American
Air Fryer Garlic Shrimp
Shrimp, garlic, and oil cook in a hot basket just until they turn pink and curl. They overcook fast, so the batch stays in one layer and you pull them at 4 to 6 minutes.
- Prep
- 8 min
- Cook
- 6 min
- Total
- 14 min
- Servings
- 4
- Difficulty
- Easy
Why you’ll love it
- Shrimp cook in minutes in a hot basket.
- Garlic goes on before, parsley after, so the garlic does not burn black.
- One layer keeps them from steaming.
- Lemon at the end is the whole sauce.
Ingredients
Ingredient amounts scale. Oven temperature and cook time do not. Salt, spices, and leaveners are a starting point after you scale. Taste and adjust.
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Instructions
- 1
Pat the shrimp dry. Toss with the oil, garlic, salt, paprika, and pepper.
- 2
Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes.
- 3
Spread the shrimp in a single layer. Cook a second batch if they overlap.
- 4
Air fry 3 minutes, shake the basket, and air fry 1 to 3 minutes more, until the shrimp are pink, opaque, and just curled.
- 5
Toss with the lemon juice and parsley. Serve right away.
Pro tips
- Pull them when they turn from translucent to opaque. Another 2 minutes makes them rubbery.
- If you use frozen shrimp, thaw and dry them first. Ice crystals steam the basket.
- Garlic on the basket edge can darken. That is fine. Black garlic bits are bitter, so do not cook a second round of the same loose garlic.
Easy substitutions
- Parsley
- Cilantro
- Paprika
- A pinch of cayenne
- Lemon juice
- Lime juice
Storage and reheating
Storage
Refrigerate up to 2 days.
Reheating
Air fry at 350°F for 2 minutes. They will be firmer than the first night. Eat them cold on a salad if you would rather not reheat.
Nutrition
Estimates per serving, using standard ingredient averages and rounded to the nearest gram. This is not a lab analysis, and it shifts if you change brands or add sides.
- Calories
- 180
- Protein
- 26 g
- Carbs
- 2 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fiber
- 0 g
Moderate · Air Fryer · Gluten-Free, Dairy-Free, Lower-Carb
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From the kitchen
Kitchen tools we love
Practical tools these recipes actually use. This is not a review roundup, and these are not paid placements. If affiliate links are added later, they will be labeled and disclosed.
A heavy 12-inch skillet
Most of the chicken and steak recipes are written for one pan that holds heat. Stainless or cast iron both work.
An air fryer with a real basket
The air-fryer recipes expect a single layer. A crowded basket steams instead of browning.
A half-sheet pan
Drumsticks, potatoes, sausage, and carrots all use one. A dark pan browns faster than a very shiny one.
A sharp chef’s knife
These recipes do not need a specialty blade. A sharp 8-inch knife is faster and safer than a dull one.
A large cutting board
Big enough that the onion and the raw chicken are not sharing the same puddle.
Dry cups and a liquid cup
Desserts in particular expect level dry measures and a separate cup for milk.
An instant-read thermometer
Use it for poultry, pork chops, and meatloaf. Color is a weak guide.
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