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Sweet Potato Tempura turns a bag of frozen sweet potato fries into a shatteringly crispy, restaurant-worthy snack with a light coconut tempura batter and a creamy curry aioli for dipping. I first fried these up on a game night when I wanted something crispy and a little different, and they disappeared faster than regular fries ever do. If you love our crispy tempura vegetables, this sweet potato version is your new go-to.
The ice-cold coconut batter fries up delicate and crackly, while the quick curry aioli takes these fries completely over the top.
Sweet Potato Tempura Quick Look
- 🕒 Prep Time: 10 minutes
- 🌡️ Cook Time: 15 minutes
- ⏳ Total Time: 25 minutes
- 🍽️ Serving: 6 servings
- ⚡ Calories: 342kcal
- 🌶️ Flavor Profile: Light, crispy, and sweet with a hint of coconut
- ✋ Difficulty: Easy, on par with our deep fried cheese curds
Quick Answer
Heat oil to 350F. Whisk self-rising flour with toasted coconut, then stir in a beaten egg and ice water until a lumpy batter forms. Toss frozen sweet potato fries in the batter, shake off the excess, and fry in small batches until crispy and light golden. Drain on a wire rack, salt right away, and serve with a quick homemade curry aioli for dipping.
Jump to:
- Sweet Potato Tempura Quick Look
- Quick Answer
- Why This Recipe Works
- Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Key Ingredients
- Variations and Substitutions
- How to Make Sweet Potato Tempura
- Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Serving Ideas and Suggestions
- Sweet Potato Tempura FAQs
- Other Recommended Crispy Appetizers
- Sweet Potato Tempura with Curry Aioli
Why This Recipe Works
Click to see the technique science
- Frozen fries shortcut. Starting with frozen sweet potato fries skips the peeling and cutting, so this comes together fast.
- Light coconut tempura batter. Ice-cold batter with a touch of coconut fries up shatteringly crisp and barely greasy.
- Ice water is key. Cold batter hitting hot oil creates that signature delicate, crackly tempura coating.
- Quick curry aioli. A homemade curry aioli adds a creamy, savory-sweet dip that takes these over the top.
- Salt right away. Salting the fries the second they come out of the oil helps it stick to the crisp coating.
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- They turn a bag of frozen fries into a crispy, restaurant-worthy snack.
- The light coconut tempura coating is shatteringly crisp and not greasy.
- The curry aioli dip makes them irresistible, like our crispy deep fried pickles.
Key Ingredients
Just a few simple ingredients give these fries their crispy coating and creamy dip. Full amounts are in the recipe card below.
- Frozen sweet potato fries: the shortcut star, with no peeling or cutting needed. Crinkle-cut fries hold the batter best.
- Self-rising flour: creates a light, airy tempura batter with built-in lift.
- Toasted coconut: optional, but it adds a subtle sweet, nutty flavor to the crispy coating.
- Ice water: the secret to a delicate, crackly tempura crust. The colder the better.
- Curry aioli ingredients: egg yolk, lemon juice, Dijon, garlic, and curry powder whisk into a creamy, savory dip.
See recipe card for exact quantities.
Variations and Substitutions
Make these your own with a few easy swaps.
- Skip the coconut for a classic plain tempura batter.
- Use regular crinkle-cut fries or waffle fries instead of sweet potato.
- Swap the curry aioli for ranch, honey mustard, or our spicy sriracha mayo.
- Add a pinch of cayenne or smoked paprika to the batter for a little heat.
- Sprinkle the hot fries with cinnamon sugar instead of salt for a sweet version.
How to Make Sweet Potato Tempura
- Heat about 3 inches of oil in a heavy-bottom pot to 350F over medium heat.
- While the oil heats, whisk together the self-rising flour and toasted coconut in a medium bowl.
- In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg, add the ice water, and whisk to combine.
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry and stir just until a batter forms; a few small lumps are fine.
- Working in handfuls, drop the frozen sweet potato fries into the batter and toss to coat.
- Shake off the excess batter and gently lower the fries into the hot oil, about 10 at a time so you do not crowd the pot.
- Fry until the outside is crispy and light golden, then remove to a wire rack set over a baking sheet to drain.
- Sprinkle immediately with kosher salt and repeat with the remaining fries.
- For the curry aioli, whisk the egg yolk, lemon juice, and Dijon, then slowly stream in the oils while whisking until emulsified. Whisk in the garlic, curry powder, salt, and pepper, then chill and serve with the fries.
Recipe Tips & Tricks
- Keep the batter ice cold right up until you fry; that temperature difference is what makes it crisp.
- Do not overmix the batter. A few small lumps are exactly what you want for light tempura.
- Fry in small batches so the oil stays hot and the fries do not stick together.
- Use a thermometer to keep the oil right around 350F for even, golden frying.
- Drain on a wire rack, not paper towels, so the bottoms stay crisp.
- Make the aioli first so it has time to chill while you fry.
Serving Ideas and Suggestions
These Sweet Potato Tempura fries are a fun appetizer or side, perfect with the curry aioli for dipping. Serve them alongside burgers, sandwiches, or our crispy fried mac and cheese for an indulgent spread.
They are a great addition to a fried-favorites party platter with our fried green tomatoes and malt vinegar smashed potatoes. Set out a few dipping sauces and let everyone go to town.
Serve them hot and fresh straight from the fryer for the crispiest bite. They are best enjoyed right away while the tempura coating is still light and crackly.
Sweet Potato Tempura FAQs
No, but frozen sweet potato fries are the easy shortcut that makes this recipe so quick. You can use fresh sweet potatoes cut into fries; just par-cook or microwave them slightly first so they cook through under the crispy tempura batter.
The curry aioli is the star, but these fries are also delicious with ranch, honey mustard, sriracha mayo, ketchup, or a simple garlic aioli. A sweet chili sauce is great too if you want a sweet-and-spicy dip.
Add a pinch of cayenne, smoked paprika, or curry powder to the batter for extra flavor. You can also sprinkle the hot fries with cinnamon sugar instead of salt, or add sesame seeds for a nutty crunch.
Skip the coconut for plain tempura, swap the sweet potato fries for regular crinkle-cut or waffle fries, or use a gluten-free self-rising flour blend. Any neutral high-heat oil works for frying.
These are best eaten fresh and crispy. Store leftovers in the fridge for up to two days and reheat in an air fryer or hot oven to bring back the crunch. The microwave will make them soft, so avoid it.
The most common reason is the batter or oil temperature. Keep the batter ice cold, do not overmix it, and make sure the oil is at 350F before frying. Frying too many fries at once also drops the oil temperature and makes them soggy.
Craving more crispy fried favorites? Try our golden homemade chicken tenders next for an easy crowd-pleaser.
Sweet Potato Tempura with Curry Aioli
Ingredients
Coconut Tempera Sweet Potato Fries
- preferred oil for frying
- 1 cup self rising flour
- 1/4 cup toasted coconut or shredded coconut, optional
- 1 cup ice water
- 1 large egg
- 20 ounces frozen Sweet Potato Fries
Curry Aioli
- 1/4 Cup olive oil
- 3 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 large egg yolk
- 2 teaspoon lemon juice fresh squeezed
- 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1 garlic clove minced extremely fine
- 1/2 teaspoon curry powder
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
Tempura Sweet Potato Fries:
- In a heavy-bottom pot, heat oil to 350°F for frying about 3 inches up the side of the pot over medium heat.preferred oil for frying
- While the oil is heating, make the batter by placing the flour and coconut in a medium bowl and whisk together.1 cup self rising flour, 1/4 cup toasted coconut
- In a small bowl, place the egg and lightly beat it, add in the ice water and whisk to combine.1 cup ice water, 1 large egg
- Pour the wet mixture into the dry mixture and stir together until a batter forms, but don’t overmix. If there are a few small lumps, that’s okay.
- When the oil is ready, you will know by placing one drop of the batter into the oil. If it falls to the bottom and immediately rises to the top and starts bubbling around, it is ready. Take about a handful of the sweet potato fries, drop them into the tempura batter, and mix to coat.20 ounces frozen Sweet Potato Fries
- Taking the fries one at a time, shake off any excess batter and gently place them in the hot oil. Continue until there are about 10 pieces of sweet potatoes in the oil; you do not want to crowd the pan.
- They are done when the outside is crispy and extremely light golden brown.
- Remove the fries from the pot with tongs and let excess oil drain off by placing a wired rack over a baking dish.
- Immediately sprinkle the fries with a little bit of kosher salt and repeat the process until all the fries are done.
Curry Aioli:
- In a small bowl, mix the two oils together and set aside.1/4 Cup olive oil, 3 Tablespoon vegetable oil
- Add the egg yolk, lemon juice, and Dijon mustard in a separate medium-sized bowl. Whisk to combine.1 large egg yolk, 2 teaspoon lemon juice, 1/2 teaspoon dijon mustard
- Slowly add the oil mixture in a stream, whisking vigorously. The mixture should not separate. If it does, stop adding oil and whisk until emulsified.
- Add all the oil and then the remaining ingredients. Chill and serve with the sweet potato fries. It’s best to make this condiment first.1 garlic clove, 1/2 teaspoon curry powder, 1/4 teaspoon salt, 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
Notes
- Keep the Batter Cold: Use ice-cold water to prevent gluten development, which helps achieve a crispy texture.
- Don’t Overmix the Batter: A few lumps are okay; overmixing can lead to a tough batter.
- Maintain Oil Temperature: Keep the oil at medium-high heat to ensure a crispy coating without absorbing too much oil.
- Use a Slotted Spoon: Remove fried pieces with a slotted spoon to let excess oil drip off.
- Don’t Overcrowd the Pot: Fry in small batches to keep the oil temperature steady.
- Dry Fresh Sweet Potatoes: If using fresh sweet potatoes, pat them dry to remove excess moisture before battering.
Nutrition
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Totally agree, I hope everyone loves them!!
I’m obsessed with the thought of making these fun, delicious fries for a mermaid party for the ladies on my swim club..dont’ care I have to fry when they arrive, it’s such a unique and unexpected yummy finger food by the pool…Can not wait….
I made them with the frozen fries. You can make them with fresh if you prefer.
Did you make it with fresh sweet potatoes? I want to try this but I am on Whole30 and can’t have some of the ingredients in the frozen fries.
These fries look absolutely amazing! Thanks so much for sharing your yummy recipe on the Monday Funday Party!
oh my! I could go for a side of these asap. Thanks for sharing them on Weekend bites
This recipe came in such a good time! I have so many sweet potatoes at home I don’t know what to with them! I’m definitely trying this one! Thank you!
Goodness gracious, those look good!
I’m a huge sweet potato fries fan. These look SO good!! I have never had coconut tempura, but I can’t wait to try it!
THANKS! The curry flavor for this sauce is extremely subtle, you could just leave it out as well. Then it would be a traditional aioli, yum!
I’m not a big curry person, but those fries look AMAZING! Great recipe, and great photography!
Oh yum! What a fun recipe and the perfect way to jazz up the Alexia Sweet Potato Fries! #client
Hi! Visiting from Wake Up Wednesday. Just the name alone sounds so yummy! Pinning!