This air fryer shrimp recipe makes deliciously seasoned, juicy shrimp in just 5 minutes! This go-to trick is perfect for quick weeknight meals.
Here’s one trick I’ve learned for quick weeknight dinners: shrimp! It’s a lean protein that cooks faster than any other I know: in just 5 minutes. Since I make a lot of shrimp recipes, it was only a matter of time before I developed my new favorite go-to dinner: this air fryer shrimp.
The air fryer might be the perfect way to cook this protein: it gets juicy and evenly cooked without needing to watch a skillet! As much as I love my sauteed shrimp recipe, the air fryer is even easier. With my secret spice blend, this recipe comes out irresistibly seasoned: great for serving with rice or adding to Caesar salad or bowl meals!
Why You’ll Love This Recipe
- Ready in under 10 minutes! It’s the best fast dinner option around.
- Big flavor from a short ingredient list: My seasoning blend is so tasty
- Easy cleanup: The air fryer makes no oil splatter or sheet pan to clean (though of course you need to clean the air fryer!)
- Super versatile: This quick protein is great with grain bowls, pastas, tacos, and more
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Peeled shrimp: I like using large shrimp for the best texture: smaller shrimp can overcook quickly in a hot air fryer. You can use tail on or off; I typically use 26/3.) Use fresh or frozen; if starting from frozen, make sure they’re fully thawed and patted dry before you start. (Here’s how to thaw shrimp.)
- Olive oil: A little olive oil goes a long way in the air fryer.
- Spices: I like to use a blend of garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dried dill, and salt. Dill is often paired with shrimp and I love how it adds a little intrigue to the seasonings.
- Lemon zest, fresh parsley, and lemon wedges: These garnishes make the shrimp taste fresh and delicious: I use these flavors often in my Mediterranean diet recipes.
How to Make Air Fryer Shrimp
Step 1: Preheat your air fryer to 400°F. Preheating is worth the extra 2 minutes: it helps the shrimp get a light sear.
Step 2: Season the shrimp. In a large bowl, toss the peeled shrimp with the olive oil and spices. Tip: Make sure the shrimp are as dry as possible before tossing: this also helps to get the best sear (instead of steaming).
Step 3″ Air fry. Place the shrimp in the basket. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, shaking the basket after 3 minutes. Tip: If you want to cook more shrimp at once, you’ll need to cook in batches.
Step 4: Garnish and serve. Toss with lemon zest and top with chopped parsley, if using. I like serving with lemon wedges but it’s not required.
Air fryer recommendation: I use this air fryer, which has a very large basket so you can cook large quantities at once. I love it for this recipe, my air fryer salmon bites, air fryer chicken breast, air fryer chicken thighs, and air fryer tofu.
Ways to Serve Air Fryer Shrimp
As you know, I am obsessed with shrimp recipes because they are SO FAST. I say this in all caps because it’s true! There’s nothing faster than shrimp for dinner. Here’s how I like to serve this air fryer shrimp:
- Bowl meals: Add it to my shrimp rice bowl, chicken rice bowl, farro bowl, or Mediterranean rice bowl. Or make your own concept: add it to a base of farro, rice, or quinoa with some veggies and a drizzle of Green Goddess ranch.
- On a salad: I love adding shrimp to make a shrimp Caesar salad.
- In tacos: Pile into tortillas with slaw and sauce like my easy shrimp tacos.
- Tossed with pasta: Use this as the cooking method for shrimp pasta or shrimp linguine.
How to Store and Reheat
Air fryer shrimp are best eaten fresh. However, leftovers do store well in the refrigerator for up to 2 days. Often I prefer making leftover shrimp into new dishes like a shrimp salad.
To reheat, pop them back in the air fryer at 350°F for 2 to 3 minutes, until warmed through.
Dietary Note
This air fryer shrimp recipe is dairy-free, gluten-free, pescatarian, and Mediterranean diet friendly.
Frequently Asked Questions
I like to. Starting in a hot air fryer means the shrimp begin cooking immediately on contact, which makes for a better sear.
You can, but thaw the shrimp completely first. The best method is to place them in a bowl of cold water for 15 minutes, swirling occasionally. Drain and pat dry before seasoning. Do not cook them from frozen! Cooking from frozen will release lots of moisture and steam the shrimp instead of sear them.
The shrimp are cooked through when they turn from gray and translucent to pink and opaque. They also curl into a loose “C” shape. If they curl tightly into an “O,” they’re overcooked.
You can, but cook in batches rather than crowding the basket. Overlapping shrimp steam instead of air fry, and you’ll lose the seared exterior. Most standard air fryers can handle about 1 ½ pounds comfortably in a single layer — mine fits 1 ½ pounds nicely.
Juicy Air Fryer Shrimp
Pin RecipeThis air fryer shrimp recipe makes deliciously seasoned, juicy shrimp in just 5 minutes! This go-to trick is perfect for quick weeknight meals.
- Prep Time: 2 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Total Time: 7 minutes
- Yield: 4 1x
- Category: Dinner
- Method: air fryer
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Dairy-Free, Gluten-Free, Low-Carb, Mediterranean Diet, Pescatarian
Ingredients
- 1½ pounds peeled medium to large shrimp (tail on or off; I typically use 26/30)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- ½ teaspoon dried dill
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- Lemon zest, for garnish
- Finely chopped parsley, for serving
- Lemon wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Preheat an air fryer to 400°F.
- In a large bowl, gently toss the shrimp with the olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, smoked paprika, dill, and salt until evenly coated.
- Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket. Cook for 5 to 6 minutes, until opaque and cooked through, shaking after 3 minutes. Stir in the lemon zest and serve, garnished with chopped parsley and lemon wedges to squeeze over the shrimp, if desired.
Notes
- Cook time depends on size: You can technically cook any size of shrimp in the air fryer, but I like medium to large for the juiciest result. Smaller shrimp cooks in a faster time. You can also use jumbo shrimp.
More Shrimp Recipes to Try
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