Craving some seafood but everything is frozen? Frozen shrimp in the air fryer is a great way to make ’em!
Cooked in minutes and absolutely delicious, air fryer frozen shrimp make a great appetizer or a tasty addition to a meal – and can be enjoyed in garlic butter, with fresh lemon, or with a classic cocktail sauce!
Recipe Tips
Before you air fry frozen shrimp, read through these recipe tips so that you achieve the best results!
- We used frozen shrimp that was still raw when making this recipe. If you have frozen shrimp that has been precooked, you overall cooking time will be a little bit shorter. See our guidelines below.
- The size of the shrimp will also vary the cooking time so be sure to keep an eye on your shrimp as they air fry. That signature pink color on the shell and the white/opaque meat means they are done.
- If your shrimp still have their shells, you can choose to not add spices before the air fryer and instead just opt to dip them in a cocktail sauce or add lemon for flavor after they have been cooked. We still like adding spices even when using shrimp with shells but it is completely up to you.
We use this air fryer for our recipes and it has been great.
Step by Step Instructions
If you’d like to see some visuals for how to make frozen shrimp in the air fryer, you can find all the recipe instructions with process photos in this section.
If you are just here wondering how long to cook frozen shrimp in the air fryer, you are not alone! You can find the details without photos in the recipe card at the bottom of this post!
If the frozen shrimp are stuck together, run them under cold water for a minute.
Once all the shrimp are separated, place them into a bowl. Add the oil and spices. Toss everything together until the shrimp are evenly coated.
As mentioned above, if your shrimp still has shells, you don’t have to add any spices if you don’t want to.
Next, preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
Once hot, add the shrimp into the air fryer tray. Make sure they are in one even layer with little overlap. This will help them cook evenly.
Cook the shrimp for approximately 9-12 minutes total if they are raw frozen shrimp and between 5-8 minutes if they are cooked frozen shrimp.
These cook times can vary depending on the size of the shrimp and your air fryer. Gently shake or flip the shrimp halfway through their respective cooking time.
When the shrimp are pink and fully cooked (the flesh will be white/opaque), remove them from the air fryer.
You can serve air-fried shrimp with lemon wedges, some chopped parsley, garlic butter, and/or cocktail sauce (simply mix ketchup with some horseradish).
Storage Tips
Shrimp you made from frozen tastes best when enjoyed hot and fresh.
Any leftover shrimp can be placed in a sealed contained and put in the fridge. They will last like this for 3-4 days. However, because it’s seafood, you’ll want to eat them sooner rather than later.
You can reheat the shrimp by tossing them back in the air fryer for a nice grilled heat or in the microwave.
Can you eat cooked shrimp shells?
Yes, you can. People in North America generally toss them but some cultures do not remove them from the shrimp and eat them with the flesh to enjoy the unique flavor and texture.
You can even utilize the leftover shells for seafood broth since the exoskeleton (the technical name for the shell) is packed with nutrients and flavors.
Related Recipes
For more great air fryer seafood recipes, check out these classics that are sure to make your mouth water!
- Air Fryer Frozen Calamari
- Air Fried Fish Fillets (from Frozen)
- Frozen Popcorn Shrimp in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Tuna Steaks
Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound frozen shrimp, with or without tail
- 2 teaspoons avocado oil
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder, optional
- 1/8 teaspoon black pepper
- lemon wedges, chopped parsley, cocktail sauce for serving, optional
Instructions
- If the frozen shrimp are stuck together, run them under cold water for a minute. Once all the shrimp are separated, place them into a bowl. Add the oil and spices. Toss everything together until the shrimp are evenly coated.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
- Once hot, add the shrimp into the air fryer tray. Make sure they are in one even layer with little overlap. This will help them cook evenly.
- Cook the shrimp for approximately 9-12 minutes total if they are raw frozen shrimp and between 5-8 minutes if they are cooked frozen shrimp. These cook times can vary depending on the size of the shrimp and your air fryer. Gently shake or flip the shrimp halfway through their respective cooking time.
- When the shrimp are pink and fully cooked (the flesh will be white/opaque), remove them from the air fryer. You can serve air fried shrimp with lemon wedges, some chopped parsley, garlic butter, and/or cocktail sauce (simply mix ketchup with some horseradish).
Notes
- If the shrimp you use have shells, you don’t have to add spices and can just add the frozen shrimp directly to the preheated air fryer. We still like adding the spices are described above even when using shrimp with shells.
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.
