• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Pure and Simple Nourishment
  • About
    • Meet Dr. Erin Carter
    • My Food Philosophy
    • Press and Publications
    • Contact
  • Free Resources
  • Recipes
    • Holidays
      • Fall
      • Thanksgiving
      • Christmas
    • Breakfast
    • Main Course
    • Dessert
    • Sauces and Dips
    • Side Dish
    • Drinks
    • Vegetables
    • Snack
    • Meat and Fish
    • Recipe Wrap-Ups
    • SCD
    • GAPS
    • Whole30
    • AIP
    • Vegan
    • Paleo
    • Dairy-Free
    • Gluten-Free
    • Low FODMAP
    • Refined-Sugar-Free
  • Health
    • Health Information
    • Book Club
  • Nutrition
  • Favorites
    • Books
    • Tools
    • Skincare
  • Work With Me
    • Services
    • Skin Care Quiz
    • Contact
  • Skin Care
  • Weekly Workouts
menu icon
go to homepage
  • Mother's Day
  • Recipes
  • Health Information
  • Meet Dr. Erin Carter
  • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • subscribe
    search icon
    Homepage link
    • Mother's Day
    • Recipes
    • Health Information
    • Meet Dr. Erin Carter
    • Services
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • Pinterest
    • TikTok
  • ×
    Home » Recipes » Main Course

    Quick and Easy Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp

    Modified: Apr 8, 2025 • Published: Oct 30, 2020 by Dr. Erin Carter • This post may contain affiliate links • Leave a Comment

    290 shares
    • Share
    • Yummly
    • Tweet
    Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

    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.

    A bowl full of cooked shrimp with slices of lemon around them.

    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:
    • Ingredients and substitutions:
    • Recipe variatons:
    • How to make air fryer frozen shrimp:
    • Top Tips:
    • Air fryer frozen shrimp FAQs:
    • Other air fryer recipes you will love:
    • Recipe

    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 shrimp in a bowl with salt, pepper, butter and garlic beside it.
    • 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:

    A bowl with melted butter and a spoon in it.
    1. Step 1: First, add the melted butter, crushed garlic, and lemon juice to a bowl and stir well to combine.
    Frozen shrimp in a bowl with melted butter.
    1. Step 2: Next, dunk each frozen shrimp into the lemon garlic butter, ensuring you coat both sides of the shrimp.
    Frozen shrimp on an air fryer rack.
    1. 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.
    A bowl of cooked shrimp with lemon wedges next to them.
    1. 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!
    Cooked shrimp in a bowl with lemon slices.

    Air fryer frozen shrimp FAQs:

    How do you remove the shell and tail from shrimp?

    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.

    Do you have to devein shrimp?

    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.

    Do I need to preheat my air fryer?

    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.

    How should I store any leftover shrimp?

    Store any leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 3 days.

    Other air fryer recipes you will love:

    • A salmon cake on a bed of lettuce drizzled with aioli sauce.
      Air Fryer Salmon Patties with Lemon Dill Aioli
    • A plate of buffalo chicken wings with a side of ranch dressing.
      Frozen Chicken Wings in the Air Fryer (so easy!)
    • Cooked pork ribs on a serving tray with a side of bbq sauce.
      The Best BBQ Air Fryer Ribs (so easy!)
    • A plate of roasted, sliced carrots with parsley on top for garnish.
      Air Fryer Carrots

    Since you made it this far we are basically best friends so be sure to follow me on Instagram, Pinterest, TikTok and Facebook where I share even more recipes and healthy living tips! And don’t forget to leave this recipe a star rating before you go!

    Recipe

    Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp

    These air fryer frozen shrimp are so delicious! Tender and juicy with a garlic lemon butter you will love how easy they are to make in just 10 minutes!
    4.89 from 9 votes
    Print Pin Rate
    Course: Appetizer, Fish, Main Course
    Cuisine: American
    Diet: Diabetic, Gluten Free
    Prep Time: 5 minutes minutes
    Cook Time: 10 minutes minutes
    Total Time: 15 minutes minutes
    Servings: 4
    Calories: 250kcal
    Author: Dr. Erin Carter

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer

    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

    1. The cooking times for this recipe are for frozen raw shrimp. If you use frozen cooked shrimp decrease the cooking time to 5 minutes. 
    2. If you preheat your air fryer you will need to decrease the cook time by 2-3 minutes.
    3. Remove the shell and tails after the shrimp have cooked.
    4. Nutritional values are an estimate and will vary depending on the exact ingredients used. 

    Nutrition

    Calories: 250kcal | Carbohydrates: 1g | Protein: 23g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 326mg | Sodium: 1016mg | Potassium: 91mg | Sugar: 1g | Vitamin A: 473IU | Vitamin C: 5mg | Calcium: 169mg | Iron: 2mg
    Tried this Recipe? Pin it for Later!Mention @pureandsimpleno or tag #pureandsimpleno!

    DISCLAIMERS: The statements made on this website have not been approved by the Food and Drug Administration or Health Canada. The information is not intended to diagnose, treat, cure, or prevent disease. You assume full responsibility for how you use this information. Always consult with your physician or other health professionals before making any diet or lifestyle changes. This post may contain affiliate links whereby if you purchase these products I receive a small percentage of the sale price. This allows me to keep the blog running and I thank you for allowing me to do that!

    Reader Interactions

    Leave a Reply Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Recipe Rating




    Primary Sidebar

    A photo of Dr. Erin Carter wearing a floral dress in her kitchen.

    Hi everyone!

    My name is Dr. Erin Carter and I am so thrilled you are here. I am a physician with specialties in both internal medicine and rheumatology, and I believe that food and healthy living are forms of medicine. In my spare time I share health information and delicious, healthy recipes here on Pure and Simple Nourishment.

    More about me

    Mother's Day Recipes

    • A pan filled with cooked dairy free scalloped potatoes garnished with fresh thyme.
      Dairy-Free Scalloped Potatoes (gluten-free, vegan & paleo)
    • A lemon lavender cookie on a baking sheet with a bite out of it and surrounded by lemon slices.
      The Best Lemon Lavender Cookies (gluten-free option)
    • A stack of five cassava flour chocolate chip cookies.
      Cassava Flour Chocolate Chip Cookies (egg-free, gluten-free)
    • A jar of raspberry chia pudding topped with fresh raspberries and white chia seeds.
      5 Ingredient Raspberry Chia Pudding
    • A bowl of coconut whipped cream.
      Easy Coconut Whipped Cream (vegan, dairy-free)
    • A glass dish filled with a bacon and vegetable egg casserole.
      The Best Bacon and Vegetable Egg Casserole

    Health Info

    • A collage of many different sunscreen bottles with the title The Best Safe Sunscreens Over them.
      11 Non-Toxic Sunscreens (tried and tested)
    • Four women in their underwear with the title The Best Non Toxic Period Underwear over them.
      10 Non-Toxic Period Underwear Brands - PFAS Free
    • Pots and pans stacked on top of each other in black and white with the title "is ceramic cookware safe?" above them.
      Is Ceramic Cookware Safe? Which Brands Are & Which Brands Aren't
    • A collage of body washes with the title "Non-Toxic Body Washes" over them.
      The 9 Best Non-Toxic Body Washes of 2025 (Tried & Tested)

    Popular Recipes

    • A paleo apple pie bar with a bite out of it and pieces of cooked apples beside it.
      The Best Healthy Apple Pie Bars (gluten-free, vegan & paleo)
    • A gluten free burger in a bun with lettuce, tomato and ketchup.
      The Best Gluten-Free Burgers Recipe (so juicy!)
    • A loaf of gluten free chocolate chip banana bread cut into pieces.
      The Best Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Banana Bread (dairy free & paleo)
    • A paleo chocolate chip zucchini muffin with a bite out of it.
      Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Zucchini Muffins (dairy-free & paleo)
    • A bowl of Whole30 asian coleslaw with dressing being poured on it.
      The Best Healthy Asian Coleslaw Salad
    • A jar of berry cheesecake overnight oats topped with fresh berries with a spoon in it.
      The Best Berry Cheesecake Overnight Oats

    Footer

    featured on:

    Sign up for emails and updates!

    Sign me up!
    • Privacy Policy
    • Accessibility Policy
    • Contact
    • Services
    • ↑ back to top

    Some of the links on this website are affiliate links whereby we make a small percentage if you purchase the product through that link. It does not cost you anything extra and helps us keep this website running. As an Amazon associate we earn a small percentage from qualifying Amazon purchases.

    Copyright © 2025 Pure & Simple Nourishment - Powered by Feast+

    290 shares
    290 shares

    Rate This Recipe

    Your vote:




    A rating is required
    A name is required
    An email is required