Shrimp might be the most underrated weeknight shortcut in your freezer right now. Five minutes in the air fryer, and you’ve got tender, lightly crisped air fryer shrimp that works as an appetizer, taco filling, pasta topper, salad protein or whatever your night calls for.
I used to think cooking shrimp was fussier than it needed to be. You get stovetop splattering, guessing when they’re done, and half of them turning rubbery. Then I started tossing them in the air fryer and never looked back. Now it’s my go-to when I need dinner on the table fast and I’m tired.
What makes this recipe work is the simplicity. You just quickly season the shrimp, add them in a single layer in the basket, and the air fryer does the rest. There is no babysitting and no mess. The shrimp come out juicy in the middle with just enough bite on the outside, and they’re ready in 5 minutes.
Reader Review
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
This was VERY GOOD! Plus it was super easy and fast — and healthy! I was making just one serving so I just sprinkled on the seasonings in a bowl with a little olive oil. I shared it with a couple of people already. I will definitely be making it again.
— Vickie
If shrimp intimidates you, don’t let it. This recipe is as low-pressure as it gets. And if you already love shrimp, you’re about to make it a whole lot more often.
Below, you’ll find the exact seasoning I use, the right temp and timing, and a few easy ways to turn these into a full meal. Shrimp is naturally low-carb and high protein, so you will love having such an easy and dependable way to cook it!
Looking for more easy air fryer meals? Try my recipes for air fryer chicken teriyaki, air fryer salmon skewers or air fryer Italian sausages.
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Ingredient Notes
For exact amounts needed see the recipe card below
- Shrimp: I used medium 36/40 count shrimp for this recipe, which means there are 36 to 40 shrimp per pound. Make sure to peel and devein your shrimp before cooking. I usually leave the tails on, but you can remove them if you prefer.
- Olive oil
- Paprika
- Onion powder
- Garlic powder
- Salt
- Pepper
How to Make Air Fryer Shrimp
- Preheat your air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes. Preheating ensures your shrimp get that perfect crispy exterior right from the start.
- If you haven’t already, peel and devein the shrimp. This is probably the most time-consuming part of the recipe, but it only takes a few minutes. You can buy pre-peeled and deveined shrimp to make things even easier.
- In a small bowl, combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt, and pepper.
- Add your shrimp to a large bowl and drizzle the olive oil over them. Sprinkle the seasoning mixture on top, then toss everything together until each shrimp is nicely coated.
- Place the seasoned shrimp in a single layer in your preheated air fryer basket. Don’t overcrowd them or they’ll steam instead of getting crispy. Depending on the size of your air fryer, you might need to cook them in two batches.
- Cook for 5 minutes at 400 F. Halfway through the cooking time (around the 2.5 minute mark), open the air fryer and flip the shrimp with a spatula so they cook evenly on both sides. They should be pink and opaque when they’re done.
- These shrimp are best right out of the air fryer while they’re still hot and crispy.
Serving Ideas
Air fryer shrimp are so versatile that you can take them in about a million different directions depending on what’s in your fridge and what your family’s in the mood for. My go-to move is serving them with melted butter, fresh lemon wedges, and a sprinkle of parsley. It’s a combination that feels fancy but takes little effort on my part.
But shrimp works magic in so many other applications. Here are some of my favorites:
- Add the shrimp to tortillas with salsa and lettuce to make shrimp tacos.
- Put the shrimp on top of a rice bowl for an easy, healthy dinner.
- Use the shrimp to add some protein to a dinner salad.
- Make Cajun po’ boys by serving the shrimp in buns.
- Add it to pasta for a quick seafood pasta dinner.
- Serve the shrimp with your favorites sauce, like Boom Boom sauce or cocktail sauce.
The five-minute cook time means you can build an entire meal around these little guys without spending your whole evening in the kitchen. The beauty here is that you’re not locked into one way of serving them. Make them on a Tuesday night over rice, then repurpose the same recipe into something completely different by Friday.
Seasoning Variations
The seasoning mix I use in the recipe is a basic, mild seasoning. But you can make these shrimp seem like a completely different recipe just by switching up the seasoning. Here are some of my favorite ideas. For each variation remove the paprika, onion powder and garlic powder from the recipe and replace it with the following:
- Mexican Taco Shrimp: 3 teaspoons of chili powder and 1 teaspoon cumin
- Cajun Shrimp: 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Italian Shrimp: 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Old Bay Shrimp: 3 ½ teaspoons Old Bay and ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- Lemon Pepper Shrimp: 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Caribbean Shrimp: 3 teaspoons Caribbean jerk seasoning and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Each of these variations one naturally pairs with different sides. Cajun shrimp is perfect with rice. Mexican taco shrimp belongs in, well, tacos. Italian shrimp? Toss it with pasta. Let the seasoning guide your plating.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days. They’ll keep their texture better if you store them separately from any sauce or dressing you might be using.
When you’re ready to eat them again, you have a couple of options. You can reheat them in the air fryer at 350°F for about two minutes, just enough to warm them through without overcooking them further. You can also just eat them cold, which is what I usually do.
Tips
Be sure to check out the step by step instructions
- Don’t skip the preheating for this recipe. That initial blast of heat is what gives you that restaurant-quality sear on the outside while keeping the shrimp tender inside.
- The recipe calls for medium shrimp (36/40 count), which cook perfectly in 5 minutes. But if you grab a different size at the store, you’ll need to adjust. Smaller shrimp only need about 3 minutes, while jumbo shrimp can take 7-8 minutes.
- It’s tempting to pile all the shrimp in at once, especially when you’re hungry. Resist that urge. Overcrowding means steamed shrimp instead of crispy shrimp. If your air fryer basket is on the smaller side, cook them in two batches. The second batch only takes 5 minutes anyway, and the first batch stays warm while you finish up.
- If you’re using frozen shrimp, plan ahead and thaw them in the refrigerator overnight. In a pinch, you can place them in a colander under cold running water for about 15 minutes. Just make sure to pat them completely dry with paper towels before seasoning.
- Tail on or off is purely personal preference. I usually leave the tails on because they look prettier on a platter, but I take them off if I’m tossing the shrimp into tacos or pasta. Either way works perfectly.
Reader Questions
Most shrimp you buy at the grocery store come already deveined, but check before you start cooking. If you see a dark line running along the back, that’s the digestive tract and you’ll want to remove it. It’s not harmful to eat, but it can be gritty and affect the texture.
Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery. Shrimp cook incredibly fast, and there’s a fine line between perfectly done and overdone. They’re ready when they turn pink and opaque—if they start curling into tight circles, you’ve gone too far.
I wouldn’t recommend it. Different sizes cook at different rates, so you’ll end up with some overcooked and some undercooked. Stick with one size per batch for consistent results.
You can, but shrimp don’t reheat particularly well. If you must reheat them, do it at 300 F for just 2-3 minutes. Leftover shrimp are actually better served cold in a salad or shrimp cocktail.
For the best results, yes. Flipping ensures even browning and cooking on both sides. It only takes a few seconds, and the difference in the final product is noticeable.
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Air Fryer Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shrimp 36/40 shrimp
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 teaspoons paprika *see notes for other seasoning ideas
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F for 5 minutes. Don't skip the preheating for this recipe!
- Peel and devein the shrimp if necessary. You can either leave the tails on or take them off, whichever you prefer.1 pound medium shrimp
- In a small bowl combine the paprika, onion powder, garlic powder, salt and pepper.2 teaspoons paprika *see notes for other seasoning ideas, 1 teaspoon onion powder, 1 teaspoon garlic powder, ½ teaspoon salt, ½ teaspoon pepper
- Add the shrimp to a large bowl and drizzle with the olive oil. Then sprinkle the seasonings over the shrimp and toss everything so the shrimp is coated in seasoning.1 tablespoon olive oil
- Add the shrimp to the preheated air fryer basket. Keep the shrimp in a single layer. Depending on the size of your air fryer basket you might need to make two batches.
- Cook at 400 F for 5 minutes, flipping the shrimp with a spatula halfway through.
- Serve with parsley, lemons and melted butter or add them to a salad or tacos.
Notes
- Don’t skip the preheating for this recipe.
- The recipe calls for medium shrimp (36/40 count), which cook perfectly in 5 minutes. But if you grab a different size at the store, you’ll need to adjust. Smaller shrimp only need about 3 minutes, while jumbo shrimp can take 7-8 minutes.
- Overcrowding the air fryer basket means steamed shrimp instead of crispy shrimp. If your air fryer basket is on the smaller side, cook them in two batches.
- If you’re using frozen shrimp, thaw them before cooking.
- Tail on or off is purely personal preference.
- Mexican Taco Shrimp: 3 teaspoons of chili powder and 1 teaspoon cumin
- Cajun Shrimp: 3 teaspoons Cajun seasoning and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Italian Shrimp: 2 teaspoons Italian seasoning, 1 teaspoon paprika and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Old Bay Shrimp: 3 1/2 teaspoons Old Bay and 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- Lemon Pepper Shrimp: 2 teaspoons lemon pepper seasoning and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- Caribbean Shrimp: 3 teaspoons Caribbean jerk seasoning and 1 teaspoon garlic powder
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Nutrition Information
Nutrition facts are estimates.
This was delicious. And really easy!
Loved the original had to cit in half as onlyb2 of us but tirned out great planing to try other ones over the next 2 months
Did you use raw or cooked shrimp? Thanks!
Thank you for helping me learn to air fry shrimp. The family loved it and I loved how quick and easy it all was.
This was VERY GOOD! Plus it was super easy and fast — and healthy! I was making just one serving so I just sprinkled on the seasonings in a bowl with a little olive oil. I shared it with a couple of people already. I will definitely be making it again.
Thank you so much for sharing this amazing recipe! Will surely have this again! It’s really easy to make and it tasted so delicious! Highly recommended!
Hi, if I used 21-25 size shrimp, will that be 6 or 7 mins. Thank you
This was very delicious. I will definitely make this again. Tomorrow I am going to do my boneless and skinless chicken thighs in the spices. Can’t wait to see how it turns out.
Just tried this recipe & was.pretty successful for my first time.
Think.I used too much olive oil, more.Cajun spice, higher temp, + more time. Didn’t turn out crisp at all…too much oil? Tasted great.
1 lb. medium shrimp filled the basket very well. We love shrimp & eat it often. So I will try again soon, esp the taco.
Made it with the old bay seasoning and garlic powder. Left off the salt but it was still too salty. I would half the old bay next time but this was very easy and otherwise delicious
Delicious!!! My family loved this recipe
OMG this dish was delicious but I kept mine in for 8 minutes because my shrimp were rather large. They came out
perfect. Definitely a crowd pleaser.
I appreciate all on air fryer cooking!!!!
Love my air fryer need & want many RECIPS I can cook!!!!
God Bless YOU
BE PRAYING FOR U AND YOUR FAMILY!!!
Loved
WENDY LONGWILL
Delicious. I will make this over and over again.
It’s arduous to find knowledgeable folks on this subject, but you sound like you understand what you’re speaking about! Thanks
This has become my go-to recipe for shrimp using many of the seasoning recommendations you listed. I have teenagers and this is easy and quick for them to make, too. I did a honey/lime/cilantro seasoning last night and it was superb. Thank you!
Made this for brunch today with 6 jumbo shrimp I had left. Didn’t feel like doing the whole breading and dredging thing, so I gave this a shot. Turned out great! A quick and easy way to prepare them. I used the basic seasonings you listed, and they were very tasty. I’m intrigued to try some of the seasoning variations you listed when I do this again. Thank You!
This was delicious! We will have it again.
I just made One serving and added other seasonings, but it came out delicious ❤️ it.