Tempura Fish and Chips

This Tempura Fish and Chips recipe has light, airy tempura-battered white fish paired with crispy sweet potato fries and brings a fusion of textures and flavors that elevate it from ordinary to extraordinary. The secret is a tempura batter made with rice flour, cornstarch, and cold seltzer water to create that signature shatteringly crisp coating. Sweet potato slices add a naturally sweet and earthy balance, and peanut oil ensures golden, evenly cooked results.

Whether you’re serving this up for a weeknight dinner or impressing guests with a homemade fish fry, this tempura fish and chips recipe delivers serious flavor with minimal fuss. Let’s dive into how to make this crave-worthy combo in your own kitchen.

Heather’s Notes

• Light and crispy perfection: The combination of rice flour and cornstarch in the batter creates an ultra-crispy coating that doesn’t feel heavy or greasy.
• Cold ingredients are key: Keeping your seltzer water and batter cold helps create that signature tempura texture.
• Peanut oil makes a difference: Its high smoke point and clean flavor ensure even frying and minimal sogginess.
• Sweet potatoes add contrast: They bring natural sweetness and a crisp texture that pairs perfectly with the delicate fish.
• Great for entertaining: This recipe feels elevated but comes together fast, making it ideal for serving guests.

Ingredients You’ll Need

• 5 cups peanut oil (or enough to come 2 to 3 inches up the sides of a wok or deep pot)
• 2 egg yolks, beaten
• 1½ cups cold seltzer water
• 1 cup all-purpose flour
• ½ cup cornstarch
• ¼ cup rice flour
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• 1½ pounds firm white fish fillets (such as grouper), cut into 3×1½-inch pieces
• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

This recipe calls for a wok but you can use a large heavy skillet or cast iron dutch oven.

Easy Instructions

1. Prepare the Oil
   In a deep, heavy-bottomed wok or Dutch oven, heat peanut oil over medium-high heat to 350°F. Use a deep-fry thermometer to monitor the temperature for consistent results.
2. Make the Batter
   In a large mixing bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and cold seltzer water. In a separate bowl, combine the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, rice flour, and salt. Gently stir the dry mixture into the wet ingredients until just combined. The batter should be slightly lumpy — don’t overmix. Pop it in the fridge while you prep the fries.
3. Fry the Sweet Potatoes
   Carefully add the sweet potato slices in batches to the hot oil. Fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until golden and crispy. Use a slotted spoon to remove them and place on a paper towel–lined plate. Sprinkle with a pinch of salt while hot.
4. Prepare the Fish
   Pat the fish pieces dry with paper towels and season lightly with salt and pepper. Working in small batches, dip the fish into the chilled batter and carefully lower into the hot oil. Fry for about 4 minutes, flipping once, until the coating is pale golden and crisp and the fish flakes easily with a fork.
5. Serve Immediately
   Serve the tempura fish and sweet potato fries hot with lemon wedges, tartar sauce, or a side of soy-mayo dip for a fun fusion twist.

Tips for Storing

• Cool before storing: Let leftover fish and fries cool completely before placing them in an airtight container. Storing while still warm can create steam that softens the crispy coating.
• Separate layers: Use parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking.
• Reheat in the oven or air fryer: Skip the microwave. For best results, reheat in a 375°F oven or air fryer until hot and crispy — about 10 minutes.
• Consume within 2 days: Tempura is best fresh, but if you have leftovers, aim to eat them within 48 hours for best texture and flavor.

FAQ’s

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This tempura fish and chips recipe is a fun and flavorful twist on the classic — one that blends the light crunch of Japanese-style batter with the soul-satisfying charm of a good fish fry. With just a few pantry staples and a hot pot of oil, you’re well on your way to creating a meal that’s crispy, golden, and absolutely unforgettable. Serve it up with a cold beer or a fizzy soda and dig in.

Tempura Fish and Sweet Potato Chips Recipe

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This is a quick recipe for Tempura Fish and Sweet Potato Chips. Make sure your seltzer is cold as this will give you the best tempura coating. Serve with ponzu or a sriracha mayo

prep timePREP 10 minutes mins

COOK 15 minutes mins

TOTAL 25 minutes mins

number of servingsYIELD 6 Servings

Cook ModePrevent your screen from going dark while you cook

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Equipment

• Large Wok

Ingredients

  

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• ▢ ½ cup water
• ▢ 5 cups peanut oil, or enough to come 2 to 3 inches up the sides of a wok
• ▢ 2 egg yolks, beaten
• ▢ 1½ cups cold seltzer water
• ▢ 1 cup all purpose flour
• ▢ ½ cup cornstarch
• ▢ ¼ cup rice flour
• ▢ 2 tsp salt
• ▢ 1 pound sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1/8-inch-thick slices
• ▢ 1½ pounds white fish fillets, such as cod, halibut, or grouper, boneless/skinless cut into 3-inch chunks
• ▢ ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper

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Instructions

 

• Add the oil to a large wok and heat over high heat until it reaches 375°F.
• While the oil is heating, combine the egg yolks and seltzer in a medium mixing bowl and whisk to mix well. In another bowl, sift together the all-purpose flour, cornstarch, rice flour, and 1 teaspoon of the salt. Add the flour mixture to the egg mixture and stir quickly to combine, taking care not to overwork the batter (lumps are okay).
• Working in batches, dip the sweet potato slices into the batter, allowing excess to drain off, and place them in the hot oil. Cook, working in small batches so as not to overcrowd the pan, until golden brown and crisp, about 2 minutes. Remove from the oil with a slotted spoon and transfer to a paper towel–lined baking sheet to drain. Season lightly with salt. When all the sweet potatoes have been fried, set them aside while you fry the fish.
• Pat the fish dry with paper towels and season on both sides with the pepper and remaining 1 teaspoon salt. Working in batches, dip the fish in the batter and add it to the hot oil. Cook, taking care not to overcrowd the pan, until the fish flakes easily and the batter is crisp and golden brown, turning as necessary, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from the oil and transfer to a paper towel–lined tray to drain briefly before serving.

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Recipe Nutrition

Calories: 1926kcal | Carbohydrates: 47g | Protein: 28g | Fat: 184g | Saturated Fat: 32g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 58g | Monounsaturated Fat: 84g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 893mg | Potassium: 635mg | Fiber: 3g | Sugar: 3g | Vitamin A: 10813IU | Vitamin C: 2mg | Calcium: 51mg | Iron: 2mg

* Nutritional information is not guaranteed to be accurate.

author nameAuthor Heather Scholten

courseCourse Dinner, Main Course

cuisine typeCuisine All Cuisines, American

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Recipe By:

Heather Scholten

Co-Founder at Spiceology | More About Heather…

Heather is a recipe developer and content creator living in Vancouver, Washington. She started Farmgirl Gourmet in 2006, almost 20 years ago, as a way to share recipes with friends and family. Heather is also the co-founder of Spiceology , a unique spice company, which she started in 2013. She shares family friendly recipes for easy everyday meals with a gourmet twist.

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