Dragon Bowl with Crispy Tofu Tempura

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If you love sushi – minus the raw fish – you will love this fun twist on the classic dragon sushi roll. This vegan-friendly dragon bowl combines crispy tofu tempura paired with sushi rice, refreshing cucumbers, crunchy carrots, and creamy avocado, all drizzled with a zesty spicy mayo and eel sauce (don’t worry, no eel required!)

What sets this recipe apart is its emphasis on mastering tempura—many recipes overlook the details that can make or break the dish! From the right type of flour and the temperature of the water to the ideal batter thickness and oil heat, each element plays a crucial role in achieving perfectly crispy tofu tempura.

I absolutely love sushi, but making it at home can be quite a hassle. Rolling the sushi, keeping it from falling apart, and all the prep work—it’s a lot! I’ve even tried making giant sushi burritos for convenience (and those are definitely easier).

However, this dragon bowl with tofu tempura is hands down the simplest way to enjoy those delicious sushi flavors at home. Plus, there’s no need to splurge on pricey raw fish—we’re using crispy tempura tofu instead!

Follow my tips below on how to make tofu tempura actually crispy right in your own kitchen.

Dragon Bowl Ingredients

For the Tofu Tempura:

Extra firm tofu – You definitely want firmer tofu for this recipe. In fact, if you can get super-firm, I’d recommend that! I like to freeze my tofu the night. Once thawed and pressed, it has a more porous, “meaty” texture. While not a necessary step, I would recommend it.
White cake flour – This might seem odd, but white cake flour works best for tempura batter. This is because of it’s low gluten/protein content. Higher gluten=heavy tempura. We want light, crispy, airy tempura!
Club soda – This also helps create some “airiness” to our tempura. Make sure to chill it for best results. You will use this to make the batter.
Ice water – Will also be used in the batter. Definitely use very cold or iced water!

For the Dragon Bowl

We are using ingredients inspired by the dragon sushi roll. Every dragon roll is slightly different, but these seem to be the most common ingredients. You can adjust these to whatever you like!

Sushi rice – This is an obvious one, seeing as our inspo is a sushi roll. I recommend making this first and setting it side. For four bowls, you will need between 4-6 cups cooked, depending on how much rice you like in your bowl.
Shredded carrots – They create a nice crunch!
Cucumber – I like to use Persian cucumbers
Avocado – The creaminess is a nice addition to this bowl
Edamame – For a pop of color, and protein!
Nori – To make this bowl feel even more like the inspired sushi roll, grab some pieces of nori and cut into strips. It really makes this bowl feel authentic!

For the Sauces

You can’t have a good bowl – or sushi roll – without a good sauce! Traditionally dragon sushi rolls will have eel sauce and a spicy mayo. I recommend making both, if possible, because they give very distinct flavors to the bowl. Also, tempura does not have a lot of flavor on it’s own, so the sauces are what is really going to make this dragonbowl super flavorful.

Spicy Mayo: Vegan mayo (or regular if not vegan), and sriracha (or other hot sauce of choice)
Eel sauce: Soy sauce, Mirin, White sugar – Mirin a sweet vinegar condiment used in Asian cooking. Find it near the other vinegar. If you can’t find it, you can use white wine vinegar, which is fairly similar.

How to Make a Dragon Bowl

A Note About Preparation

I recommend prepping all the veggies, sushi rice, and sauces before you make your tofu tempura. The tempura is crispiest right after you make it, therefore we want this to be our last step.

Start by making your sushi rice if you have not already. Follow it to package instructions.

Prep all your veggies and set aside.

Make Your Sauces

To make your spicy mayo: simply combine the mayo + sriracha in a bowl. Set aside.

To make your eel sauce: combine your mirin, white sugar, and soy sauce over medium heat in a small saucepan. Bring it it a low-boil, then turn down to med/low so it is still simmering. Stir for about 5 minutes, until the sauce thickens slightly. Turn off the heat and let it sit for 10 minutes – it will continue to thicken as it cools.

Heat your oil

Grab a large saucepan and add your oil so that it covers about 1 inch of the base. Warm over medium heat. Add your thermometer stick: you want your temperature to be between 325°- 375°F.

Tip: If you temp gets too low, your tempura will get soggy. If your temp is too high, it can burn. Monitor your temp closely as you are cooking.

Prep your tofu & batter

Cut your tofu into cubes or thin rectangles. Dry the pieces with a cloth or paper towel.

In a large bowl, combine your white cake flour with chilled club soda and ice water. Use chopsticks of a fork to combine. No need to get every single lump out. You do not want to over mix your batter. The batter will be fairly thin.

Fry your tofu

Add some extra white cake flour in a shallow bowl. Toss your tofu cubes gently with some white cake flour before dipping into the batter (this helps the batter stick). I use a chopsticks or a tongs to dip the tofu and gently shake to get off excess batter.

Place the tofu cube directly into the hot oil (carefully!). You can add as many tofu cubes as you can without overcrowding the pan. The tofu will likely be only half submerged – but this is okay, we will flip them.

After 1-2 minutes, flip your tofu to cook the other side for another minute or two.

How to know when your tofu tempura is done

Tofu tempura does not need to cook long. You know it’s done when the outer coating is very pale golden.

Remove your tofu tempura and place on a paper-towel lined LARGE plate. Do not stack tempura pieces on top of one another or they will get soggy.

Continue to cook the rest of your tofu. If pieces of batter build up in the fryer oil, remove them with a slotted spoon.

Tofu tempura should be eaten soon after it’s made. It tends to lose it’s crispiness even as early as 30 minutes as cooking.

Assembly boll & enjoy!

Add your sushi rice in the base of a shallow bowl. Add your tofu tempura, carrots, cucumber, avocado, edamame, and nori pieces. Drizzle the top with spicy mayo and eel sauce. Sprinkle on black and white sesame seeds, if desired.

How to Store Leftovers

The tofu tempura is going to be the best – and crispiest – for the first 30 minutes after you make it. Once refrigerated, it loses its crispiness. Air frying seems to help regain some of it’s crispiness. I air fried my leftover tempura tofu for about 4-5 minutes at 375F.

The other dragon bowl ingredients can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days. The sauces can last up to a week.

Tips for 5-Star Tofu Tempura

Your oil temp needs to be spot on – it needs to be between 325°F-350°F. If its below this, your tempura will get soggy. If it’s above, it might burn. Keep your thermometer in this oil at all times.
The enemy of good tempura is gluten – Gluten leads to a “heavy” tempura. We want light and crunchy! This is why we use white cake flour (low in gluten/protein) and do not overmix.
Using cold ingredients – This also helps decrease gluten formation. Use chilled club soda and ice water for the batter.
Dry tofu = better tofu tempura – Batter does not stick well to wet. Dry your tofu pieces and then give it a light dusting of cake flour to make it even more dry so the batter will stick.
Don’t overcrowd the pan/pot – If you add too many tofu pieces, they will stick together and not cook evenly.

Common Questions

Why is my tofu tempura soggy?

This could be due to multiple factors. First, do not cut giant pieces of tofu for this recipe. Slightly smaller rectangles, or strips, will yield better results. Your tofu needs to be dry. After you cut it into pieces, dry with a paper towel or cloth. Then give each piece a light dusting of flour. Your oil also has to be at the right temperature. If it is below 325°F, your tempura can become soggy. Tofu tempura should also be enjoyed shortly after cooking. It starts to lose its crispiness after 30 minutes, so try to have your other ingredients prepped before making your tofu tempura.

Can I use a different flour other than cake flour?

It has to have low gluten content. I have not sampled this recipe with different flours, but you could consider using potato starch (totally gluten-free) with a small amount of all-purpose flour.

Why is this called a “dragon bowl”?

It is inspired by the dragon sushi roll which often includes sushi rice, cucumber, avocado, shrimp tempura, eel sauce, and possibly spicy mayo. Every dragon roll recipe is slightly different, but this dragon bowl includes the main ingredients. You can easily customize to what veggies or mix-ins you like.

Dragon Bowl with Crispy Tofu Tempura