Air-Fried Prawns: A Quick, Crispy Delight

If you're looking for a quick, easy, and delicious way to cook prawns, then look no further than your air fryer. This handy kitchen appliance can cook prawns to perfection in just a few minutes, and the best part is that the preparation is super simple. You can season your prawns with a variety of spices and sauces to suit your taste preferences, and serve them as a tasty and healthy meal option.

How to Make Prawns in an Air Fryer

How to prepare prawns for air frying

Preparing prawns for air frying is quite straightforward. Here is a step-by-step guide:

Step 1: Clean and Devein the Prawns

Firstly, ensure that your prawns are clean and deveined. You can also remove the shells if you prefer, but leaving the tails on is optional and depends on your preference.

Step 2: Pat the Prawns Dry

Before starting the breading process or seasoning, it is important to pat the prawns dry. This step helps to ensure that your prawns will have crispy edges after air frying.

Step 3: Breading or Seasoning

If you're using a breading, prepare three bowls. The first bowl should contain flour seasoned with salt and black pepper. In the second bowl, add beaten eggs. The third bowl should contain a mixture of panko breadcrumbs and paprika. Working with one prawn at a time, dip it first in the flour, then in the egg mixture, and finally in the breadcrumb mixture. Ensure that each prawn is evenly and completely coated.

If you're seasoning the prawns, combine your chosen spices and oil in a large bowl. You can use a variety of spices such as garlic powder, paprika, salt, and pepper. Mix the prawns with the seasoning, gently tossing them to ensure an even coat.

Step 4: Arrange in the Air Fryer Basket

Place the prawns in the air fryer basket in a single layer, ensuring they don't overlap too much. Spray the bottom of the pan and the top of the prawns with a little oil. This step helps to achieve crispy prawns.

Step 5: Air Frying

Preheat your air fryer to the desired temperature, typically between 350-400°F (180-200°C). Air fry the prawns for around 8-10 minutes, turning them halfway through to ensure even cooking and crispness on both sides. Keep a close eye on them to avoid overcooking, as shrimp can become rubbery if cooked for too long.

Air fryer temperature and cooking time

The temperature and cooking time for air-fried prawns can vary depending on the size of the prawns, the model of your air fryer, and your desired level of crispiness. Here are some general guidelines to help you achieve the best results:

Air Fryer Temperature:

Preheat your air fryer to between 350-400°F (180-200°C). The ideal temperature may depend on the specific model of your air fryer, so refer to its instruction manual if necessary.

Cooking Time:

• For medium-sized prawns, cook for about 6-8 minutes.
• For larger prawns, cook for about 8-10 minutes.
• For jumbo prawns, cook for about 10-12 minutes.
• If using frozen prawns, add 1-2 minutes to the cooking time.

It's important to keep a close eye on your prawns while they're cooking, as they can go from perfectly cooked to overdone in a matter of seconds. You want to aim for a nice golden colour, and you can always cut into a prawn to check if it's cooked to your liking.

Additionally, if you're using a meat thermometer, the USDA recommends an internal temperature of 145°F (63°C) for seafood.

Prawns with spicy mayo sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb peeled and deveined prawns
• 1 tablespoon light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 tablespoon Kewpie mayo
• 1 tablespoon Sriracha
• 1/2 tablespoon honey

Method:

• Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/ 200°C.
• Pat the prawns dry, then place them in a bowl and add the oil, garlic powder, and black pepper. Gently toss to coat.
• Place the prawns in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they don't overlap too much.
• Air fry the prawns at 400°F/ 200°C for 8-10 minutes, or until they are cooked through and golden brown. Check them frequently towards the end to ensure they don't overcook.
• For the spicy mayo sauce, simply combine the Kewpie mayo, Sriracha, and honey in a small bowl.
• Serve the prawns with the spicy mayo sauce on the side or drizzled on top.

Tips:

• You can use peeled and deveined shrimp or prawns for this recipe, but make sure they are raw.
• If using frozen prawns, thaw them first and keep them chilled until you are ready to cook.
• If you don't have light olive oil, you can substitute it with another liquid cooking oil with a high smoke point, such as corn oil, vegetable oil, or avocado oil.
• Feel free to add other spices and seasonings to the prawns, such as smoked paprika, cayenne pepper, or chili powder.
• To check if the prawns are fully cooked, use a meat thermometer to ensure they have reached an internal temperature of 145°F/ 63°C.

Prawns with honey mustard sauce

Ingredients:

• 1 lb prawns (large, peeled, deveined)
• 2 tablespoons light olive oil
• 1 teaspoon garlic powder
• 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• Splash of apple cider vinegar

Method:

• Preheat the air fryer to 400°F/ 200°C.
• Pat the prawns dry, then place them in a bowl.
• Add the oil, garlic powder, and black pepper to the bowl with the prawns and gently toss to coat.
• Place the prawns in the air fryer basket in a single layer, making sure they are not overcrowded.
• Air fry the prawns for 8-10 minutes, or until they are cooked through and golden brown. Check them frequently towards the end of the cooking time to ensure they don't get overcooked.
• While the prawns are cooking, make the honey mustard sauce by whisking together the honey, Dijon mustard, and apple cider vinegar.
• Once the prawns are cooked, remove them from the air fryer and serve immediately with the honey mustard sauce on the side.

Tips:

• You can adjust the amount of honey and mustard in the sauce to suit your taste.
• If you want a more crispy texture, you can coat the prawns in a mixture of flour, egg, and breadcrumbs before air frying.
• Leftover prawns can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Prawns with sun-dried tomato mayo

Ingredients

• 400g large prawns, fresh or frozen, peeled and deveined
• 90g panko breadcrumbs
• 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 100g sun-dried tomatoes
• 1/2 tsp chilli flakes
• 30ml apple cider vinegar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• Mayonnaise
• Oil, for frying

Method

Firstly, prepare the sun-dried tomato mayo. Add the sun-dried tomatoes, black pepper, chilli flakes, apple cider vinegar, and salt to a food processor and pulse until a thick paste is formed. Transfer the paste to a bowl and stir through the mayonnaise until fully combined. Set aside.

Now, prepare the prawns. Devein the prawns and remove the shells, leaving the tails on if desired. Pat the prawns dry with a paper towel. Prepare three bowls. In the first bowl, add some plain flour and season with salt and black pepper. In the second bowl, add some beaten eggs. In the third bowl, combine the panko breadcrumbs and paprika.

Drizzle some oil into the air fryer basket and set aside. Working with one prawn at a time, dip the prawn into the flour, then the egg, and finally into the breadcrumb mixture, ensuring each prawn is completely coated. Place the coated prawns into the air fryer basket.

Preheat the air fryer to 200°C/400°F. Air fry the prawns for 8-10 minutes, turning them halfway through the cooking process, until they are golden and cooked through.

Once cooked, plate the prawns and sprinkle with some lemon zest and flakey salt. Serve with the sun-dried tomato mayo on the side for dipping.

Tips

• Keep an eye on the prawns while they are cooking, as the cooking time may vary depending on the size of the prawns.
• If you don't have an air fryer, you can fry the prawns in vegetable oil or bake them in the oven. However, they may not get as crispy as they would in an air fryer.
• The sun-dried tomato paste can be used as a pesto for pasta or as a marinade without adding the mayonnaise.
• The honey mustard sauce can be used as a salad dressing or chicken wings sauce.

Frequently asked questions