Searching for a crispy appetizer that includes shrimp? Air fryer frozen shrimp tempura might be what you’re after.
Also sometimes called tempura shrimp, this tasty appetizer can easily be made in the air fryer from frozen.
You’ll be snacking on crispy battered shrimp in minutes – and they are great for dipping in sweet or salty sauces!

Recipe Tips
Before you make frozen shrimp tempura in the air fryer, have a quick read through these couple of things that you should keep in mind:
- Since every air fryer and each brand of tempura shrimp are different, your total cooking time might vary a little bit. Just keep an eye on the shrimp towards the end.
- On this note, some frozen tempura shrimp come with pre-cooked shrimp and others come with uncooked. If you have uncooked shrimp, make sure that the internal temperature reaches 165 Fahrenheit. You can test this with an instant read thermometer if you have one.
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.

Step by Step Instructions
If you want to see visuals for how to make frozen tempura shrimp in the air fryer, you can have a look at the few process photos below.
If you’re not interested in the photos, you can also just skip to the bottom of this post to find the recipe card with time and temperature.

First, preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
When the air fryer is hot, add the frozen tempura shrimp. There shouldn’t be any overlap so if you can’t fit them all, make less or cook this amount in two batches.

Cook the frozen shrimp for 11-14 minutes total until they are fully cooked through and lightly golden brown on the outside. Flip the shrimp halfway through.
Some shrimps might come precooked but others are uncooked. In this case, make sure to fully cook them – the internal temperature needs to be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
Also, keep in mind that cook time will vary by brand of tempura shrimp used and the size of your air fryer!

Once cooked and crispy, remove the shrimp from the air fryer and serve with dipping sauce (often frozen shrimp tempura comes with one).
Storage Tips
Shrimp tempura is best enjoyed hot and fresh out of the air fryer. If you do have any leftover, you can store them in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 2 days.
The battered shrimp might lose some of their crispiness but they still taste great. Enjoy them cold or reheat them in the air fryer (not the microwave or else they will get really soft).
Related Recipes
For more frozen appetizers that are super tasty, check out these other classics:
- Air Fryer Frozen Coconut Shrimp
- Frozen Dumplings/Potstickers in the Air Fryer
- Air Fried Frozen Egg Rolls
- Air Fryer Frozen Popcorn Shrimp

Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp Tempura
Ingredients
- 8 frozen shrimp tempura
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 360 degrees Fahrenheit.
- When the air fryer is hot, add the frozen tempura shrimp to the air fryer tray. There shouldn’t be any overlap so if you can’t fit them all, make less or cook this amount in two batches.
- Cook the frozen shrimp for 11-14 minutes total until they are fully cooked through and lightly golden brown on the outside. Flip the shrimp halfway through. Some shrimps might come precooked but others are uncooked. In this case, make sure to fully cook them – the internal temperature needs to be 165 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once cooked and crispy, remove the shrimp from the air fryer and serve with dipping sauce (often frozen shrimp tempura comes with one).
Notes
- Cook time can vary by air fryer and brand of frozen tempura shrimp used.
Nutrition
This nutritional information has been estimated by an online nutrition calculator. It should only be seen as a rough calculation and not a replacement for professional dietary advice.
Thanks for sharing this info. I’m new to Air Frying and I’m so glad you took the time to research and give us the correct timing. They can out perfect! 🍤