Air Fryer Shrimp

Made in 10 minutes or less, this Air Fryer Shrimp recipe is an easy and protein-packed dish that everyone will love. The shrimp comes out succulent, tender, and juicy!

Fresh and full of flavor, this air fryer shrimp goes with everything and makes for the perfect addition to any meal.

Whether you’re gluten-free, keto, low-carb, or Whole30, this recipe is going to be your new weeknight favorite.

Want more delicious air fryer recipes? Try my Air Fryer Bacon, Air Fryer Chicken Breasts, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, and Air Fryer Potato Wedges recipes. You won’t regret it!

If you’re looking for a tasty recipe that comes together quickly, you’ll want to make this easy air fryer fried shrimp recipe for your next meal. The shrimp comes out juicy, flavorful, and perfectly cooked every time. Don’t have shrimp? Try making air fryer chicken thighs and serve with air fryer asparagus. Great combo there 😉

Thanks to the air fryer, you get beautiful, crisp but tender pieces of shrimp in a short amount of time. While you can quickly cook shrimp in a skillet or in a sheet pan or even bake shrimp, the air fryer allows the shrimp to be cooked hands-free. All you have to do afterward is place the air fryer basket into the dishwasher!

So to summarize, this air fryer fried shrimp recipe is quick, tasty, and cleaning up is a breeze. What’s not to like about it, right?! Better than that is just if you serve your air fryer shrimp with Chimichurri sauce or pesto sauce. SO GOOD!

How To Make Air Fryer Shrimp

Ingredients

• Shrimp (large or jumbo shrimp) — for ease and to save time, you can purchase raw, peeled, and deveined shrimp. Try to use larger shrimp instead of small shrimp to avoid them being overcooked.
• Olive oil — you can also use any oil of your choice. An air fryer does not require a ton of oil, so you don’t have to use too much.
• Seasoning — To add a lot of flavor, I use smoked paprika, garlic powder, salt, and pepper to season the shrimp. The smoked paprika lends a smoky flavor to the shrimp, but you can use sweet paprika if you prefer.

Instructions

Prepare Everything

• Preheat the air fryer to 400°F.
• Pat dry shrimp with paper towels.

Season the Shrimp

• Add shrimp to a bowl or plate.
• Drizzle the shrimp with oil and sprinkle with smoked paprika, garlic powder (or onion powder if you prefer), salt, and pepper. Season to perfection.
• Mix all well to combine.

Air Fry the Shrimp

• Place shrimp in the basket of your air fryer in a single layer.
• Air fry the shrimp for 5 to 7 minutes, until pink and cooked throughout. Time may vary between air fryers.
• Before serving, squeeze fresh lemon juice on top of the shrimp.

Recipe Tips

• Pat the shrimp with a paper towel to absorb any excess moisture. This helps the olive oil and seasoning stick better to the shrimp. You also don’t want excessive moisture on the shrimp, as it can cause them to steam in the air fryer.
• Feel free to use another seasoning such as dried herbs (basil, oregano, thyme, rosemary), Cajun seasoning, or Old Bay seasoning. The shrimp is usually mild in flavor, so what you season them with is important!

Is Shrimp Good For You?

Shrimp is a delicious and great source of protein! It’s low in calories as well! Since they’re being cooked in the air fryer, you use much less oil, too.

This recipe also doesn’t require panko, flour, or dipping shrimp in the beaten eggs. So this recipe is low-carb and gluten-free too. 

Then serve shrimp with asparagus and mushrooms like this shrimp recipe that I made for my family, and you will have a delicious meal to enjoy!

Do I have to flip the shrimps?

There is no need to flip the shrimp fillets in the air fryer halfway through the cooking time.  

How do I know the air fryer fried shrimp is cooked?

The FDA states that once the salmon has reached an internal temperature of 120°F, it is fully cooked. If you don’t have a meat thermometer, you can check when your shrimp is fully cooked by checking the color. The shrimp will turn opaque. Be careful not to overcook the shrimp or they’ll become tough and dry.

How Do I Store And Reheat Air Fryer Shrimp?

• Leftovers — Transfer leftover air fryer shrimp to an airtight container and keep them in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
• Freezer — You can freeze cooked shrimp by transferring them to an airtight freezer-friendly container or freezer-safe bags once cooled to room temperature. Freeze for up to 3 months and thaw in the fridge overnight before reheating.
• Reheating —  You can reheat leftover shrimp in the microwave or enjoy them chilled. You can also reheat shrimp in the air fryer.

What shrimp do I use?

Both fresh and frozen shrimp are a great source of protein. I prefer using wild-caught shrimp also has a cleaner flavor than farmed shrimp.

You can use any variety of shrimp you have on hand, but I prefer getting shrimp that have been pre-peeled and deveined to save time on prepping. You can also get shrimp with the tail removed.

How do I quickly thaw shrimp?

If you’ve forgotten to thaw the shrimp overnight in the fridge, it’s okay! You can quickly thaw frozen shrimp by placing them into a bowl or colander in the sink.

Then run cold water over it for 5 to 10 minutes, giving it a shake every so often so the water can reach all of the shrimp and melt the ice. Small shrimp take much less time to thaw.

After the shrimp has thawed, be sure to pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel or the shrimp will steam instead of sear inside the air fryer.

How to Use Air Fryer Shrimp

• shrimp pasta: you can cook some pasta and toss it with the shrimp.
• shrimp salad: make a bowl of salad and top it with some of these air fryer shrimps.
• shrimp with rice: toss the shrimp in some cooked rice.
• shrimp with zucchini noodles: this is a great combo and totally keto and low-carb.
• shrimp with traditional noodles: if you’re not following low-carb or gluten-free diets, this is a great recipe for you.
• shrimp appetizer: make this shrimp guacamole bites recipe for your next gathering.
• Enjoy it in shrimp tacos and shrimp fajitas too.
• Or you can serve it with a delicious dip. 

Looking for more easy air fryer recipes? Try my Air Fryer Salmon, Air Fryer Chicken Wings and Air Fryer Chicken Breast.

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