Frozen Shrimp takes just 10 minutes to cook in an Air Fryer! No need to thaw them and the mess is minimal. Easy to clean up as well.
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Undoubtedly, I’m now obsessed with my Air Fryer! It is perfect for cooking up easy recipes in a fraction of the time it would take in the oven or on the stovetop. And the best part? No mess, easy cleanup, and less time! The Air fryer works on evenly distributing heating around the food, which makes it cook everything perfectly, and in far lesser time than a conventional oven.
Why this recipe works
- Easy to cook frozen shrimp - add it directly to the Air Fryer, no thawing necessary!
- Less mess, easy to cleanup - simple rinse the Air Fryer tray and clean out the basket
- Faster than using an oven - the air fryer cooks food in lesser time than a kitchen oven, and there is less heat radiated around the kitchen!
Ingredients
Frozen Shrimp - To make Air Fryer frozen shrimp, you will need frozen shrimp - either with tails on or without, you can also use breaded frozen shrimp or pre-cooked frozen shrimp.
Optional dressing ingredients - For the dressing, you will need lemon, salt, garlic cloves, and butter.
How to cook Frozen Shrimp in an Air Fryer
- Set the Air Fryer to 10 minutes of Air frying time, at 400F. Preheat the Air Fryer as per the instructions. When the Air Fryer beeps, indicating it’s time to add the food, add the frozen shrimp in the basket of your preheated air fryer. If you are using frozen breaded shrimp or frozen popcorn shrimp, then place the shrimp in a single layer, and do not overcrowd the tray.
2. Let the Air Fryer complete the air-frying cycle. I use an Instant Pot Vortex which indicates when it is time to flip the shrimp over.
3. If you’re cooking more than one batch of shrimp, take out the cooked shrimp on a plate and continue with another batch.
Your Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp is now ready to be enjoyed with your choice of dip or dressing!
How to cook Frozen Breaded Shrimp in Air Fryer
Frozen breaded shrimp and frozen popcorn shrimp can be made easily in the air fryer. The timing can vary by the size of the shrimp. You will need to Air Fry the frozen breaded shrimp or the frozen popcorn shrimp for 8 minutes in the Air Fryer at 400 F. Take out the basket and shake the basket once midway - this allows for even cooking.
Just ensure that you keep a single layer of shrimp in the tray while air frying. Overcrowding the shrimp will cause it to cook unevenly.
Recipe Tips
- Ensure that you do not overcrowd the Air Fryer basket, especially if you are using frozen breaded shrimp or frozen popcorn shrimp – this will result in uneven cooking. Regular frozen shrimp can be cooked in one batch of 1 lb at a time.
- If you are using frozen pre-cooked shrimp, reduce the time to 5 minutes.
- Air Frying frozen shrimp will result in the water from the frozen shrimp settling on the tray and basket below the tray of your Air Fryer. Ensure you clean it up after the Air Fryer cools down.
- Do not overcook the shrimp! Overcooked shrimp is tough and dry. Make sure you do not exceed 10 minutes of cooking time for the frozen raw shrimp or 5 minutes for frozen pre-cooked shrimp.
Serving Suggestions
I love to dress up my cooked shrimp with a little garlic-butter -lemon dressing. To make this dressing, heat a pan on the stovetop and saute minced garlic in butter for a couple of minutes, until aromatic. Turn off the heat, toss the shrimp in the pan and mix to combine. Add salt and lemon juice to season. This is my favorite dressing for cooked shrimp!
You can also serve cooked shrimp as an appetizer or as a side with salads - I recommend a spiced chickpea salad, or a mango salad.
You could also dress up the shrimp with some fresh pesto or serve it with some crispy baked potatoes. The possibilities are endless!
Similar Recipes
Air Fryer Buffalo Cauliflower Wings
Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp Recipe
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- 1 lb Frozen Shrimp
Instructions
- Set the Air Fryer to 10 minutes of Air frying time, at 400F. Preheat the Air Fryer as per the instructions (some Air Fryers do not need preheating). When the Air Fryer beeps, indicating it’s time to add the food, place a single layer of unthawed frozen shrimp in the basket of your preheated air fryer.
- Let the Air Fryer complete the air-frying cycle. I use an Instant Pot Vortex which indicates when it is time to flip the shrimp over.
- If you’re cooking more than one batch of shrimp, take out the cooked shrimp on a plate and continue with another batch
For the garlic-butter dressing
- To make the dressing, heat a pan on the stovetop and saute minted garlic in butter for a couple of minutes, until aromatic.
- Turn off the heat, toss the shrimp in the pan and mix to combine. Add salt and lemon juice to season. Serve immediately.
Notes
- Ensure that you do not overcrowd the Air Fryer basket, especially if you are using frozen breaded shrimp or frozen popcorn shrimp – this will result in uneven cooking. Regular frozen shrimp can be cooked in one batch of 1 lb at a time.
- If you are using frozen pre-cooked shrimp, reduce the time to 5 minutes.
- Air Frying frozen shrimp will result in the water from the frozen shrimp settling on the tray and basket below the tray of your Air Fryer. Ensure you clean it up after the Air Fryer cools down.
- Do not overcook the shrimp! Overcooked shrimp is tough and dry. Make sure you do not exceed 10 minutes of cooking time for the frozen raw shrimp or 5 minutes for frozen pre-cooked shrimp.