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Make authentic shiitake mushroom tempura at home! This easy recipe gives you light, crispy tempura every time, making it perfect as a side dish, snack, or appetizer.

Looking for more simple tempura recipes? Try this Japanese vegetable tempura recipe!

Shiitake mushroom tempura served on a plate.

Recipe Ingredients

You’ll need the following ingredients to make this shiitake mushroom tempura:

Shiitake Mushrooms: Use fresh shiitake mushrooms. They’re often available at Japanese or other Asian grocery stores. If you can’t find them, portobello mushrooms make a great substitute.
Oil for Frying: Any neutral oil is ok, such as vegetable or canola oil. I use rice bran oil in this recipe.
Tempura Batter: This simple batter is made with cold water, cake flour (or all-purpose flour), and egg. For gluten-free or vegan variations, check out this tempura batter recipe.
Mentsuyu (Dipping Sauce): For convenience, I use store-bought mentsuyu in this recipe. Just dilute it with water as instructed on the bottle. If you’d like to make it from scratch, try this homemade mentsuyu recipe.

How To Make Shiitake Tempura: STEP BY STEP

Here’s a quick visual guide! Check the recipe card below for the video and full details!

Step 1

Separate the stems from the caps.

Step 2

Make tempura batter with egg, flour, and cold water.

Step 3

Dust the shiitake with flour and dip into the batter.

Step 4

Fry the shiitake until crispy.

Serve the shiitake tempura on a plate with mentsuyu dipping sauce, and enjoy this authentic tempura dish!

Recipe Tips

Don’t waste the stems: Shiitake stems are edible and delicious when fried. Just trim off the tough tips and fry them along with the caps.
Don’t overmix the batter: Mix the batter lightly and leave some lumps. Overmixing develops gluten, which makes the tempura heavy and chewy.
Dust with flour before dipping: Lightly coat the shiitake with flour before dipping into the batter. This helps the batter stick better and prevents the coating from slipping off during frying.

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I hope you enjoy this shiitake tempura recipe! If you try it, don’t forget to leave a rating to share your thoughts—I love hearing from you!