Air fryer frozen shrimp are the best shrimp ever! They turn out so juicy and tender and have hints of lemon and garlic. They are so easy to make and are ready in just 10 minutes. You'll never want to cook shrimp any other way again.
Air fryers are great for making seafood dishes like air fryer scallops because they are so easy to make and turn out perfectly cooked! That is why I can't wait for you to make the air fryer shrimp recipe I am sharing with you today!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- This is the easiest way to cook shrimp! They are cooked from frozen so it takes way less time than most other shrimp recipes. They are ready in only 10 minutes!
- The shrimp turn out so juicy, tender, and full of flavour.
- I've added a delicious lemon garlic butter sauce to take these shrimp to the next level and make them taste even better.
Looking for other air fryer seafood recipes? Try my air fryer Mahi Mahi recipe or air fried fish sticks.
Ingredients and substitutions:
For the full ingredient list and exact measurements refer to the recipe card later in this post.
Jump to the Recipe Card.
- Frozen raw shrimp - I recommend using wild shrimp rather than farmed shrimp if possible.
- Butter - for the base of the lemon butter sauce that tops this air fryer shrimp recipe. You can swap the butter for coconut oil, olive oil or avocado oil.
- Fresh garlic - to help give these shrimp the most delicious flavour.
- Fresh lemon juice - you will use the lemon juice for the lemon butter that tops these juicy shrimp.
Recipe variatons:
Feel free to add other seasonings to the shrimp to give them a different flavour. Other options include onion powder, lemon pepper seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, cumin, chili powder, or cayenne pepper.
How to make air fryer frozen shrimp:
- Step 1: First, add the melted butter, crushed garlic, and lemon juice to a bowl and stir well to combine.
- Step 2: Next, dunk each frozen shrimp into the lemon garlic butter, ensuring you coat both sides of the shrimp.
- Step 3: Then place the frozen shrimp in the air fryer and cook them for 5 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit. If you have precooked shrimp they will likely be done at this point but if you used raw shrimp then flip the shrimp and cook them for another 5-6 minutes until the shrimp are cooked.
- Step 4: Once cooked, sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper to and remove the shell and tails from the shrimp. If you prefer you can also devein the shrimp at this point. Then enjoy!
Top Tips:
- This recipe uses frozen raw shrimp. To make frozen cooked shrimp in the air fryer cook them for 5-6 minutes at 400 degrees Fahrenheit and to make fresh shrimp in the air fryer, cook them at 400 degrees Fahrenheit for 5 minutes.
- I do not preheat my air fryer for this recipe. If you do preheat your air fryer you will need to decrease the cook time by 2-3 minutes.
- The cook time for this recipe will vary depending on the size of shrimp you are using. For larger shrimp or jumbo shrimp you will need to add a bit more time.
- Leave the shell and tails on the shrimp when cooking them in the air fryer to help protect them and then remove them after they have cooked.
- Don't overcrowd the shrimp in the air fryer or they won't cook as well.
- Don’t add the salt until after the shrimp are cooked! The shrimp stay more tender if you add the salt afterwards.
- Serving ideas: You can serve these shrimp with your favourite dipping sauce such as seafood sauce, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or cajun butter sauce for even more flavour!
Air fryer frozen shrimp FAQs:
To remove the shell: Put your thumb on the underbelly of the shrimp, where the legs are attached. Release the shell with your thumb. Hold the tail while removing the shell by simply pulling it off. I don't recommend doing this until the shrimp is cooked. It would be very challenging with frozen shrimp.
To remove the tail: It's really easy to remove the tail! Pinch the tail at the bottom, where it connects with the shrimp’s body. Pull it. The tail should come off easily.
Nope! This is a matter of personal preference. The vein is safe to eat. And it's actually not a vein at all. It's the shrimp's digestive tract.
For this recipe you do not need to preheat your air fryer. If you do preheat it decrease the cook time by 2-3 minutes.
Store any leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Other air fryer recipes you will love:
Recipe
Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb frozen raw shrimp
- 1/3 cup melted butter or coconut oil
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- Juice from one lemon
- sea salt (to taste)
- ground black pepper (to taste)
Instructions
- Add the melted butter, crushed garlic and lemon juice to a bowl and stir well to combine.
- Dunk each shrimp into the lemon garlic butter, coating both sides of the shrimp.
- Place the shrimp on the racks of your air fryer and cook for 5 minutes at 400F. Flip the shrimp and cook for another 5-6 minutes at 400F, until the shrimp is cooked.
- Sprinkle the shrimp with salt and pepper to taste and remove the shell and tails from the shrimp. If you prefer you can also devein the shrimp.
Notes
- The cooking times for this recipe are for frozen raw shrimp. If you use frozen cooked shrimp decrease the cooking time to 5 minutes.
- If you preheat your air fryer you will need to decrease the cook time by 2-3 minutes.
- Remove the shell and tails after the shrimp have cooked.
- Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used.
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