• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Skip to footer
Paint The Kitchen Red
  • Home
  • Recipes
    • Instant Pot
    • Air Fryer
    • Other
  • Tips
  • Shop
  • About
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Home
  • Tips
  • Instant Pot Recipes
  • Air Fryer Recipes
  • Other Recipes
  • About
  • ×

    Home » Air Fryer

    Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp

    This post contains affiliate links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases. Please read the disclosure.    

    Published: Mar 3, 2023 | Updated: Mar 3, 2023 | Author: Paint the Kitchen Red | Leave a Comment

    JUMP TO RECIPE
    Cooked spiced shrimp arranged on a dark background with parsley garnish with text

    You can cook frozen shrimp in the air fryer without having to thaw them. The shrimp comes out tender and plump. You can make frozen shrimp in less time than it takes to thaw them and bake them in the oven or fry them.

    Cooked spiced shrimp arranged on a dark background with parsley garnish.

    Cooking Frozen Raw Shrimp in the Air Fryer

    I love the air fryer for its impressive ability to cook frozen foods! It’s a quick and really effective way to get perfectly cooked frozen foods.

    Some frozen foods that I’ve shared before are frozen chicken tenders, frozen chicken wings, taquitos, french fries, and air fryer tater tots.

    When it comes to shrimp, my first choice is to use thawed or fresh shrimp. But on busy weeknights, it’s sometimes hard to find the time to thaw the shrimp.

    I decided to try cooking the shrimp from frozen but I wasn’t sure how it would turn out. I was pleasantly surprised by the results of this air fryer shrimp recipe. It’s a good option when you’re pressed for time.

    Air Fryer Frozen Foods

    With air fryer snacks from egg rolls to french fries, and chicken nuggets to frozen pizza, you may have a hard time deciding what to make from this collection of quick and easy air fryer recipes.
    GET RECIPE DETAILS
    Four images of frozen foods cooked - the best air fryer frozen foods

    You can use frozen raw shrimp or frozen precooked shrimp with this easy recipe. If you’re making frozen precooked shrimp, you’ll need to cook for a bit less time.

    I use peeled and deveined shrimp but you can use deveined, shell-on or tail-on shrimp too.

    This air fryer cooking times chart gives you information about how to cook all kinds of foods including meats, fish, vegetables, and frozen foods.

    Tips For Perfect Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp


    Thawed or Frozen

    Option 1: Defrost before air frying

    I prefer to defrost frozen shrimp before cooking it. To thaw the shrimp, remove them from the freezer and place them in the refrigerator overnight.

    If you forget to thaw the shrimp overnight, put the bag of frozen shrimp in a large bowl and fill it with cold water. Place a plate over the shrimp to keep it submerged. The shrimp will thaw in 20 minutes.

    Pat the shrimp dry before adding any spices.

    Option 2: Air fry frozen shrimp

    However, you don’t need to defrost the shrimp before air frying. Instead, you can air fry shrimp straight from the freezer.

    Rub the shrimp with the spices while frozen.


    Preheat

    For best results, preheat the air fryer before air frying the shrimp.

    Spices

    I like to use onion powder, garlic powder, cayenne (or paprika), salt, and pepper. You can choose to use your favorite seasoning, including

    • Cajun seasoning
    • Creole seasoning
    • Old Bay seasoning
    • Lemon pepper seasoning
    • Italian seasoning

    How Long to Cook

    The cook time will depend on the size of the shrimp. I use larger shrimp labeled as jumbo shrimp (21-25 per lb.) and cook for 6 to 9 minutes. The amount of time for large size shrimp (26-35 per lb.) or medium shrimp (36-50 per lb.) may be slightly less.

    Every air fryer will vary. The first time you make frozen shrimp, monitor the shrimp 2 minutes before the cooking time is up. Adjust the recipe as needed for perfect shrimp.

    Shrimp is done when it’s no longer transparent. When it’s cooked, it turns opaque white with speckles of pink and becomes C-shaped.

    When overcooked, it becomes chewy and O-shaped. Find out more about how you can tell when the shrimp is cooked.

    • Frozen Raw – 6 to 9 minutes
    • Frozen Fully Cooked – 4 to 5 minutes
    • Thawed Raw – 5 to 8 minutes
    • Frozen Breaded (butterfly shrimp, popcorn shrimp) – 7 to 10 minutes

    Cooking Tips

    • Spray the basket with some oil spray before adding the shrimp.
    • Avoid stacking the shrimp. Place the frozen shrimp in a single layer and don’t crowd them. This allows the hot air to circulate and cook the shrimp evenly.
    • Shake the basket or flip the shrimp halfway through the cooking time.

    🍴 SERVING SUGGESTIONS

    • The shrimp can be served as a main dish in shrimp tacos, with chopped lettuce, tomatoes, and sriracha mayo.
    • Serve shrimp as an appetizer with cocktail sauce or your favorite dipping sauce such as remoulade, or tartar sauce.
    • As a quick dinner idea, serve on top of a salad for added protein.
    • Add a squeeze of lemon juice to the shrimp for a refreshing, tangy taste.
    Sign Up! Subscribe to my newsletter and be the first to hear about my newest recipes and tips!

    FAQS


    What if the shrimp are frozen together?

    If the shrimp are frozen together, let them thaw a bit until you can separate them or thaw them completely, as shown in the tips above.

    Do I need to coat the basket of the air fryer with oil?

    In order to prevent sticking, I do like to coat the basket with a little avocado oil, olive oil, or vegetable oil. Don’t use canned cooking spray; instead, use an oil spray bottle filled with oil.

    What brand was used in this air fryer recipe?

    I used Kroger store brand for this recipe. But you can use different brands.

    What air fryer brand was this recipe tested with?

    This recipe was tested using a Cosori air fryer.

    Can I reheat leftover shrimp in the air fryer?

    Reheating shrimp can cause them to become tough and chewy. But if you end up with leftover shrimp, store them in an airtight container in the fridge. Reheat shrimp at 320 degrees F for 2 to 3 minutes.

    How do I cook frozen breaded shrimp?

    Breaded frozen butterfly shrimp such as Seapak butterfly shrimp, coconut shrimp, or Gorton’s can be cooked in the air fryer for 7 to 11 minutes at 400 degrees F.

    Ingredients for Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp

    Ingredients for frozen shrimp: garlic powder, cayenne, pepper, salt, onion powder.
    • Shrimp
    • Cayenne pepper, chili powder, or paprika
    • Garlic powder
    • Black pepper
    • Salt
    • Onion powder

    More details in the recipe card at the bottom of this post

    How to Cook Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer

    Air fryer frozen shrimp collage - frozen shrimp, frozen shrim.p with spices
    1. Place frozen shrimp in a mixing bowl
    2. Coat shrimp with a spice mixture of chili powder or paprika, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper.
    collage of shrimp in air fryer cooking stages - frozen shrimp, being flipped, being sprayed, cooked shrimp.
    1. Coat the air fryer basket with oil and place frozen shrimp in the air fryer basket.
    2. Flip the shrimp halfway through cooking.
    3. Spray the tops with oil about 2 minutes before the time is up.
    4. Remove the shrimp from the basket.

    Details below in printable recipe card ⬇️

    ✅ MY FAVORITE AIR FRYER ACCESSORIES

    Evo oil sprayer for air fryer

    EVO oil sprayer is great for spraying oil on food. This is the best I’ve tried.

    Red digital thermometer Thermopop

    Thermoworks Thermopop thermometer is accurate and good quality.

    White parchment sheets for air fryer

    Perforated parchment sheets come in handy when making messy foods.

    Cooked spiced shrimp arranged on a dark background with parsley garnish.

    Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp Recipe

    Make frozen shrimp in the air fryer! Thaw the shrimp or cook it from frozen using your air fryer. Simply preheat your air fryer, place the frozen shrimp inside, and in just a few minutes you'll have a perfectly cooked shrimp to use in recipes or as an appetizer.
    5 from 2 votes
    PRINT PIN RATE
    Prep Time: 4 minutes
    Cook Time: 6 minutes
    Total Time: 10 minutes
    Servings: 4 servings
    Calories: 180
    Author: Paint the Kitchen Red
    Prevent Screen from Going Dark

    Equipment

    • Air Fryer
    • Medium Bowl
    • Silicone tongs

    Ingredients
      

    • 1 lb shrimp jumbo, peeled, frozen but separated *
    • ¼ tsp salt
    • ¼ tsp pepper
    • ½ tsp paprika or cayenne
    • ½ tsp garlic powder
    • ½ tsp onion powder
    • 2 tsp olive oil or vegetable oil

    Instructions
     

    • Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees for 4 minutes.
    • Coat the shrimp with a mixture of salt, pepper, paprika, garlic powder, and onion powder.
    • Add the frozen shrimp to the air fryer basket without overlapping or overcrowding. Spray the tops with some oil spray.
    • Air fry for 6-9 minutes, flipping halfway through cooking. Cook in multiple batches if needed.
    • Spray the shrimp again with a bit of oil about 2 minutes before the cook time is up.
    • When the time's up, check to make sure the shrimp is cooked through. Air fry for another 2 minutes, if necessary.

    Notes

    • * If the shrimp are stuck together in a clump, let them thaw a bit until you can separate the pieces.
    • Cook time may be more or less, depending on the size of the shrimp. So keep an eye on them for the last 4 minutes to make sure they aren’t overcooking.
    • I don’t usually drain any liquid that’s accumulated in the basket because it evaporates by the end of the cooking process.
    • See the blog post for more detailed recipe tips.

    Nutrition

    Serving: 4 ounces | Calories: 180 kcal | Carbohydrates: 28 g | Protein: 7 g | Fat: 4 g | Saturated Fat: 1.5 g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 0.25 g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1.5 g | Cholesterol: 145 mg | Sodium: 635 mg | Fiber: 3 g | Sugar: 2 g
    Course Sides
    Cuisine American
    Main Ingredient seafood
    Have you made this recipe? I love seeing your photos! Tag me on Instagram @PaintTheKitchenRed or #PaintTheKitchenRed!

    Thank you for visiting Paint the Kitchen Red. All photos and content are copyright protected. Please don’t use any content without prior written permission. If you’ve made this recipe and would like to share it with your friends, please link back to this recipe. Thank you!

    I am not a certified nutritionist.  I provide my best estimate of nutritional information merely as a courtesy to my readers.  If you depend on nutritional information for dietary or health reasons,  I suggest using your favorite online nutrition calculator to confirm the nutritional value of this recipe based on the actual ingredients that you use.

    If you loved this recipe, please give it a five ⭐ rating in the comment section below and please share it on social media using the social media share buttons at the top and bottom of this post. Thank you so much!

    BACK TO TOP

    The Best Instant Pot Shrimp Recipes- easy and delicious!

    This collection of spicy and flavorful Instant Pot shrimp recipes are must-tries for your Instant Pot if you are a fan of shrimp.
    GET RECIPES
    The Best Instant Pot Shrimp Recipes- easy and delicious!
    « Air Fryer Frozen Broccoli
    Air Fryer Frozen Corn Dogs »

    Reader Interactions

    Questions, Comments? I love hearing from my readers and I reply to all comments! Cancel reply

    Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

    Rate This!




    Primary Sidebar

    Neena in red sweater head tilted

    Hi, I'm Neena and welcome! I am the creator, photographer, and author of recipes and tips at Paint the Kitchen Red. I live in the glorious west in Salt Lake City, Utah with my family.

    More about me →

    Popular

    • Instant Pot Fried Rice - bowl of rice with vegetables garnished with green onions in blue bowl on blue napkin with chopsticks
      Easy Instant Pot Fried Rice Recipe (Chinese Style)
    • Two white bowls of yellow colored chicken curry soup garnished with red jalapenos and green onions on an orange napkin
      Coconut Chicken Curry Soup
    • Instant Pot Pasta - Penne Sausage with Tomato Cream sauce in a white bowl- Paint the Kitchen Red
      Instant Pot Sausage Pasta in Creamy Tomato Sauce
    • Instant Pot Jambalaya in orange bowl with shrimp, sausage and rice - Paint the Kitchen Red
      Best Instant Pot Jambalaya Recipe

    Seasonal

    • Two white bowls of yellow colored chicken curry soup garnished with red jalapenos and green onions on an orange napkin
      Coconut Chicken Curry Soup
    • Instant Pot African Peanut Stew in a white bowl with cut sweet potato, peanuts and cilantro in background
      Instant Pot African Peanut Stew
    • Vegetarian Instant Pot Moroccan Stew with carrots, squash, chickpeas, cilantro, tomatoes in black bowl on colorful mat with lemons in background
      Vegetarian Instant Pot Moroccan Stew
    • Creamy Instant Pot Chipotle Shrimp Soup colorful with red napkin, dried red chili peppers, parsley and green onions sprinkled on black background - Paint the Kitchen Red
      Creamy Instant Pot Chipotle Shrimp Soup

    Footer

    AS FEATURED ON

    Paint the Kitchen Red As Featured On Huffington Post, BuzzFeed, Brides.com, CNBC, msn, NBC News, Popsugar

    Footer

    ↑ back to top

    About

    • Privacy Policy
    • About Me
    • Contact

    Newsletter

    • Sign Up! for emails and updates

    Web Stories

    • Google Web Stories

    Instant Pot

    • Recipe Index
    • Tips and Resources

    Air Fryer

    • Recipes

    As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

    Copyright © 2023 Paint the Kitchen Red