If you've ever had one of those days where you open the fridge and stare blankly, thinking, "What on earth can I make that feels special but doesn't involve a mountain of dishes?"—yeah, same. That was basically the start of my love affair with Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp. There was this one Friday evening; I was half-watching a rerun of Bake Off, half-heartedly scrolling for dinner inspiration, when I noticed a bag of shrimp buried under a pile of mystery freezer bags (why do I do this to myself?). Anyway, it turned out to be the best accidental dinner discovery in ages. And faster than you can say, "Where's the Old Bay," we had spicy, juicy shrimp with barely any cleanup. Honestly, it kinda felt like cheating.
Why I Keep Coming Back to This Recipe
I make this when I'm craving something that seems a bit fancy (but isn't). My family goes a bit wild for it because it's spicy but not "sweating bullets" spicy, you know? Plus, it’s one of the rare dinners that doesn't trigger the dreaded whiny chorus of "ugh, shrimp again?"—which, let’s face it, is a small parenting miracle. I used to get annoyed when Cajun mixes tasted like pure salt, but after a little trial and error (and, okay, one truly regrettable batch), I’ve got it nailed down. Also, air frying means I don’t stand over a pan splattering oil everywhere. Most days, that’s a win in my book.
What You'll Need (With My Occasional Swaps)
- 450g (about 1 lb) raw shrimp, peeled & deveined (I actually prefer the big, wild ones, but honestly, any size works as long as you adjust timing)
- 1.5 tablespoon Cajun seasoning (sometimes I make my own like this, but store-bought is fine; my neighbor swears by Slap Ya Mama for a real kick)
- 2 teaspoon olive oil (on lazy days, I use melted butter instead—don’t tell the health police)
- ½ lemon, juiced (or a splash of bottled stuff if that’s all you’ve got... no judgment)
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder (fresh garlic is lovely but sometimes too much faff)
- ¼ teaspoon smoked paprika (optional, but it adds a nice depth—sometimes I skip if I’m out)
- Pinch of salt (taste your Cajun blend first, some are saltier than others)
- Chopped parsley or green onion, for serving (not essential but looks nice, hey?)
How I Throw It All Together
- Preheat your air fryer to 200°C (about 400°F) for a few minutes. I sometimes skip preheating when I'm rushed, but it does make a difference. Shrimp get crispier. So there you go.
- Mix the shrimp and seasoning. Just chuck the shrimp in a bowl, drizzle over the oil, squeeze the lemon, and toss in the seasoning, garlic powder, paprika, and salt. Give it a good stir (hands work best, but tongs if you’re feeling fancy). This is where I usually sneak a shrimp to check for seasoning—raw shrimp taste weird, don’t do that. Just kidding, I meant sniff the seasoning!
- Air fry 'em. Spread the shrimp out in the basket in a single layer (a little overlap is fine). Pop them in for 5-7 minutes, shaking halfway through. They cook fast—don’t wander off too long. If they curl up into tight "C" shapes and turn opaque, you’re golden. If they look a bit translucent still, just give them another minute or so. And if you open the air fryer and get a face-full of spicy steam, congrats, you did it right.
- Finish up & serve. Tumble onto a plate, sprinkle with parsley or green onions if you’re feeling snazzy, and maybe hit with another squeeze of lemon (I always do, but I’m a lemon fiend).
Notes: Stuff I Figured Out the Hard Way
- If you use frozen shrimp, just thaw them first (throw ‘em in a colander under cold water, takes like 5 mins). I tried air frying straight from frozen once—let’s just say, don’t.
- Bigger shrimp need an extra minute or two. But I’d rather slightly undercook, then check, than end up with rubber bands.
- If your Cajun seasoning is super salty, skip the extra salt completely. Learned that the hard way (my lips were basically raisins).
Variations I've Messed With (for Better Or Worse)
- Tried tossing in a handful of cherry tomatoes once—pretty good, but they burst and made a mess; not my brightest idea.
- Sometimes I swap Cajun for taco seasoning (don’t judge, it’s actually delicious, just different vibes).
- On one occasion, I added a drizzle of honey after cooking for a sweet-spicy thing—kids liked it, I wasn’t fully convinced.
Gear I Use (And What To Do If You Don't Have It)
- Air fryer: I use a Ninja Foodi, but honestly, any basket-style machine should work.
- Bowl for mixing.
- If you don’t have an air fryer (I didn’t for ages!), you can totally roast these at 220°C/425°F in the oven. Just lay them on a tray, but check after 8-10 mins. Not the same, but still pretty darn tasty.
How I Store Leftovers (In Theory)
I could give you elaborate storage tips, but honestly, in my house, these shrimp don’t see sunrise. If you have more willpower, keep leftovers in an airtight box in the fridge—probably best eaten within a day or two. I think they actually taste better cold on top of a salad the next day (unless you’re weird about seafood leftovers).
How I Like To Serve Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp
My favorite is to pile them on a big plate, squeeze over more lemon, and serve with some crusty bread (preferably that you didn’t bake yourself). Sometimes we do them taco-style, or just eat straight out of the bowl with fingers, sitting round the kitchen bench. Once I put them over cheesy grits—very Southern, very comforting. If you want more ideas, check out this shrimp dinner roundup from Serious Eats.
Lessons Learned (My Pro Tips, Sort Of)
- Don’t skip patting the shrimp dry before seasoning, or you’ll just end up with a puddle at the bottom (and no crispiness!).
- I once tried doubling the batch in one go. Shrimp all piled up = uneven cooking. Do two batches if you have a mountain of shrimp.
- If you’re tempted to use way more seasoning “for extra flavor,” just remember: it’s easier to add later than take away when your mouth is on fire.
Questions I Actually Get From Folks
- Can I use pre-cooked shrimp? Eh, you can, but they’ll get tough. Raw is better. If you must, just cook for 1-2 mins to heat through.
- Is this very spicy? Depends on your Cajun seasoning. Some brands are feisty; some are pretty tame. Taste a pinch first (the seasoning, not the raw shrimp!).
- Can I make this ahead? Sort of. They’re best fresh, but cold ones on salad are nice the next day. I wouldn’t recommend reheating in the microwave—gets rubbery fast.
- What if I don’t have an air fryer? Oven’s fine! See above. Keep an eye out, though—shrimp cook crazy quickly.
- Can I double the recipe? For sure, just do it in batches. Overcrowding makes it steamy and sad, not crispy and happy.
And, before I forget, just a final digression: if you ever find yourself accidentally buying the wrong size shrimp, don’t stress. My cousin once made this with the tiniest shrimp imaginable, and it turned out more like spicy popcorn. Not what he planned, but still pretty tasty. Happens to the best of us.
Ingredients
- 1 pound large shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 1 ½ tablespoons Cajun seasoning
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- ½ teaspoon garlic powder
- ½ teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
- Chopped parsley, for garnish (optional)
Instructions
-
1Preheat the air fryer to 400°F (200°C) for 3 minutes.
-
2In a large bowl, combine shrimp, Cajun seasoning, olive oil, garlic powder, smoked paprika, salt, and black pepper. Toss until shrimp are evenly coated.
-
3Arrange the seasoned shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
-
4Air fry the shrimp at 400°F (200°C) for 6-8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through, until shrimp are pink and cooked through.
-
5Remove shrimp from the air fryer, drizzle with fresh lemon juice, and garnish with chopped parsley if desired. Serve immediately.
Approximate Information for One Serving
Nutrition Disclaimers
Number of total servings shown is approximate. Actual number of servings will depend on your preferred portion sizes.
Nutritional values shown are general guidelines and reflect information for 1 serving using the ingredients listed, not including any optional ingredients. Actual macros may vary slightly depending on specific brands and types of ingredients used.
To determine the weight of one serving, prepare the recipe as instructed. Weigh the finished recipe, then divide the weight of the finished recipe (not including the weight of the container the food is in) by the desired number of servings. Result will be the weight of one serving.
Did you make this recipe?
Please consider Pinning it!!