Created in partnership with Kitchen Cabinet Chef Ryan Hickey, this dish highlights the light, crisp texture of Japanese-style tempura made with Kikkoman® Japanese Style Tempura Batter Mix. Fresh zucchini is delicately battered and fried to a golden crunch, then filled with a smooth roasted corn and red pepper sauce that balances natural sweetness with subtle acidity. Finished with crispy tempura squash blossoms, charred corn planks, and briny salmon roe (or crispy nori for a vegetarian option), this recipe delivers a refined, chef-driven take on tempura that emphasizes flavor, texture, and visual appeal.
Tempura-Battered Zucchini with Fried Squash Blossoms
Yield
4
Prep Time
20 minutes
Cook Time
15 minutes
Total Time
35 minutes
kikkoman products used:
About this recipe
ingredients
Corn & Pepper Sauce
- 2 cups corn, off the cob
- 1 cup roasted red pepper, chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp lime juice
- ¼ cup red wine vinegar
- 2 tbsp kosher salt
- 1 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Charred Corn Planks
- 2 ears corn, on the cob
Stuffed Tempura Zucchini
- 3 zucchini, striped and cut into 2-inch pieces
- ¼ bag Kikkoman® Japanese Style Tempura Batter Mix
- Salmon roe or fish eggs, as desired (vegetarian option: crispy nori)
directions
Corn & Pepper Sauce
- Combine the corn off the cobb, roasted red pepper, garlic cloves, lime juice, red wine vinegar, salt, and crushed red pepper flakes in a large bowl.
- Transfer the mixture to a well sprayed baking sheet and roast in an oven, at 450F for 15-18 mins. The corn and garlic should be slightly charred.
- Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth.
- Strain through a fine mesh strainer and reserve for later.
Charred Corn Planks
- Using a char-grill or flame broiler, grill the corn on the cobb.
- Using a sharp knife, cut the corn on the cobb in half. Then, stand the corn up and carefully trim the corn from the cobb, making sure to keep it together.
Stuffed Tempura Zucchini
- Using a channel knife, stripe the zucchini lengthwise. Then trim into small 2-inch-tall pieces.
- Follow the instructions on the tempura batter bag. Then add the zucchini to the batter and fry in a fryer at 350F for 5-6 mins.
- Working quickly, remove the zucchini from the fryer and place it on a work surface. Punch the center of the zucchini out with an apple corer or ring cutter. Trim a small piece of the center off and put back into the zucchini to make a “stopper”
- Using a piping bag or squirt bottle fill the zucchini and serve while still hot.
Recipe created in partnership with Chef Ryan Hickey of Sodexo.
Similar Recipes
HUNGRY FOR MORE?
SIGN UP FOR OUR ENEWSLETTER TO GET MENU INSPIRATION FROMLEADING CHEFS, NEWS ON THE LATEST FOODSERVICE TRENDS, AND PRO TIPS – DELIVERED TO YOUR INBOX.
SIGN ME UP
THE STORY OF SOY SAUCE
Even people who love soy sauce and use it all the time are often surprised to learn what it is and how it’s made. We make ours from just four simple ingredients—water, soybeans, wheat, and salt. Those ingredients are transformed through a traditional brewing process—much like making wine or beer—that has remained unchanged for centuries.
READ THE STORY OF SOY SAUCE