As soon as I finished developing this recipe for Tempura Fried Beet Greens I looked at my plate and said out loud to myself: “food is SO fun.” And it’s cheesy, but it’s true. Food is SO fun. Especially fun little party recipes like this one. Sure, tempura frying any vegetable is delicious, but I love when making a fun tempura-fried snack also leads to less waste. Beet greens, especially in the spring, are really sturdy and really delicious, and they make a really crispy, somewhat sweet tempura. And then, you aren’t throwing any of your beet away! Plus, pair them with a beet purée (also included in this recipe!) and it’s a real show-stopper of a snack.
How to choose the right beet greens for this recipe
When choosing beets for this recipe, I like to look for beet greens that are big, leafy, and sturdy. The more surface area the beets has, the better the coating will be able to stick to it. I’ve also noticed that the lighter the green color of the beet greens, the sweeter the greens tend to be. This is nice because some greens tend to lean more on the bitter end, so I like to select light green colored leaves if I can. Lastly, and I know you don’t always have control over this, but beet greens in the spring are my favorite kind. Beets are a spring crop, but are also accessible year-round because of how we store them. This just means that when it’s spring – they are at their peak! All the more reason to pick the pretty ones and fry ’em up.
Of course, if you do have this recipe in mind, I suggest making it the first day or two that you have your beets. Beet greens tend to wilt in the fridge over time, which will make them harder to turn into this tempura-fried beet green recipe!
What is in this tempura batter?
This tempura batter is one of my favorite things to have in my recipe repertoire. It’s amazing and it works on nearly any vegetable! Beet greens are just the start of it.
Here’s what you will need for the tempura batter:
- 1 cup ice water, 234 grams
- 1 medium egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour, 140 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
I’m not really particular on much, but I AM particular that you whisk together the egg and the water first. It will make your batter so much better in the long run. It will also make it so that the batter comes out smoother!
Ingredients for the beet purée
Now, the beet dipping sauce is completely optional, but it’s plant-based and pretty superb! Here’s everything you will need for the beet purée part of the recipe:
- 3 ounces raw red beets (this is typically one small beet)
- 3/4 cup cashew cream, see note in the recipe box for the full recipe!
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Tips on how to fry your tempura beet greens
Now that you have the tempura batter down, and a good grasp on the purée – it’s time to fry!
Deep frying used to scare me a ton, I’m not really sure why. I think it was the nature of hot-oil-splattering-near-my-face that freaked me out. But I’ve since learned that frying is a rather chill cooking method, if you know how to do it! It’s all about regulating your ingredients, your oil temperature, and your time. Luckily tempura is a great beginner-fryer project. It just takes a minute on each side and you’re done!
Here are my big tips for frying beet greens, or any tempura-coated vegetable:
Make sure your oil is between 325°F-350°F – The temperature is the most important part, because anything too high will overcook the batter in a heartbeat (which is not a great flavor), and anything too low will cause the oil to seep into the batter, leaving you with a tempura batter that is oily and wet. Plus, temperature is good for your safety. You can fry with confidence! I like using an instant-read probe thermometer to measure this, but there are tons of other great thermometers for checking oil temperature.
Remember: Oil and water DON’T MIX – That scary oil splattering that you might think of when you deep fry? That comes from water hitting the hot oil. Avoid it at all costs. Make sure your beet greens or vegetables are fully dry and fully coated in the batter before dipping them into the oil. Make sure your hands are dry as well so you can avoid any splatters.
Gently place and gently flip – Deep frying is a kind and gentle process (hot oil aside!). I like to very lightly place my batter-coated beet greens in the oil. I never abruptly drop it in. That will create splatters, and we never want splatters. Same with the flipping, be gentle and flip with tongs. The gentler the movement means the less batter will fall off, the less oil with splatter, and the safer the process will be!
Use a cast iron skillet, if you can – it’s great for temperature regulation when you are shallow-frying, and also frying is a great way to continue to season your pan! I like a Lodge Cast iron pan for this.
What other greens can you tempura fry using this recipe?
The great thing about this recipe is that it is versatile! It was actually adapted from an asparagus recipe in my cookbook, which you can pre-order here! But the batter works on tons of other greens, think:
- Kale Leaves
- Swiss Chard Leaves
- Squash (thinly sliced!)
- Broccoli
- Cauliflower
- Broccolini
- Zucchini (thinly sliced!)
- Onion (sliced into pieces)
Really, the vegetable world is yours for the taking. I like it with leafy greens, but you can go crazy 🙂
Looking for other appetizers and snacks!
Here are a few recipes that people love for their dinner parties, appetizers, or entertaining in general!
These crispy chickpeas are coated in nutritional yeast and spices to really oomph up their flavor and texture. They are vegan, gluten-free, packed with protein, and great as a snack or a full meal!
This quick, sizzly, vibrant dipping oil is my PERFECT appetizer or side. It’s not too spicy, since we are using pickled jalapeños (Mezzetta is my favorite), and it’s fresh and light while still being tangy and delicious. You can pool it on top of ricotta for a richer dip, but I love it as is, with a squeeze of lemon and springy bread for dipping.
This quick, simple, minimal-ingredient spread is bright pink, incredibly delicious and packed with bright, tangy flavor and richness from tahini, lemon and dill. The color is only half of the fun, the flavor matches it with every bite.
Tempura Fried Beet Greens
This is such a fun little party snack, and a great way to use your beet greens! Fresh beet greens are washed (this is important!) and then I dip them in a quick tempura batter and fry them into perfectly crisp chips. Use the beets themselves to make a delicious purée and you have an amazing plant-based appetizer, snack or just delicious plate of (fried) greens!
Ingredients
For the fried beet greens
- 12 ounces of beet greens (the tops of beets)
- 1 cup ice water 234 grams
- 1 medium egg
- 1 cup all-purpose flour 140 grams
- 1/2 teaspoon Diamond Crystal kosher salt
- 2 cups canola oil or any neutral with a high smoke point, like avocado oil or vegetable oil
- Flaky salt for finishing
For the beet purée
- 3 ounces raw red beets
- 3/4 cup cashew cream see notes
- 2 garlic cloves
- 1 teaspoon lemon zest
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- Diamond Crystal kosher salt
Instructions
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Remove the beet greens from their beets. Add them to a salad spinner and wash them very well. Make sure they are as dry as possible so the batter will stick.
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In a large shallow bowl, whisk together the ice water and the egg. Gradually add in the flour, whisking constantly so that the batter is smooth. Add the salt and mix.
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Set a large sauté pan or cast iron skillet over medium heat and add the oil.
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Let the oil heat up to 325°F. Then, working in batches, dip each beet green completely into the batter. Shake off any excess batter so it has a thin coating, then gently lay the greens into the hot oil, doing no more than two or three at a time. (Make sure not to crowd the pan!).
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Fry the beet greens for one minute on each side, gently flipping them when it’s time. They should be a light golden color.
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Transfer the fried greens to either a drying rack over a sheet pan or a layer of paper towels to drain.
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When all the beet greens are fried, sprinkle them with a generous pinch of flaky salt and set aside.
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Let the oil in the pan cool slightly, then transfer to a heat-safe bowl. You can strain this oil and use it for a later use, it’s still good!
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Wipe out the pan and set it back over medium heat.
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Peel and slice the beets. Add the slices to the pan and cook, flipping occasionally, until the beets are softened and slightly charred. About 6-7 minutes.
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Add the beets, cashew cream, garlic, lemon zest and lemon juice to a blender. Blend until you get a smooth purée, adding splashes of water if needed. Taste and season with salt to taste.
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Serve the beet greens alongside the beet purée for easy dipping and serving!
Notes
To make cashew cream, add 1 cup of raw cashews to a small blender. Cover with warm water and soak for 5-15 minutes, but the longer, the better. Drain the cashews and add 3/4 cup of water and a large pinch of salt. Blend until smooth. Season with more salt and black pepper as preferred. This will keep in your fridge for up to 10 days.
