Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp

bowl with shrimp in butter garlic sauce.

5 from 1 vote

This air fryer frozen shrimp recipe is a quick and convenient way to enjoy shrimp in a fantastic garlic butter sauce directly from the freezer.

Prep Time5

Cook Time7

Course: Appetizer, Fish

Cuisine: American

Servings: servings

Calories: 207kcal

Author: Adina

Equipment

Air fryer
Small pan
Colander
Bowl

Ingredients

½ pound frozen shrimp cooked or uncooked, 225 g, Notes 1, 2
2 tablespoons butter
2 garlic cloves grated
1 teaspoon Italian seasoning
½ teaspoon sweet paprika
½ teaspoon fine sea salt or kosher salt
¼ teaspoon ground black pepper
chopped parsley
lemon wedges to serve
dipping sauce optional

Instructions

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F/200°C for about 3 minutes or as the instructions manual requires.
Melt the butter in a small pan. Remove from the heat, stir in the grated garlic and the seasoning.
2 tablespoon butter + 2 grated garlic cloves + 1 teaspoon Italian seasoning + ½ teaspoon sweet paprika + ½ teaspoon salt + ¼ teaspoon pepper
Rinse: Place the frozen shrimp in a colander or strainer and run them under cold water to thaw slightly for one minute or so. Pat them dry using a paper towel.
½ pound/ 225 g frozen shrimp
Season: Place the partially thawed shrimp into a bowl and toss them with the butter mixture until evenly coated.
Arrange the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Cook, shaking the basket or flipping the shrimp halfway through the cooking time to ensure even browning.
The cooking time depends on the size of the shrimp or on how it is labeled.
For example, cook large shrimp for 4-5 minutes if it’s labeled as “cooked shrimp” and for 8-9 minutes if it's labeled as “uncooked shrimp.”
Smaller “cooked shrimp” will be ready after 2-3 minutes, while smaller “uncooked shrimp” will need about 4-3 minutes.
Check: Remove them from the air fryer once the shrimp turns golden brown and crispy and the center is opaque and not translucent.
Combine: Transfer the shrimp to a serving bowl. Pour all the butter-garlic sauce that remained in the air fryer’s basket over the shrimp in the bowl, sprinkle with chopped parsley, and serve immediately with lemon wedges and (if you like) with a dipping sauce.

Notes

Shrimp: If you want to make more, air fry the shrimp in batches; the shrimp should be arranged in a single layer, and the basket should not be overcrowded.
You can cook “cooked” or “uncooked” shrimp, small or large pieces. However, remember that the cooking time will vary.

Nutrition