Crispy Coconut Shrimp
• Gluten Free Crispy Fish & Chips
• Gluten Free Bang Bang Shrimp
• Gluten Free Crab Rangoon
• Gluten Free Chicken Katsu

FAQ

Why does the batter need to be lumpy and ice cold?

Keeping everything cold and barely mixed is the key to getting that light, crispy tempura texture. When the cold batter hits the hot oil, the temperature difference creates steam, which is what gives tempura its signature airy crunch.

If you overmix or use room temperature ingredients, the batter becomes dense and doughy instead of delicate. A few lumps are totally fine and actually a good sign you haven’t overworked it.