Air Fryer Shrimp
Temperature
400°F
200°C
Time
6 min
200g
Safe internal
145°F
63°C · piping hot
Prep
5 min
Cook
6 min
Total
11 min
Shrimp are done in about six minutes, and the air fryer's timing is far more forgiving than a hot pan, where they turn rubbery the moment you look away. Pat them dry and toss in a little oil so the seasoning sticks.
Ingredients
Quantities for 200g - the times on this page assume that much in the basket.
- 200g raw shrimp, peeled, deveined and patted dry
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1/2 tsp smoked paprika
- Salt
- A squeeze of lemon, to serve
How to air fry shrimp
- Pat the shrimp dry, then toss them with the oil, garlic and paprika so the seasoning has something to stick to. The lemon goes on after.
- Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C).
- Add the fresh shrimp to the basket. Keep them in a single layer.
- Cook for about 6 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through.
- Check it has reached a safe internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) before serving.
Pro tip
Don't overcook or they become rubbery.
How to tell when it's done
They're ready the moment they turn pink and curl into a loose 'C'. A tight little 'O' means they've gone too far, so take them out promptly at 145°F (63°C).
Safe internal temperature
Cook to 145°F (63°C) at the thickest point. An instant-read thermometer is the only reliable way to confirm it.
Converting from an oven recipe
If your recipe is written for a conventional oven, lower the temperature by about 25°F (15°C) and reduce the time by roughly 20% to land near 400°F for 6 minutes. Need a different starting point? Use the conversion calculator.
Air fryer shrimp: FAQ
Can you cook breaded shrimp in an air fryer?
Yes, but treat it as a different recipe rather than this one with crumbs on it - the six minutes at 400°F (200°C) above is for bare shrimp. Two foods sit behind the phrase. A bag of frozen breaded shrimp is raw shrimp inside a crust the factory fried, so it goes in frozen, needs no oil and takes longer; the big brands print air fryer directions on the bag now, and those numbers beat any generic figure. Breading raw shrimp yourself is the harder version, because a shrimp reaches 145°F (63°C) well before a dry crumb coating has coloured - which is why the usual advice is large shrimp, 16/20 count or bigger, to buy the coating time. Either way the coating costs you this page's doneness cue: you cannot see the loose 'C' through breadcrumbs, so judge it on a thermometer at the thickest point instead of the shape.
How long does it take to air fry shrimp?
Air fry shrimp at 400°F (200°C) for about 6 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. That's for 200g in a single layer; adjust slightly for a fuller basket or a different model.
What temperature do you air fry shrimp at?
Set the air fryer to 400°F (200°C). If you're converting an oven recipe, that's roughly 25°F (15°C) below the oven temperature, with the time cut by about 20%.
Do I need to preheat the air fryer for shrimp?
A 2-3 minute preheat gives the most accurate timing and the best browning, but it isn't essential - if you skip it, add a minute or two to the cook time.
What's the safe internal temperature for shrimp?
Cook shrimp to a safe internal temperature of 145°F (63°C), measured at the thickest point with an instant-read thermometer. Cooking time is a guide; internal temperature is what confirms it's safely done.