Air Fryer Tempura-Inspired Green Beans Recipe
Enjoy crispy, golden-brown green beans inspired by traditional tempura, made effortlessly in the air fryer. This recipe yields a light and flavorful snack or side dish with a tangy soy-mirin dipping sauce featuring fresh scallions and lemon juice.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 9 minutes
- Total Time: 19 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings 1x
- Category: Appetizer, Side Dish
- Method: Air Frying
- Cuisine: Japanese-inspired
Ingredients
Scale
Green Beans
- 1/2 lb. green beans, trimmed
- 2 tbsp. all-purpose flour
- 1 cup panko bread crumbs
- 2 large eggs
- Olive oil cooking spray
Scallion Dipping Sauce
- 1 scallion, very thinly sliced
- 2 tbsp. water
- 1 tbsp. low-sodium soy sauce
- 1 tbsp. mirin
- 1 1/2 tsp. fresh lemon juice
Instructions
- Coat the Green Beans: In a large bowl, toss the trimmed green beans with all-purpose flour until they are evenly coated. In a separate shallow bowl, break up the panko breadcrumbs into smaller pieces by hand to help them adhere better. In another shallow bowl, beat the eggs until blended.
- Dredge the Beans: Shake off any excess flour from the beans. Dip each bean first into the beaten eggs, allowing excess to drip off, then press them gently into the panko crumbs to coat thoroughly.
- Air Fry the Beans: Working in batches, spray the air fryer basket with olive oil cooking spray. Arrange the coated green beans in a single layer with about 1/4 inch spacing between each. Spray the beans lightly with cooking spray. Set the air fryer to 350°F (175°C) and cook for 7 to 9 minutes, flipping the beans halfway through, until their crust is golden and the beans are tender.
- Prepare the Dipping Sauce: While the beans cook, combine the thinly sliced scallion, water, low-sodium soy sauce, mirin, and fresh lemon juice in a medium bowl. Whisk until well mixed to create a tangy dipping sauce.
- Serve: Serve the crispy air-fried green beans immediately alongside the scallion dipping sauce for dipping.
Notes
- For even crisping, avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket; cook the beans in batches if necessary.
- Panko breadcrumbs provide extra crunch, but regular breadcrumbs can be substituted with a slight difference in texture.
- You can adjust the lemon juice for more or less tang based on personal preference.
- These green beans are best enjoyed fresh for optimal crunchiness.
- Use low-sodium soy sauce to keep the sodium content moderate and balance flavors.
Keywords: air fryer, green beans, tempura, appetizer, panko, quick snack, crispy green beans
