Make Shrimp Tempura In Your Air Fryer

Making shrimp tempura in an air fryer is a quick and easy way to get your tempura fix. It is also a healthier alternative to deep-frying. The air fryer is perfect for cooking frozen foods, and you can use both a wet and dry flour mixture to get that crispy texture. The key is to ensure the batter sticks to the shrimp before placing it in the air fryer basket. You can also use tools like an air fryer silicone mat or air fryer grilling pan to help with this process.

How to make shrimp tempura in an air fryer

Ingredients:

• Shrimp
• Cornstarch
• Salt
• Ice-cold water
• Egg whites
• Flour
• Cooking oil spray

Optional Ingredients:

• Sweet potato or other vegetables
• Japanese mayonnaise
• Canola oil spray
• Dipping sauce

Method:

• Prep the shrimp by deveining them and removing the shell up to the tail. Make 4-5 small notches on the underside of each shrimp and stretch them out. Pat them dry with paper towels.
• If you want to add vegetables to your tempura, peel and slice sweet potatoes or other vegetables of your choice into rounds no thicker than 1/4 inch. Soak the root veggies in water while you prep other foods to wash off excess starch.
• Optional step for shrimp: make shallow slices crosswise along the underside of the shrimp. Using your fingers, stretch out the shrimp so that it lies straight, instead of curled. Traditional shrimp tempura is always straightened, but you can skip this step if you don't mind them curled. The taste will be the same.
• Optional step 2 for shrimp: soak the prepped shrimp in sake while you make the batter to remove any fishy smells prior to cooking.
• Make the tempura batter by mixing water, mayonnaise, and 1/2 cup of flour in a bowl.
• In a separate bowl, mix salt and the remaining flour.
• Preheat your air fryer to 350-370°F.
• Dip the shrimp and vegetables into the wet batter.
• Take the battered shrimp and veggies and dip them into the dry flour/salt mix. Add more flour as necessary to lightly coat the outside. The flour coating helps prevent the battered food from sticking to each other or to the air fryer basket. A thicker, drier batter also prevents it from flying off the food when you air fry.
• Place the tempura into the preheated air fryer basket, ensuring you do not overcrowd the basket. You will probably need to do this in batches.
• Spray with canola oil spray and air fry at 350°F. Shrimp tempura takes around 8 minutes. Root vegetables take around 10 minutes.
• Serve hot with tempura dipping sauce and rice, or as a side to noodle dishes.

The best frozen shrimp tempura to use

There are several brands of frozen shrimp tempura that you can use to make a quick and easy meal or snack. Here are some of the most popular options:

• SeaPak: This brand offers breaded shrimp with a panko coating and an orange dipping sauce. It is recommended to air fry this product at 390°F for 8 minutes.
• Kirkland Tempura Shrimp: This variety is available at Costco and is recommended to be cooked at 375°F for about 12 minutes.
• Trader Joe's: Their tempura shrimp can be cooked following the same instructions as other frozen varieties.
• Setapak: Another option that can be found at most grocery stores.

When purchasing frozen shrimp tempura, it is important to check whether the shrimp are raw or pre-cooked, as this will impact the cooking time. Additionally, the size of the shrimp will also affect the cooking time, with smaller shrimp cooking faster than larger ones.

No matter which brand you choose, air-fried shrimp tempura is a delicious and convenient option that can be ready in minutes!

How to make air fryer frozen shrimp tempura

Ingredients:

• 1 box of frozen shrimp tempura
• Dipping sauce (optional)

Method:

• Preheat your air fryer to 370°F-390°F.
• Place the frozen shrimp in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
• Cook for 8 minutes, flipping the shrimp halfway through.
• Warm the sauce that comes with the shrimp in warm water and use for dipping.

Tips:

• For the best results, cook the shrimp from frozen. Defrosting will change the texture and the batter will not crisp in the same way.
• Don't overcrowd the basket. You want the hot air to circulate properly to fry the tempura batter.
• If you want to make the shrimp straight, as is traditional for tempura, make small notches on the "belly" of each shrimp and stretch them out before cooking.

Dipping sauces for air fryer shrimp tempura

Air fryer shrimp tempura is a delicious, crunchy and healthy dish that can be served as an appetizer, snack, or main course. While the traditional Japanese method involves deep-frying, using an air fryer is a healthier alternative that still yields a tasty dish.

Traditional Dipping Sauce

The traditional Japanese dipping sauce for tempura is called "tentsuyu" or "mentsuyu" and is made with a combination of soy sauce, mirin, and dashi. This sauce is designed to complement the light and crispy texture of tempura, adding a burst of savory flavor to the dish.

Tempura Dipping Sauce Recipe

Ingredients:

• 3/4 cup warm water
• 1 tsp Hondashi powder (or Kombu dashi for a subtle flavor, or iriko dashi for a gentle fish flavor)
• 3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce
• 2 tbsp granulated sugar
• 2 tbsp Mirin (sweet rice wine)

Instructions:

• In a small saucepan, mix the Hondashi powder, warm water, and sugar. Bring this mixture to a boil and cook for about 2 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and add the soy sauce and Mirin.
• Mix thoroughly until all the ingredients are well-incorporated, and then serve alongside your shrimp tempura.

YumYum Sauce

For a creamy and tangy twist, you can also try the YumYum Sauce. This sauce is a blend of mayonnaise, spices, and Sriracha, providing a rich and slightly spicy complement to the shrimp tempura.

Other Dipping Sauce Ideas

While the traditional tentsuyu and the above-mentioned recipes are great options, you can also experiment with other sauces to find your perfect dip. Here are some additional ideas:

• Sweet and Spicy Sauce
• Tempura Dipping Sauce with a blend of soy sauce, ginger, scallions, lemon juice, rice vinegar, cilantro, garlic powder, and onion powder
• A variety of other Asian-inspired sauces, such as those served with sushi rolls like the California shrimp roll or Spicy Salmon Roll

Other great air fryer shrimp recipes

There are several other great air fryer shrimp recipes to try. Here are some ideas:

Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp

This recipe is perfect if you're looking for something a little sweet and crunchy. The shrimp are coated in a mixture of coconut and breadcrumbs, then air-fried to perfection.

Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp

Another option for bite-sized nibbles is air fryer popcorn shrimp. These shrimp are coated in seasoned breadcrumbs, lightly sprayed with cooking oil, and cooked in batches until crispy.

Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Creamy Cilantro Sauce

These tacos are a quick and easy option for a weeknight meal. The star is the creamy cilantro sauce, which you can serve with some kick from pickled jalapeno slices.

Air Fryer Sriracha-Honey Shrimp

For a sweet and spicy kick, try this sriracha-honey shrimp. The shrimp are coated in a mouthwatering mixture of sriracha, honey, lime juice, soy sauce, and garlic, then air-fried to perfection.

Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Shrimp

A classic combination of lemon pepper, paprika, and garlic makes these shrimp a tasty and simple option.

Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp

This recipe is a dupe for a celebrated restaurant appetizer. The shrimp has a sweet, crunchy, and spicy presence thanks to a coating of sweet chili sauce and sriracha.

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