Air Fryer Shrimp
This Air Fryer Shrimp has the best seasoning and is so quick and easy to make! Enjoy it as an appetizer or serve with pasta, on a salad or in shrimp tacos.
I love cooking shrimp in the air fryer because it’s quick, easy and the shrimp turns out perfectly juicy and flavorful. This air fryer shrimp is such a versatile dish. You can serve it with a dipping sauce for an appetizer, or make it a meal with pasta, salad or rice. If you like easy shrimp recipes, then you will love these air fryer shrimp!
I seasoned these shrimp with a simple blend of spices, inspired by my favorite Cajun seasoning. We loved the slightly spicy, smoky flavor of this seasoning with the shrimp. We couldn’t stop eating them right from the air fryer basket!
Looking for more easy air fryer recipes? Try Air Fryer Salmon, Air Fryer Chicken Wings, Air Fryer Chicken Breast, Air Fryer Chicken Thighs, Air Fryer Steak or Air Fryer Pork Chops. You’ll love how meat and fish cooks up perfectly juicy and tender in the air fryer!
Air Fryer Shrimp Recipe Ingredients
Besides the shrimp, the only ingredients you need for this recipe are olive oil and a few pantry seasonings. It doesn’t get any easier than that!
- Shrimp: I used jumbo shrimp, which I bought frozen and thawed before cooking. (See more about cooking frozen shrimp in the air fryer below.) Buying shrimp that’s already peeled and deveined (or easy peel shrimp) will save you time and effort. Be sure to buy raw shrimp, not cooked shrimp.
- Olive Oil: Brushing the shrimp with a small amount of olive oil will help the seasonings to stick.
- Seasonings: I used a Cajun-inspired mix of seasonings. Smoked paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, dried oregano, dried thyme, salt and pepper combine to make a delicious shrimp seasoning. I like using smoked paprika for a touch of spicy, smoky flavor. Feel free to use sweet paprika if you prefer a milder flavor. You can substitute 1 tablespoon of Cajun seasoning for the individual seasonings in this recipe. Or use your favorite seasoning blend!
Find the full printable recipe with ingredient amounts and instructions in the recipe card below. If you’re just getting started with air frying, read my guide on How to Use an Air Fryer.
How to Make Air Fryer Shrimp
- To cook shrimp in the air fryer, start by preheating your air fryer at 400° F for 5 minutes.
- Pat the shrimp dry with paper towels. Drying the shrimp well helps the oil and seasonings to stick.
- In a small bowl, stir together the seasonings.
- Brush half of the olive oil over the top sides of the shrimp.
- Sprinkle with half of the seasonings, gently patting the seasoning onto the shrimp.
- Flip the shrimp over and brush oil over the other side, then sprinkle on the remaining seasonings.
- Place the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer. Air fry at 400° F for 3 minutes. Flip the shrimp over and cook for 1-5 more minutes, until shrimp are cooked through.
Can You Cook Frozen Shrimp in the Air Fryer?
Yes, you can cook frozen shrimp in the air fryer! This is a great option if you need an easy meal idea and have a bag of frozen shrimp in your freezer. You will need to add a few minutes to the cook time for frozen shrimp to cook through.
However, since seasonings don’t stick as well to frozen shrimp, I prefer to thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator before cooking. It takes about 24 hours to thaw shrimp in the fridge, and then you can season, air fry and enjoy.
Recipe Tips
- The cook times in this recipe are for jumbo shrimp. If you are using medium shrimp or extra jumbo, you may need to adjust the cook time by a few minutes.
- Buy deveined, peeled shrimp for the fastest prep. Deveined easy peel shrimp are another good option.
- Don’t overcrowd the air fryer basket. Shrimp cooks best when it’s in a single layer in the air fryer. Cook in batches as needed.
- Flipping the shrimp over halfway through the cook time helps them to cook evenly.
- You can keep the tails on the shrimp or remove them, depending on your preference. If you plan to serve the shrimp as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, you’ll want to leave the tails on. If you plan to toss them with pasta or add to a salad or tacos, you may want to remove the tails.
Serving Suggestions
Air fryer shrimp make a delicious appetizer! Serve them with your favorite dipping sauce, such as cocktail sauce or melted garlic butter. To make these shrimp a meal, you can toss them with pasta, add them to a salad, or wrap in tortillas to make easy shrimp tacos. Or serve shrimp with Instant Pot rice, brown rice or quinoa and roasted vegetables.
How would you serve these air fryer shrimp? Let me know in the comments below!
More Easy Air Fryer Recipes
Air Fryer Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, or sweet paprika
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon dried oregano
- ¼ teaspoon onion powder
- ¼ teaspoon dried thyme
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat air fryer to 400° F for 5 minutes.
- Lay the shrimp out in a single layer on a plate or cutting board. Pat them dry with paper towels.
- In a small bowl, stir together the paprika, garlic powder, dried oregano, onion powder, dried thyme, salt and pepper.
- Brush half of the olive oil over the shrimp and sprinkle with half of the seasoning mixture. Gently pat the seasonings into the shrimp with your fingers. Flip the shrimp over and brush with the remaining olive oil. Sprinkle with the rest of the seasonings and pat to help the seasonings stick to the shrimp.
- Place shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer (cook in batches as needed). Air fry at 400° F for 3 minutes. Flip shrimp over and air fry for 1-5 more minutes, until shrimp are cooked through (they should register at least 145° F on an instant read thermometer). Serve.
Notes
- I used jumbo shrimp in this recipe. If using smaller or larger shrimp, adjust the cook time as needed.
- You can cook frozen shrimp in the air fryer. You will need to add a few minutes to the cook time to cook shrimp through from frozen.
- Seasonings won't stick as well to frozen shrimp, so you may wish to thaw frozen shrimp in the refrigerator before seasoning and cooking.
- You can keep the tails on the shrimp or remove them. If you plan to serve the shrimp as an appetizer with a dipping sauce, you’ll want to leave the tails on. If you plan to toss them with pasta or add to a salad or tacos, you may want to remove the tails.
Shrimp came out perfect on the air fryer! Cooking shrimp just got a lot easier, thank you for sharing ?
I tried theirs recipe today. I had gotten tired of sautéing my shrimp only to have them lose their tenderness. The shrimp in the air fryer came out plump and oh, so tasty. I bought non-frozen, peeled shrimp and used Paul Prudhomme’s Seafood Magic Blend, and followed this recipe. DELICIOUS!! And, oh, so easy!
It was wonderful. Tried this last night.
Thank you