This is one of those delicious ingredients that have all the positives you want to stay healthy and fit. It is a great source of protein, significantly low in calories, and full of antioxidants that fight off inflammation.
Shrimp is so elegant and can be effortlessly elevated with spices and ingredient combinations and is done in no time at all, perfect to pull together at the end of the day for an evening meal without the fuss.
Trying these innovative air fryer shrimp recipes that are simple to pull together will make life that much easier, food more fun to cook, and being in the kitchen will become a pleasure.
#1. Air Fryer Shrimp with Garlic Butter Sauce
If you wonder how they always make those dishes in the magazines look so tasty and tossed together without breaking a sweat, well now you can have your magazine-worthy dinner meal in the comfort of your house.
There are only a handful of steps to the dish, and finding easy air fryer shrimp recipes like these is a breeze when the last thing you want to do when you come home is cook for hours on end. Simply coat the cleaned shrimps (de-shelled and veined, but the tail end still intact for presentation purposes) with the oil and spices and massage the mixture into the meat for a full flavor profile.
While they cook you make the sauce of butter, garlic, and chili flakes with a generous handful of parsley and a squeeze of lemon to smother the cooked prawns once they are done frying.
Plate everything up with some sticky rice and green veggies for the ultimate healthy, feel-good supper creation that is ready to eat in just 15 minutes.
I like to add a touch more sriracha sauce than the recipe calls for to add a bit of a bite to the overall dish, but you can half the amount if you like or even omit it if a friend is not a fan. Try sweet chili sauce instead perhaps for a more subtle heat but sweeter element.
Then you want to set up the panning bowl stations so you don’t skip a step and you have an assembly line to make things as efficient as possible. Dip the shrimps in the cornstarch and then the buttermilk which gives such a full, rich, and flavorful taste to the shrimp bites, and then in the panko breadcrumbs.
Fry for 10 minutes, flipping halfway through to be golden on both sides. It is convection oven shrimp recipes like these that bring a new meaning to seafood that many people are hesitant to try and is done in such a short turnaround time that it is well worth the experiment.
Pop the cooked shrimps onto a paper towel while you load the next batch and you can choose to wait for all of it to be ready in one big bowl and drizzle the sauce over everything with a sprinkle of freshly chopped parsley or keep the sauce on the side to dip them into it as you please.
Excellent crispy exterior with fork-tender flesh on the inside, this ocean treat is one of my top go-to snack foods.
If you ever wanted a healthy shrimp air fryer recipe that essentially cooks itself then look no further, this dish is as easy as it comes.
And the best part is that because it is a lean protein source it helps in weight loss and maintenance while losing kilograms, and supports strong bone growth due to it containing phosphorus and vitamin D. Who knew that a little parcel of meaty goodness would have so much to offer to our health and lifestyle, and in such a positive manner?
Spice the prawns generously, I like to add a good amount of Cajun to the mix to elevate the blackened, crispy effect from the rapid air circulation blowing hot air around the fryer, and cook for just under 10 minutes giving them a shake at around the 4-minute mark.
These have so much potential when it comes to which dishes to add them to or to eat them as is. Toss them with some pesto pasta noodles for a filling dinner meal, with fresh salad leaves and spring onion for a light summer bite, or enjoy them with a dipping sauce while you binge-watch your favorite series on TV.
Generic coconut is quite heavy so the coconut flour element in this recipe helps to keep the panko process that much simpler, it has no additives or preservatives, and best of all it is chemical-free.
These gorgeous, crisp yet delicate bites of seafood look every bit impressive when served piled high on a platter with lemon wedges and a side sauce to dip.
I love the texture of the coconut on the outside, it is light, yet crispy, and helps give the shrimps that golden exterior that makes you want to dive right in. Batter the shrimp and place it in the fryer for around 10-12 minutes till golden, depending on the strength of your fryer.
You can make a full Asian meal with this dish served with sticky rice, fried green beans, and sriracha mayo sauce, add them to taco shells with a generous dollop of dressing and shredded lettuce for a light lunch, and even toasted in a brioche bun with homemade coleslaw is the perfect lunchbox treat to take with you to work.
I love trying new cuisines and dishes from other countries and cultures and delving into the history that made the dish so authentic and loved. And Mexican food has always intrigued me, the vibrant colors, the intense heat and spices they seem to add to everything yet it still all taste different, and the effortlessness with which they bring it all together.
This dish was a pleasure to make and discovering easy shrimp convection oven recipes like this gives me a new appreciation for great-tasting food without the effort we always think it takes for something to be tasty.
Good food can be made fuss-free, in under 30 minutes, and the air fryer is leading the way for the future of cooking and efficiency. And the best part, the clean-up at the end of it all is a breeze. Win-win.
Serving this to my family over the weekend with some pita pieces of bread, dipping sauce, and chilled drinks while we lounged around enjoying the warm summer evening, the snack went down a treat and has since become a staple in my healthy eating lifestyle.
These healthy air fryer shrimp recipes are what make summer cooking so pleasurable, they use only a handful of ingredients, look gorgeously tasty on the plate, and are put together in a short turn-around time.
Tacos are a firm favorite in my friend’s circle and we are always looking for new ways and ingredients to spice up the humble yet customizable taco. Too often we limit ourselves to chicken strips or ground beef when it comes to tacos, but if you can think of it you can add it to the shell.
The crispy shrimps with their delicate inner flesh give the perfect balance to this light meal and keep you full without feeling heavy afterward.
If you have 10 minutes to spare in the evening then you can make this dish, and what is great is you can use any leftover ingredients you have in the fridge that need using up such as peppers or half an avocado (which is delicious and creamy and so divine against the crispy prawn), and then build with what you have.
Serve with fresh salsa and lime wedges for a refreshing warm-weather snack to enjoy outdoors with a well-deserved cocktail.
Many people think that cooking food from frozen will result in less than a tasty dish, but this is not so, and sometimes they believe the food won’t be cooked right through. Until now.
The rapid air circulation of the fryer blowing hot air for an even cooking process shows us in these convection ovens shrimp recipes that are more than possible, and you have a fantastic result. I usually make a huge batch of these frozen shrimp to portion out for various meals throughout the week, whether it’s lunch, dinner, or for my food box for work, and then season the various portion bags with different flavors and spices to keep it interesting.
What is nice about this recipe, and using the air fryer, is if you see these frozen shrimp on sale at the store you can buy 3 or 4 bags to pop into the freezer and know that you can cook it right from the freezer.
Now all you need to do is think of the endless flavor options you want to enjoy that week. I have even had a toasted shrimp salad with shredded lettuce and sweet chili mayo which was perfect.
Meat and seafood have been a regular occurrence for me growing up next to the ocean and the combination is amazing when you have the right ingredients. The saltiness of the bacon (the world’s best ingredient ever created in my personal opinion) elevates the humble flavor of the shrimp and thus they both shine with each bite.
Shrimp air fryer recipes are a breeze when you use ingredients you know and love, and it brings back some nostalgia from your childhood.
I always find small elements while in the kitchen from when I was a child watching my granny cook up a storm, and most likely where I got my love of cooking from. I just wish she had the convenience of the air fryer as we do now, the efficiency and efficacy of this cooking method have made my life so much more effortless.
This recipe is so quick too. Simply season the shrimps, wrap them with bacon, and pop them into the fryer for several minutes. Give them a shake after a few minutes to keep the air flowing around them to cook evenly, or you could turn each shrimp over individually.
The main objective is to get that golden, charred tinge to each piece, this not only adds to the overall taste, but the aesthetic of it on the plate is more appealing.
I think that heat and seafood pair so beautifully, there is something magical about the bite to the taste that leaves you wanting more and the reason why so many people can’t eat only a few at a time but opt for a full platter or bowl (I will admit being guilty of this).
So if you can have gorgeously tender shrimp frying while making a spicy sauce, you have a winning dish.
When I have my friends over for a glass of wine and catch up I make a big bowl of these and a double portion of remoulade which seems to go down just as quickly as the shrimps.
An easy dish to prepare at the last minute and is a true crowd-pleaser.
If you didn’t know, shrimps have significant anti-aging properties and are great for improved hair and skin, these reasons alone make me want to have them as a regular dinner snack option on rotation.
This is one of the best shrimp convection oven recipes I have ever tasted. Initially, I had these at an Asian restaurant down the road from my house and I fell in love. I would order them several times to try to see what the ingredients are and to lock the flavors into my mind so that I could recreate them at my house.
And I think I have perfected it.
The outer shell is firm and crispy and the meat is delicate and soft and melts in your mouth with each bite. Be sure to layer these in a single layer in the fryer basket, not overlapping anywhere, so they cook on all sides evenly.
These are ready in 10 minutes, served with chili sauce and you are good to go.
If it has been a long day at the office and the last thing you want to do is cook a full-blown meal for supper, this is the dish you want on hand. And to help with these tired muscles, you can feel great knowing shrimps are great for fighting inflammation so do well to break down the acid in the muscle fibers which make them so stiff. Win-win.
When I first made this dish I put the shrimps in a single layer to be sure they cooked right through, but when I was pressed for time I just dumped the whole lot in and gave the basket a few shakes along the way which turned out just as perfectly and cut the time down a lot.
Efficiency is key when I cook in the kitchen (because I don’t particularly enjoy it) but with the air fryer making meals is not a mission and most of the time is effortless. Right up my alley.
The smokiness of the paprika in this dish sets it apart from other recipes, you can use regular paprika but using this more bespoke spice is worth it.
Spice the shrimps in a big bowl, add seasoning (and you can be generous with this, I love more garlic powder than most), and toss into the basket.
You have a ready dish in less than 30 minutes, these are what dinner times should be made of, less time in the kitchen, and more time enjoying the great food with friends or on the sofa with your favorite series.
Spring rolls of any version are a yes in my book. I love dipping snack foods. Usually, they are filled with vegetables or chicken and even duck, but finding this shrimp and cabbage version was a delight and I headed straight to the shops to grab the necessary ingredients.
This recipe is a good one because you can make a large batch at once, and then freeze it in half for later in the month (you can cook these from frozen which is amazing).
Cooking the mixture beforehand is the most crucial part as this is where the flavor and seasoning happen and if this is done right then the rest of the dish falls seamlessly into place.
Simply lay out the wrappers, fill the middles with the slaw and shrimp filling and fold over the edges, and roll to close. Lay in the fryer basket with a bit of space between the rolls so they can get brown evenly, and turn over to brown on the other side at the halfway mark.
I pop them onto a paper towel when taking them out only to soak up any moisture excreted, but this is optional. I rave about this to my family because you get your favorite takeaway dish without all the grease of the deep-fried version. And clean-up is a breeze.
This is an impressive dish when plated on the dining table and my friends are always wowed when they see it. It is packed with color, and a good variety of textures and flavors, and is one of the easiest recipes to pull together.
It also has my favorite ingredient, garlic, which I believe should be in every dish forever. Ha, but that’s just me.
Everything is seasoned and cooked together, and I always sprinkle a good amount of dried thyme when serving (it has a unique woody flavor) with a subtle squeeze of lime to elevate the fresh flavors of the dish.
You could also use freshly chopped herbs which also add a decent pop of color.
Serve the ready food over fluffy rice, or in a wrap with some homemade coleslaw for a filling, delicious dish, and it makes for a quick grab-and-go snack when filled into a tortilla. Who knew a humble ingredient would be so versatile, a firm favorite in my house.
There is something different and magical about parmesan that you don’t get from other cheeses, and it works for hundreds of recipes which is why I have a constant supply in my fridge at all times.
You can buy ready grated parmesan from the store, but I usually find it is too fine, so I opt for a big block of cheese and grate it into the bowl to coat the shrimps with myself. I find it sticks better to the raw shrimps and I prefer the bigger chunks for taste, but use what you have on hand and according to your preference.
Seasoning and cooking of the shrimps are done in only a handful of steps, the dish requires minimal ingredients making it budget-friendly, and it tastes even better than it looks. This is one dish that ticks so many boxes for a recipe that is a must-have to have on hand.
#15. Air fryer Hawaiian Style Garlic Shrimp (Shell On)
This gluten-free dish is a winner every time, and fried with the shell on is different from what most people would think to do, or do, but it adds such a deep flavor to the final taste.
And seeing the shells turn from bland to bold is the perfect way to check for readiness, the shocking orange and pink hue exterior looks great on a plate, and you can even use the shells when peeling the shrimps to make a seafood stock to freeze down and use later for another recipe.
The Hawaiian nation and culture are full of rich history and gorgeous dishes that complement their traditions, serving these shell-on shrimps with rice and lemon is one of them.
I like to add a few sprigs of fresh coriander (lemon coriander if I can get my hands on it) when I place the platter of these on the table to add a pop of color and bring some zest to the dish.
Shrimps, the protein of the ocean is one of the best additions you can have to your diet, they are significantly low in calories and carbs, and the zinc they contain promotes weight loss. Other than that, they assist in improving your vision as well as a healthy heart, win-win.
This great collection of air fryer shrimp recipes that are simple to pull together will make life in the kitchen easier, more efficient, and a joy to be part of. And that’s only the tip of the iceberg, there are plenty more great recipe collections on our blog, so be sure to check them out.
Take your culinary skills to the next level with great-looking dishes but without all the fuss.
Born and raised in South Africa and being immersed in the rich culture, Candace soon found a passion for all things food related. Exploring and experiencing new flavors and taste profiles she pursued her career as a qualified chef in silver service specialized in fine dining.
