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This Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp is an easy go-to for family lunches or dinners at home. The air fryer makes this juicy shrimp absolutely irresistible.
Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp is one of the most approachable and delicious ways to introduce your family to seafood. Because it is so easy to make, it is a perfect shrimp for taco night, wraps, salads, or even right out of the air fryer!
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If you love this dish, you might also enjoy our other air fryer seafood recipes. You might also want to check out this article with over 15 of our favorite air fryer shrimp recipes.
WHY YOU WILL LOVE THIS RECIPE
We all want simple meals, so this delicious shrimp air fryer recipe will be a life-saver! Easy and delicious meals for dinner are always on the menu, but on busy weeknights, there may not be time to cook a big meal.
As a result, frozen shrimp is perfect to grab straight from the freezer. Because there is no need for thawing, you can quickly make a small batch of shrimp or use as a base for shrimp tacos.
Also, if you are looking for a cooking method for another quick meal using fresh shrimp, you will love our Air Fryer Garlic Shrimp, made in a garlic butter sauce. One of our other favorite frozen snacks are Air Fryer Pizza Rolls. But for a complete meal, try Air Fryer Chicken with Air Fryer Garlic Bread.
INGREDIENTS
- Just frozen shrimp! –Shrimp can be purchased as raw shrimp, or Pre-cooked shrimp, with tails, and without tails removed. You can pick your favorite brand and size, like this Kroger Shrimp.
- olive oil or melted butter
- seasonings- Kosher salt, ground black pepper, garlic powder
DIRECTIONS
STEP 1
Remove frozen shrimp from the freezer. If adding seasonings, in a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with the melted butter and seasonings, until they are well coated.
STEP 2
Arrange the shrimp in the air fryer basket, in a single layer, without stacking or overlapping.
STEP 3
Air fry pre-cooked frozen shrimp at 370 degrees Fahrenheit 6-8 minutes. If using raw shrimp, air fry for 8-10 minutes. Shake the basket at least once during cooking process.
STEP 4
Take them out and enjoy them as an entrée, appetizer, or ingredient with whatever dipping sauce or meal you prefer!
TIPS
- Don’t overcrowd: Be careful you don’t overfill your basket with too many shrimp. You want to make sure there is enough room for the air to flow around the shrimp for proper cooking.
- Seasonings: Season the shrimp according to your preference before air frying. We just use simple seasonings, but don’t be afraid to add your favorites. This shrimp is delicious with just a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and black pepper. If you want to add a punch of flavor, sprinkle Italian seasoning, chili powder, garlic powder, old bay seasoning, or red pepper flakes on your shrimp halfway through the cooking process.
- Olive oil: If you want to add extra seasonings, spritz the shrimp to help them crisp up while holding on to the seasonings.
Here are a few of our FAVORITE recommendations.
Cosori Dual Blaze Air Fryer – Digital Meat Thermometer – Air Fryer All Day
VARIATIONS
Breaded Shrimp: Dip the shrimp in beaten egg and then coat them in breadcrumbs or panko before air frying for a crispy coating.
Spicy Shrimp: Add some heat by seasoning the shrimp with cayenne pepper, cajun seasoning, chili powder, or your favorite hot sauce before air frying.
Lemon Pepper Shrimp: Toss the cooked shrimp in a lemon pepper seasoning after air frying for a tangy twist.
Pasta: Toss your shrimp with your favorite pasta and alfredo sauce or marinara sauce for a complete meal.
Marinated Shrimp: Marinate the shrimp in your favorite marinade before air frying for extra flavor.
STORING AND REHEATING LEFTOVER SHRIMP
All your cooked shrimp to cool completely and then cover in an airtight container or Ziploc bag. Store in the fridge for 3-4 days.
To reheat, return the shrimp to the air fryer basket and air fry for 3-5 minutes until heated through.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Because a smaller size shrimp is perfect for adding to a favorite shrimp dish, it’s really a preference what to use. If looking for a meal ready shrimp, you can choose frozen coconut shrimp, breaded popcorn shrimp, and frozen butterfly shrimp too.
Absolutely! This size shrimp is perfect for a shrimp taco! You can also feel free to toss with your favorite seasoning, add fries or tater tots in the air fryer as a loose take on fish and chips!
Because this meal is so versatile, you could go a little wild with something like a creamy garlic sauce, cocktail sauce, ranch dressing, remoulade sauce, hot sauce, or bang bang sauce for extra flavor.
I didn’t have issues with the shrimp sticking. If you prefer to, I suggest spraying the basket with cooking spray, before adding the shrimp, just to make sure you aren’t having to scrape it at the end. I prefer olive oil spray.
MORE EASY AIR FRYER RECIPES
Making frozen shrimp in the air fryer is SO easy! I love how it doesn’t need to be thawed, and it still turns out so juicy and delicious!
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Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp
Equipment
- 1 Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 pound Shrimp, Pre-cooked Frozen, 16-20 pieces
Instructions
- Open your container of frozen fried shrimp of whatever size suits you.
- If you want to add your own seasonings first, toss the shrimp with the seasonings, then place the shrimp in air fryer basket.
- Air fry pre-cooked frozen shrimp at 370 degrees Fahrenheit 6-8 minutes. If using raw shrimp, air fry for 8-10 minutes.
- Take them out and enjoy them as an entrée, appetizer, or ingredient with whatever dipping sauce or meal you prefer!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
I notice you don’t mention until the actual recipe to use “pre-cooked frozen shrimp”. Does this recipe still apply if I have frozen raw shrimp with the tails and shells still on?
Yes. You can still air fryer the frozen shrimp if the shells are still on them. I just rinse them lightly to remove any “ice” from the freezer. Once they are done air frying, just peel the shells as you eat them, or before serving.
What function do you use to air fry raw frozen shrimp. My air fryer has different functions.
1-steam
2-air crisp
3-bake/roast
4-broil
5-sear/sauté
I use “air fry” for almost every recipe. Most recipes should tell you what function to use. Hope that helps.