A blue plate with three pieces of vegetable tempura garnished with sauce and greens, next to a box of Kikkoman tempura batter mix.

Tempura-Battered Zucchini with Fried Squash Blossoms​

Serves 4
Total Time 35 minutes
Prep Time 20 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes

About

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.

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 

  1. 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.  
  2. 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.  
  3. Transfer the mixture to a high-speed blender and blend on high until smooth.  
  4. Strain through a fine mesh strainer and reserve for later.  

Charred Corn Planks 

  1. Using a char-grill or flame broiler, grill the corn on the cobb. 
  2. 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 

  1. Using a channel knife, stripe the zucchini lengthwise. Then trim into small 2-inch-tall pieces. 
  2. 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.
  3. 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” 
  4. 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. 

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