This 5-star, reader-rated air fryer frozen shrimp recipe is exactly what you need when you’re short on time but don’t want to sacrifice flavor. It’s a quick, delicious dinner that is done in under 15 minutes. You don’t even need to thaw the frozen shrimp! This recipe is terrific when you need a fast meal or a quick appetizer. And it works with all types of frozen shrimp!
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Air Fry Frozen Shrimp
This easy air fryer shrimp recipe has saved dinner for me more than a few times. It’s one of the quickest ways to get frozen shrimp on your table. And you don’t even need to wait for the shrimp to thaw before cooking! You don’t need to worry about forgetting to take the shrimp out of the freezer ever again! This recipe is the secret to making great shrimp without having to thaw them.
This fast and delicious recipe is a life-saver when you’re short on time. And it’s been given 5 stars by my readers and my family alike. Use the finished shrimp in po’boy sandwiches, for shrimp tacos or fajitas, or serve them as a quick and simple party appetizer. And the best part, you can use this recipe method for ANY kind of frozen shrimp!
Make this air fryer frozen shrimp for:
- Breaded shrimp and unbreaded shrimp
- Tails on and tails off
- Precooked or raw frozen shrimp
- Butterflied shrimp
- Any size shrimp, even popcorn and jumbo
- Coconut shrimp
- fresh shrimp
And better yet? There’s no need to thaw before cooking. You are going to love how easy it is!
Love shrimp? Try my air fryer popcorn shrimp and air fryer coconut shrimp.
Why You’ll Love this Recipe for Air Fry Shrimp (Frozen)
I’m not kidding when I say this is going to be your new favorite way to cook shrimp. It’s the easiest way to get tender shrimp cooked for a quick meal.
- It’s so easy and quick. It’s ready in less than 10 minutes and you don’t have to stand over a skillet the whole time.
- Shrimp is always a great weeknight dinner or quick lunch.
- You can make it with any kind of frozen shrimp.
- It’s a great main dish for busy weeknights with a short cook time
- A great way to use up a bag of frozen shrimp you have sitting in the freezer
products used to make air fryer frozen shrimp
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Buy Now → Air Fryer Shrimp (Frozen) Ingredients
Here’s what you’ll need to put this easy air fryer recipe together:
- frozen shrimp: Any size, and any kind of shrimp. They can be breaded or not, tails on or off, precooked or raw, butterflied, coconut, whatever!
- avocado oil or melted butter
- seasoning of choice: You can go nuts here. Lemon pepper seasoning, Old Bay seasoning, Italian seasoning, Cajun seasoning, and taco seasoning are all great. You can also use garlic powder, chili powder, black pepper, or red pepper flakes.
Best seasoning for shrimp
- Shrimp is tasty with a simple seasoning of just salt and pepper, but there’s so much you can do with shrimp.
- Old Bay Seasoning is a classic for seafood dishes.
- If you make shrimp a lot, you may want to keep your own homemade shrimp seasoning on hand at all times.
- Citrus goes especially well with shrimp, so you can try adding lemon zest or lime zest or even using lemon pepper.
- You can also cook by cuisine. For Italian dishes, try this Tuscan herb blend. For Greek dishes, use Greek seasoning.
- For Mexican and Latin dishes, use fajita seasoning.
How to Cook Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer
Now, let’s get to air fryin’!
- Start by adding the frozen shrimp to a mixing bowl along with the avocado oil or melted butter (make sure it is slightly cooled) and your seasoning of choice.
- Mix them all together until all of the shrimp are coated in both the oil and seasoning.
- Place the shrimp in the air fryer basket. Arrange them in a single layer with no overlapping — this is so that the air fryer can cook each piece evenly. (You may have to cook in batches if you are cooking a lot of shrimp.)
- Cook at 370ºF for 4 minutes. Open the basket and shake everything up.
- Place the basket back in the air fryer and cook again:
- For precooked shrimp, set the timer for 3 minutes.
- For raw shrimp, cook them for 6 minutes.
- Larger shrimp may need additional cooking time.
- Test your shrimp with a digital read meat thermometer. Shrimp should be cooked to an internal temperature of 145°F.
Air Fryer Shrimp Frozen Tips & Tricks
This method works with any type of frozen shrimp including coconut, popcorn, jumbo, and butterflied. I love how versatile it is!
There is no need to thaw before cooking.
It is absolutely key that the shrimp be in a single layer in the air fryer basket to cook evenly and avoid overcooking.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp
- Shrimp goes with so many dishes and cuisines. One of my favorite dinners is this creamy garlic shrimp with white sauce.
- Spoon them in tortillas (with the tail off) with your favorite toppings for shrimp tacos or on bread for a shrimp po’boy .
- Serve them up with your favorite dipping sauce, like remoulade, cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or pineapple sauce for an appetizer.
- Add them to your favorite pasta dishes like shrimp orzo or bowties with shrimp.
- You can also enjoy shrimp on a salad like this rainbow chopped salad.
- Add them to a bowl with white rice, avocado, cucumbers, and nori. Drizzle it with spicy mayo for a sushi-inspired bowl.
- Serve it as a simple meal with a squeeze of lemon juice and a side of some air fryer asparagus for a great low-carb option.
Frozen Shrimp Air Fryer Recipe FAQs
Frozen shrimp can be cooked to perfection in the air fryer in under 10 minutes, though it can vary depending on the size of the shrimp — larger shrimp will take longer.
Pre-cooked frozen shrimp can be ready in about 7 minutes, whereas raw frozen shrimp will take about 10 minutes. Larger sized shrimp may need more time.
Yes, butterfly shrimp can be cooked in the air fryer. Coat it with oil or butter and your favorite seasoning, then cook it in a single layer in the air fryer basket for 4 minutes in the air fryer at 370°F. Shake the basket, then return the shrimp to the air fryer and cook for an additional 3 minutes if pre-cooked or 6 minutes if raw.
The internal temperature that shrimp needs to reach in order to be considered safe for consumption is 145°F. Once at this temperature, the shrimp are cooked through, opaque, and have a firm texture. You can measure the internal temperature using an instant read food thermometer.
It is not necessary to wash shrimp before cooking them if you have purchased them from a reputable source. Washing shrimp can increase the risk of cross-contamination.
In general, when stored properly, raw shrimp can last 6-12 months in the freezer. Cooked shrimp has a shorter freezer life compared to raw. It can generally last about 2-3 months in the freezer when stored properly.
Leftover Shrimp
If you have leftover shrimp, allow them to cool completely and then place them in an airtight container. They will stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3 days.
You can use the leftover cooked shrimp on top of a salad, in shrimp tacos, or in a deli-style shrimp salad.
More Air Fryer Recipes
- Air Fryer Chicken Wings
- Frozen Sweet Potato Fries in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Croutons
- Air Fryer Grilled Cheese
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Frozen Shrimp Air Fryer Recipe
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen shrimp large/jumbo size
- 1 tablespoon avocado oil or melted butter
- 1 tablespoon seasoning of choice lemon pepper, old bay, italian seasoning
Instructions
- Add the frozen shrimp to a mixing bowl along with the avocado oil (or butter) and seasoning.
- Mix together until all of the shrimp are coated in the oil and seasoning.
- Place the shrimp in the air fryer basket in a single layer with no overlapping.
- Cook at 375ºF for 4 minutes. Open the basket and shake.
- Place the basket back in the air fryer and cook an additional 3-6 minutes – 3 minutes for precooked shrimp and 6 minutes for raw shrimp.
Video
Notes
- this method works with any type of frozen breaded shrimp including coconut, popcorn, and butterflied
- may need additional minutes for really large shrimp
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Super excited about this one!! This goes along perfect with my weight loss program and something I can quickly use to make a good decision when my family may not be eating something that fits. Whoop whoop! Pumped for quick and easy!