How Long Do You Air Fry Frozen Shrimp? A Quick Guide

If you like seafood, this is the EASIEST way to make breaded, crispy shrimp in the air fryer! It only takes 10 minutes and always works out perfectly. The hardest part is choosing what dipping sauce to serve it with!.

This frozen shrimp cooked in an air fryer is SO easy to make and tastes AMAZING! I’m sure you’ve heard all the hype about air fryers by now, but they’re really worth the money. They make cooking so easy! Next, try air fryer coconut shrimp and this juicy 10-minute shrimp if you love shrimp as much as I do.

Air frying frozen shrimp is a fast and easy way to cook delicious shrimp at home. With an air fryer you can skip thawing and breading frozen shrimp and simply pop them straight from the freezer into the air fryer basket. But how long should you actually air fry frozen shrimp to get tender juicy results? Here’s a quick guide to air frying times for different types of frozen shrimp.

Factors That Affect Air Fry Time For Frozen Shrimp

Several factors impact how long you need to air fry frozen shrimp

Type of shrimp – Raw vs cooked: Raw frozen shrimp takes longer than pre-cooked frozen shrimp.
Shrimp size – Small vs jumbo: Larger shrimp require more time than smaller shrimp.
Amount of shrimp – Full vs half basket: A fuller air fryer basket needs a longer cook time than a half full basket to ensure even cooking.
Cooking temperature – High vs low: Higher temps cook faster but can dry out shrimp if overdone.

Air Frying Times For Different Frozen Shrimp

Here are general air fryer guidelines for common frozen shrimp varieties:

Pre-Cooked Frozen Shrimp

Small cooked frozen shrimp: 5 minutes at 400°F
Medium cooked frozen shrimp: 6-7 minutes at 380°F
Large cooked frozen shrimp: 7-8 minutes at 380°F

Pre-cooked frozen shrimp takes less time because it only needs to be heated through.Cooking too long risks drying it out.

Raw Frozen Shrimp

Small raw frozen shrimp: 7-8 minutes at 400°F
Medium raw frozen shrimp: 9-10 minutes at 380°F
Large raw frozen shrimp: 10-12 minutes at 380°F

Raw frozen shrimp requires a longer cook time to fully cook through. Check for opacity and flaky texture when done.

Extra Tips

Add 1-2 minutes if cooking a full air fryer basket of shrimp.
Brushed with oil, raw shrimp may cook 30-60 seconds faster.
Flipping shrimp halfway through promotes even cooking.
Watch closely near end time and check doneness early.
For spicy shrimp, toss with cajun seasoning before air frying.

Always check shrimp internal temperature and texture before serving. Raw or undercooked shrimp presents a health risk.

How To Tell When Frozen Shrimp Is Done Air Frying

It can be tricky knowing exactly when frozen shrimp is finished cooking in the air fryer. Here are visual signs to check:

Color – Shrimp turns opaque white/pink when fully cooked. Translucent means undercooked.
Texture – Properly cooked shrimp feels firm and flakes apart. Raw shrimp is chewy.
Shape – Fully cooked shrimp curl into a “C” shape. Undercooked stays straight.
Temperature – Use a food thermometer to check. Shrimp is safe at 145°F.

Err on the side of slightly undercooking. Shrimp overcooked in an air fryer quickly dries out. You can always put it back in for 1-2 minutes if needed.

Serving Suggestions For Air Fryer Frozen Shrimp

Once you’ve perfectly air fried frozen shrimp, there are so many quick and delicious ways to serve it:

Toss with melted garlic butter and fresh lemon.
Sprinkle with Cajun seasoning for blackened shrimp.
Make shrimp tacos with avocado salsa.
Mix into pasta with pesto sauce.
Stuff into a pita with lettuce, tomato and tzatziki.
Serve shrimp skewers over rice with teriyaki glaze.
Pile onto a salad with crisp veggies and citrus vinaigrette.
Stuff into a crusty baguette with mayo and lettuce for a shrimp po’ boy.

With the right timing, air fried frozen shrimp turns out tender and flavorful every time. Follow these guidelines to nail the perfect cook time. Then get creative with easy shrimp dishes for perfect weeknight meals.

how long do you air fry frozen shrimp

Frozen Breaded Shrimp in the Air Fryer

It’s almost impossible to mess up when you cook frozen breaded shrimp in an air fryer. All you have to do is heat up the air fryer, put the shrimp in the basket, and let it do its thing. There’s no need to defrost the shrimp or add any oil, which makes it a hassle-free cooking experience. Plus, the air fryer cooks the shrimp evenly, so every piece is crispy and golden brown. This is great for busy weeknights! It’s a no-brainer when you’re craving shrimp but want it in a snap. Of course, it looks too good to be true! But trust me, this air fryer frozen shrimp recipe is SO good that you should keep it handy.

The best part is how good it tastes! The shrimp is spicy and crunchy just like at a restaurant. The breading stays crispy, and the shrimp itself is juicy and tender. (Living the dream!) To make the shrimp taste even better, you can dip them in cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, or your favorite sauce. It’s hard to believe that something so easy to make can taste so good. Just grab some frozen breaded shrimp and your trusty air fryer the next time you want a quick and tasty meal. It doesn’t disappoint! For more quick and easy air fryer recipes, check out this list here!.

Everything You’ll Need to Make It

Let’s keep this ingredient list short and sweet. You can add any other spices you like. I like to squeeze in some lemon, but frozen breaded shrimp tastes great just the way it is.

Pick up your favorite kind of frozen shrimp at the store; I used 16 ounces.
Spray non-stick cooking oil on your frozen shrimp to help them stay off the bottom of your air fryer basket. You can use cooking oil, butter, or shortening instead if you’d like. It also helps the shrimp stay crispy.
Squeeze of Lemon: (Optional) This is my favorite way to finish! It gives the breaded shrimp a little zing and goes great with it.

How to Cook Frozen Shrimp in Air Fryer

How long do you cook frozen shrimp in an air fryer?

Place the frozen shrimp into the air fryer basket. Cook the shrimp at 400F. The cook time varies and depends on what kind of shrimp you have. Cook for 5 minutes if the shrimp is labeled as frozen cooked shrimp. Cook for 10 minutes if it’s frozen raw shrimp. Make sure to shake the basket halfway through!

Can you eat frozen shrimp in an air fryer?

Air Fryer Shrimp made from frozen or fresh in up to 10 minutes. It is plump, tender, keto, and super delish. You can eat it as an appetizer or as a main for a quick dinner with these yuca fries . 6 How do you Know if Shrimp is Undercooked? 7 Is air fried shrimp healthy? 8 Can you cook frozen shrimp in an air fryer?

Can you cook frozen bread shrimp in an air fryer?

To cook frozen bread shrimp in the air fryer, follow the directions in the package. If making simple air fryer breaded shrimp, use all-purpose flour, beaten eggs, and bread crumbs or panko to bread the shrimp and adjust the cooking time.

Can You reheat shrimp in an air fryer?

Reheat in the air fryer: If you have leftover air fryer shrimp you need to reheat, do it in the air fryer in just 2 minutes. Microwaving them instead will just make them chewy instead of crispy. Marinate: If you have the time, marinate shrimp in the oil/spice mixture for 20 minutes at least.