Asparagus gets fried a lot less than it deserves. We roast it, we grill it, we shove it into a frittata and call it a day, but rarely do we give it the tempura treatment, and that is a real oversight on all our parts. (And yes, I am not being sarcastic here, although I normally would be in most other cases when it comes to fried food). This one’s got a light, crackly batter (sparkling water and cornstarch are doing the heavy lifting) with a little nutritional yeast mixed in, because that’s the Herby way! It adds a savory, almost cheesy edge you won’t be able to place but will absolutely notice is missing if you leave it out.
The batter itself is not complicated, which is the whole point. Flour, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, salt, and cold sparkling water whisked together just until combined… and I mean just barely combined. If your arm isn’t a little bored, you’ve mixed it too much. Lumpy batter is good batter here. The bubbles in the sparkling water and the bit of texture from not overworking it are what give you that light, crisp shell instead of something dense and bready that clings to the spear like it’s mad at you.
You’re frying in batches, which I know is annoying, but crowding the pot drops your oil temperature and you end up with pale, greasy tempura instead of the golden, audibly crunchy kind. Give the oil time to climb back to temperature between rounds. It’s fifteen minutes of standing near a hot pot, not a personality trait, you’ll survive.
The aioli is where this goes from “fine, crispy vegetable” to “actually, can I have more.” Garlic, lemon zest, lemon juice, mayo, done. No cooking required, no fuss, just enough acid and garlic bite to cut through the fried batter. Regular mayo keeps it vegetarian and dairy-free as is; swap in a vegan mayo if you want the whole plate fully plant-based.
A few things worth knowing before you start: cold batter against hot oil is the whole trick, so don’t make it ahead of time and let it sit around warming up on the counter. And this is not a meal-prep recipe!! Tempura loses its crunch fast, so eat it standing over the stove like the batch is going to run away from you, because in spirit, it kind of is.
Tag @herbyeater on TikTok and Instagram if you make these!
Crispy Asparagus Tempura with Garlic Lemon Aioli
Equipment
- Deep, heavy-bottomed pot or skillet (for frying)
- Instant-read or candy thermometer
- Mixing bowls (2)
- Whisk
- Tongs
- Wire rack or paper towel–lined plate
- Small bowl (for aioli)
Ingredients
For the tempura asparagus:
- 1 lb 450 g asparagus, tough ends trimmed
- 1 cup 120 g all-purpose flour (sub 1:1 gluten-free flour blend for GF)
- ¼ cup 30 g cornstarch
- 2 tbsp 12 g nutritional yeast
- 1 tsp 5 g fine sea salt, plus more for seasoning after frying
- 1 cup 240 ml cold sparkling water
- Neutral oil for frying! (about 3–4 cups / 720–960 ml, depending on pot size)
For the garlic lemon aioli:
- ½ cup 115 g mayonnaise (sub vegan mayo to make this fully plant-based)
- 1 small garlic clove finely grated or minced
- 1 tsp lemon zest
- 1 tbsp 15 ml fresh lemon juice
- Pinch of fine sea salt to taste
Instructions
- In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, garlic, lemon zest, and lemon juice. Season with a pinch of salt, taste, and adjust. More lemon if you want it brighter, more garlic if you’re feeling brave. Set in the fridge while you prep everything else!
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, nutritional yeast, and salt.
- Right before you’re ready to fry, pour in the cold sparkling water and whisk just until combined. A few lumps are fine, and actually, they’re good. Overmixing kills the crisp.
- Heat 2–3 inches of oil in a heavy pot to 350–375°F (175–190°C).
- Working in small batches so you don’t crowd the pot, dip each asparagus spear into the batter, letting the excess drip off, then lower gently into the hot oil.
- Fry for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until golden and crisp. Don’t walk away — this moves fast.
- Transfer to a wire rack (a paper towel–lined plate works too) and immediately sprinkle with salt while hot.
- Let the oil come back up to temperature between batches.
- Pile the tempura asparagus onto a plate with the aioli alongside for dipping. Best eaten immediately, spear in hand, no plate required if you’re being honest with yourself.
Notes
Optional add-ins: A pinch of smoked paprika or garlic powder in the batter adds another layer of flavor without overpowering the asparagus.
Cooking tip: Keep the batter and the sparkling water cold — the temperature contrast with the hot oil is what gives you that shatter-crisp texture. Mix the batter last, right before frying, not ahead of time.
Storage: Tempura is a right-now food. It doesn’t reheat well and loses its crunch quickly. If you must save leftovers, re-crisp in an air fryer at 375°F for 3–4 minutes — skip the microwave entirely.