Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp
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Looking for a protein option your kids will say yes to? These air fryer shrimp are here to save the day! My family loves how juicy and flavorful they turn out, and I love that they go from freezer to table in just 15 minutes with no thawing needed. It’s become our go-to solution for busy weeknights when time is short but we still want something delicious.
I keep a bag of frozen shrimp on hand specifically for those nights when I’ve forgotten to plan dinner or when activities run late. In just 15 minutes, we have a versatile, protein-packed meal that my kids happily devour.
This recipe uses a homemade old bay seasoning (we love homemade seasonings to limit additives, sugar or too much salt!) which draws out the natural sweetness of the shrimp without overwhelming it. Even the pickiest eater of my kids celebrates when shrimp is on the menu!
Why frozen? Well aside from the convenience that busy mamas need, cooking from frozen results in more tender, perfectly cooked shrimp. If you’ve ever had overcooked shrimp, you know how inedible rubbery shrimp can be.
Learn how to cook anything in your air fryer with our free cook time chart!
Happy Kitchen Secrets
Here are my most important mom tested cooking tips for making air fryer shrimp. We make this recipe all the time so it’s fool proof for you.
- Buy large raw shrimp peeled and deveined shrimp for this recipe. It is important to buy deveined since we’ll be cooking from frozen.
- Take 30 seconds to break apart frozen shrimp that are stuck together to help each shrimp cook evenly.
- Don’t overcrowd the basket. Each shrimp needs space to cook evenly.
- You may keep the tails on. They act as little handles for kids (less messy eating!), add flavor, and prevent overcooking.
- Prep your dips ahead of time. Kids love a good dipping sauce, so be sure yours is ready so you can eat the shrimp fresh. Horseradish aioli is a favorite for adults, but my boys love lemon garlic aioli to dip, too!
Ingredients
Simple recipes require the best quality ingredients! We recommend fresh minced garlic and freshly squeezed lemon juice for the best flavor in this recipe.
How to Cook Frozen Shrimp
This simple method takes just minutes of hands-on time. Preheat your air fryer to 400°F (204°C) while you quickly prepare the old bay seasoning mixture.
- Make the seasoning mix by combining olive oil, Old Bay seasoning, fresh lemon juice, and minced garlic in a bowl. The fresh garlic and lemon make all the difference in flavor!
- Break apart any frozen shrimp that are stuck together (no thawing needed!) and toss them in the seasoning mixture until evenly coated.
- Arrange in a single layer in your preheated air fryer basket. This is key for even cooking - it's better to cook in batches than to crowd them together.
- Cook for 8-10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. The shrimp are done when they turn pink, appear opaque, and form a "C" shape. If you prefer, you can also check with a meat thermometer for an internal temperature of 145°F.
Serving Suggestions
These versatile shrimp make dinner planning so much easier for busy weeknights! We serve them with lemon wedges or lemon aioli.
Some of our favorite sides to add to this are:
- Grain alternatives: coconut cauliflower rice or spaghetti squash
- Grains: jasmine rice or quinoa
- Veggie sides: spinach salad, grilled zucchini, or broccoli ranch slaw
They also make fantastic Spicy Shrimp Tacos - just add to corn tortillas with pickled cabbage or a quick mango pico de gallo.
Make it kid friendly: adding fresh lemons to each plate will make this a fun experience for your kiddos to squeeze their own lemon juice onto their shrimp. You might also consider adding a dip on the side to encourage them to try this if it's new to them!
Storing and Reheating
Storing: Cool completely, then store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
Reheating: For the best texture when reheating, use your air fryer for 2-3 minutes at 350°F or quickly warm in a skillet. I recommend avoiding microwaving seafood since it can make shrimp tough and rubbery - a lesson I learned the hard way!
While you can freeze cooked shrimp for a month or two, the texture is never quite the same after thawing. I prefer keeping raw frozen shrimp on hand for the freshest results.
FAQ
Medium to large shrimp (21-30 count per pound) work best for this recipe. Jumbo shrimp (16-20 count) may need an extra minute of cooking time, while smaller shrimp (31-40 count) will cook faster and may be done in 6-7 minutes. We don't recommend tiny shrimp as they cook too quickly.
Before adding seasoning to all the shrimp, I sometimes set aside a portion for an apprehensive eater and only use a light sprinkle of garlic powder and a touch of salt. As kids get more adventurous, you can gradually introduce more complex flavors.
Shrimp becomes tough when it's overcooked. Next time, watch closely near the end of cooking time and stop the cooking process as soon as the shrimp are fully cooked.
I'd love to hear about your experience making this recipe! Please leave a comment and rating below!
Easy Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp (No Thaw!)
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lbs. frozen large shrimp peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 tablespoons lemon juice about 1/2 lemon, plus more for serving.
- 2 cloves garlic minced
Old Bay Seasoning
- ½ teaspoon celery salt
- ½ teaspoon paprika
- ¼ teaspoon ground mustard
- ⅛ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground bay leaves
- pinch ground ginger
Instructions
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (204°C). Meanwhile, juice the lemon and mince the garlic.
- Meanwhile, combine the olive oil, seasoning, lemon juice, and minced garlic in a large bowl. Add the frozen shrimp to the bowl and toss to coat each piece evenly.
- Transfer the frozen shrimp to the air fryer basket in a single layer, leaving room for air to circulate between each shrimp. Close the air fryer basket and cook for 8-10 minutes, stopping halfway to shake the basket and rotate the shrimp around a bit. Check the shrimp near the end of cooking time and remove them as soon as they’re done cooking. They should be light pink and opaque.
Notes
-
- Use 1 tablespoon of store bought Old Bay seasoning
- Swap out for a different seasoning like blackened seasoning, ranch seasoning or BBQ seasoning.
- For evenly cooked shrimp, break apart any frozen-together shrimp before cooking.
- Don't overcrowd the air fryer. It's better to cook the shrimp in batches than to overcrowd the basket.
- Shrimp are cooked when they become opaque, turn light pink in color, and form a "c" shape. Stop the cooking process as soon as the shrimp are fully cooked.
- Cooking pre-cooked frozen shrimp: Follow the same instructions, but cook for 5-6 minutes total.
- Using defrosted raw shrimp: Raw shrimp cooks quickly, so follow this recipe but only cook for 4-5 minutes total.
Nutrition
2025 Update: This recipe is still a family favorite and has been updated to simplify the cooking instructions and add extra cooking tips for our readers. We hope you love it as much as we do! Let us know in the comments.
