This air fryer shrimp has a bright, citrusy flavor thanks to lemon zest and lots of garlic. The best part? It’s ready in under 10 minutes!
Be sure to check out my Healthy Eating One-Pot Cookbook for more easy, healthy recipes like this one.
I’ve had my air fryer for a few weeks now and every time I use it I fall even more in love. I’ve probably eaten my weight in sweet potato fries this month. Besides potatoes, I keep gravitating toward using it for seafood.
The air fried catfish nuggets I shared last week were crispy and delicious. This lemon garlic shrimp, inspired by shrimp scampi, is zesty and refreshing. Their lemony flavor is perfect for spring! (Hopefully spring will decide to show up soon. There’s currently a blizzard outside and I’m not ok with it.)
These lemon garlic shrimp aren’t breaded, but they still get a nice crispy exterior similar to how they would get if they were pan fried. With the air fryer though, you can use way less oil. Since they aren’t breaded, you can also add more to the fry basket since you don’t have to worry about overcrowding as much. Just give the basket a good shake halfway through to redistribute the shrimp so everything cooks evenly.
This air fryer shrimp recipe works great as an appetizer, but it can also be turned into an easy and healthy meal if you serve it over rice, zucchini noodles, or spaghetti squash.
(No air fryer? No problem! You can easily make these lemon garlic shrimp on the stovetop. Simply increase the oil from 1 Tablespoon to 1/4 cup. Heat the oil in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, then add the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Stir in the shrimp and salt and cook 3-4 minutes, or until the shrimp is cooked through. Remove from heat and stir in the lemon juice, zest, and parsley.)
Air Fryer Lemon Garlic Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound small shrimp, peeled with tails removed
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 lemon, zested and juiced
- 1 pinch crushed red pepper flakes (optional)
- 1/4 cup parsley, chopped
- 1/4 teaspoon sea salt
Instructions
Heat your air fryer to 400ºF.
In a bowl, combine the shrimp, olive oil, garlic, salt, lemon zest, and red pepper flakes (if using). Toss to coat.
Transfer the shrimp to the basket of your fryer. Cook for 5-8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, or until the shrimp are cooked through.
Pour the shrimp into a serving bowl and toss with lemon juice and parsley. Season with additional salt to taste.
Do you need to use raw shrimp or can it be precooked shrimp like in the package?
I think it comes out better with raw shrimp. The precooked ones get over cooked easily and can get tough.
Does shrimp have to be in a single layer when cooked or can I pile them in the basket?
they come out best if you do them in a single layer or pack them very loosely and shake the basket a few times during the cooking process to maximize airflow
The shrimp in the photo have some sort of coating on them that does not seem to be in the recipe.
I know it looks that way, but that’s just the browned oil, garlic, and lemon zest. 🙂