Air Fryer Shrimp

Air Fryer Shrimp are juicy, flavorful, and ready in minutes! Perfectly seasoned (with no breading), these shrimp are great for an easy dinner or appetizer.

Prep Time10

Cook Time5

Total Time15

Course: Appetizer, Main Course

Cuisine: American

Keyword: garlic, Old Bay seasoning, olive oil, shrimp

Servings: servings (4 to 5 shrimp)

Author: Amanda Biddle

Ingredients

1 pound 16/20 shrimp , peeled, and deveined, tails left on
1-1/2 tablespoons regular olive oil
1 to 1-1/2 teaspoons Old Bay Seasoning (depending on how zesty you like your shrimp--see note below)
3/4 teaspoon granulated garlic powder
1/2 teaspoon onion powder
1/2 lemon , juiced
freshly-ground black pepper (optional)
chopped fresh parsley , for garnish (optional)

Instructions

Preheat your air fryer to 400°F for 3 to 5 minutes, following your model’s instructions. (For reference, my Ninja Pro XL takes 3 minutes to preheat.)
Prep the shrimp: After peeling and deveining, rinse and pat them dry with paper towels. In a medium bowl, toss the shrimp with olive oil, garlic powder, onion powder, and Old Bay seasoning until evenly coated. For extra spice, add a few grinds of freshly cracked black pepper (optional).
Cook the shrimp: Arrange them in a single layer in the preheated air fryer basket. A little overlap is fine, but don't pile them on top of each other so the air can circulate. Air fry for 4 to 6 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
Check for doneness: The shrimp should be opaque, pink, and form a loose “C” shape (not a tight “O”). If using an instant-read thermometer, the internal temperature should reach 145°F in the meatiest part. Since cooking times can vary by air fryer model, check for doneness at 4 minutes to prevent overcooking.
Serve: Squeeze fresh lemon juice over the shrimp and use tongs to transfer them to a serving platter. Garnish with parsley, if desired, and serve with your favorite dipping sauces.

Notes

Shrimp Size & Cooking Time: For the best texture, I recommend using 16/20 count shrimp, which reliably cook in 4 minutes in my XL air fryer. Cooking times will vary depending on shrimp size and air fryer model:

Smaller shrimp (21/25 or 26/30) – Start checking for doneness at 3 minutes instead of 4.
Larger shrimp (U/12 or U/15) – They’ll likely need closer to 6 minutes, possibly a minute or two longer, depending on your air fryer.
Shrimp smaller than 26/30 – Not recommended, as they cook too quickly and can dry out.

To prevent overcooking, keep a close eye on the shrimp and adjust the timing based on your specific air fryer.

Old Bay Seasoning: After testing multiple batches of this recipe, my taste testers were split between mild and zestier shrimp. We decided it would be best to give a range for the quantity of Old Bay so that you can customize it to your preferred spice level.

Milder Shrimp: Use 1 teaspoon of Old Bay.
Zestier: Increase to 1 ¼ to 1 ½ teaspoons for bolder seasoning.
Extra Zesty: Feel free to measure with your heart, but I don’t recommend exceeding 2 teaspoons. Old Bay contains salt and can make the shrimp too salty if used with too heavy a hand.

Want more heat without extra salt? Add a pinch or two of cayenne pepper to the seasoning mix.

Personally, I prefer a milder seasoning to let the shrimp’s natural sweetness shine—especially when serving them with Comeback Sauce, which brings its own kick of heat.

Flavor Variations: Swap out the Old Bay for Cajun or Creole seasoning (for a smoky, spicier flavor), or lemon pepper (for a bright, citrusy twist).

Nutrition

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