One of the most delicious seafood delicacies to try is shrimp, and the results are spectacular when cooked in the air fryer. Besides the fact that cooking in the air fryer introduces a healthy twist to meals, there’s the added advantage of the great taste that your recipe will end up with.
In this article, we’ll show you how to cook frozen shrimp in the air fryer, and one crucial thing you should note is the timing guidelines to ensure desirable results. Also, pay attention to the helpful tips and guidelines we have provided to guide you to the best cooking experience.
Shrimp Nutrition Facts
Tips for Cooking Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer
It is essential to keep the following helpful tips in mind when cooking frozen shrimp in the air fryer:
Air frying shrimp with the shells on – In the air-fried shrimp recipe described in this article, you can use the same temperature, cooking guidelines, and cooking time if you decide to cook your frozen shrimps with the shells on. The only difference is that before eating the cooked shrimp or dipping it in the sauce, you must remove the shrimp shell. Some people prefer to leave the shells on because it keeps the juices securely inside and adds taste.
Cook the shrimp with the shell on if you don’t plan to marinate the shrimp before you cook them or if you won’t be tossing the shrimp in our recommended oil and spice mixture. It’ll be delicious in either case.
Keep overlapping to a minimum – Arrange the shrimp in a single layer (some slight overlapping is OK, but keep it to a minimum) in the basket or tray. This will help you get the best results, and shrimp is cooked through evenly.
Storage and reheating tips – Take note of the following storage and reheating instructions when you’re dealing with leftover shrimp:
- Allow the shrimp to cool entirely after taking them out of the air fryer. Afterward, move them into a shallow airtight container. In an airtight container, your leftovers can typically be stored in a refrigerator for as long as 3 days.
- While refreezing previously frozen cooked shrimp is generally not recommended due to the texture and flavor loss in the results, it definitely can be achieved. Cooked shrimp should, however, be allowed to cool completely before being distributed equally on a baking sheet and then frozen.
- Leave the shrimp to get frozen after placing the baking sheet holding the cooled shrimp in the coldest freezer section. In less than one hour, the shrimp should be completely frozen; at this point, you need to move them into a plastic freezer bag or any other freezer-safe container.
- The most ideal way to reheat shrimp that has been cooked in the air fryer is to put them back in the air fryer. Heat up the air fryer to 300 degrees Fahrenheit (149°C), then arrange the cooked shrimp in a uniform layer in the air fryer basket after lightly oiling it. Warm the shrimp for 2 minutes, then flip each piece and cook them for another 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are well warmed through thoroughly.
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Cooking Time for Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer
The ideal cooking time for air fried frozen shrimp recipes have been described in the table below:
| Cooking procedure | Cooking time |
| Cooking frozen raw shrimp in the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit | 10 minutes |
| Cooking frozen breaded shrimp in the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit | 10 minutes |
| Cooking frozen pre-cooked shrimp in the air fryer at 400 degrees Fahrenheit | 5 minutes |
Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp (2 Servings)
Ingredients
For the Air Fryer Shrimp
- 1 lb of jumbo-sized shrimp, peeled, deveined, tail-on or off (frozen or fresh, cooked or raw)
- 2 tablespoons of olive oil
- ½ teaspoon of garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of pepper
- ½ teaspoon of Italian seasoning
- ½ teaspoon of paprika
- ¼ teaspoon of Dijon mustard optional
For the Remoulade Sauce (OPTIONAL)
- ½ cup of mayonnaise
- 1 tablespoon of ketchup
- ½ tablespoon of hot sauce
- 2 tablespoons of whole grain mustard
- 1 tablespoon of chopped parsley
- 1 tablespoon of capers, drained
- 1 tablespoon of lemon juice
Instructions
- Heat up the air fryer for a minimum of 5 minutes at 400° F (205° C). In a large mixing bowl, whisk the olive oil, salt, garlic powder, pepper, Dijon mustard, Italian seasoning, and paprika until the mixture is smooth. Set the mixture aside.
- Place all the frozen raw shrimp pieces in the basket of the air fryer and cook them for 5 minutes. In the end, they will be thawed.
- Using a slotted spoon, remove the shrimp and blot them dry with a paper towel. Toss them in the oil and spice mixture until they are completely covered in it.
- Remove the water from the air fryer basket and gently pat it dry (use gloves during this process so that you don’t get burned). Using tongs, arrange the shrimp in a single layer, leaving enough space between each piece so they can cook properly. Cook the shrimp for another 5 minutes, flipping each piece halfway during the cooking time. Because the shrimp have already been tossed in oil, you don’t need to coat the basket using cooking spray.
- Serve the air-fried shrimp as an appetizer or a main dish with your favorite sauce over rice noodles, asparagus, or any side of choice.
- If you’re going to use frozen cooked shrimp, bigger sizes (more significant than jumbo) are the best choice because they will be less likely to get overcooked and chewy. Thaw the shrimp inside the air fryer for 5 minutes, then proceed with the recipe, only that you’ll be cooking the shrimp for 3 minutes rather than 5 minutes after you toss them in the oil/spice combination.
- Ignore the first 5 minutes involved in this recipe and cook the shrimp already put in the oil/spice mixture if you’re using fresh shrimp, either in raw or pre-cooked forms.
- To make the remoulade sauce, whisk together all ingredients until smooth.
Feel free to try out this recipe for air-fried frozen shrimp; we’re positive that you’ll love the results you’ll get. The entire cooking time for this recipe is 15 minutes, including a prep time of 5 minutes and a cook time of 10 minutes. Obviously, it’s a quick and easy recipe, and the results are also great-tasting when the proper cooking instructions are followed.
In case you’d like to see more recipe ideas and inspiration for air fryer frozen shrimps, we have included this video recipe for you to see.