Air Fryer Crispy Shrimp: Achieving The Perfect Brown Color

Air fryer shrimp is a quick, easy, and healthy dish that can be served as a main, side, or on top of a salad. It is also a great option for last-minute entertaining. The key to getting shrimp crispy and brown in an air fryer is to ensure that the shrimp are not overcrowded in the air fryer basket, allowing hot air to circulate around them. You can also spritz the shrimp with cooking spray to help them brown.

The importance of patting shrimp dry before cooking

To make shrimp brown and crispy in an air fryer, you'll need to pat them dry with a paper towel before seasoning and cooking. This is a crucial step in the cooking process and can make or break your dish. Here's why:

Removes Excess Moisture

Shrimp is often frozen to maintain its freshness, and when thawed, it can retain moisture. Patting the shrimp dry with a paper towel helps remove any excess moisture from the surface. This is important because moisture can prevent the shrimp from browning and crisping up during cooking. By removing the excess moisture, you ensure that the shrimp will have a better chance of developing that desired golden-brown colour and crispy texture.

Enhances Seasoning Adherence

The seasonings and spices you use are essential to building flavour in your shrimp dish. However, if the shrimp is wet, the seasonings may not adhere well to its surface. By patting the shrimp dry, you create a better base for the seasonings to stick to. This ensures that your shrimp will absorb the flavours of the spices more effectively, resulting in a more flavourful dish.

Prevents Steaming

When you overcrowd an air fryer with shrimp, they may steam instead of air fry properly. This results in pale, soft shrimp instead of the desired crispy texture and golden-brown colour. By patting the shrimp dry, you reduce the moisture content, which helps prevent steaming. This is crucial because the dry heat of the air fryer works best when there is minimal moisture on the surface of the shrimp, allowing them to crisp up nicely.

Promotes Even Cooking

Patting shrimp dry before cooking also promotes even cooking. When there is excess moisture on the shrimp, it can lead to uneven cooking, resulting in some parts of the shrimp being overdone while others are undercooked. By removing the excess moisture, you create a more consistent surface for the heat to interact with, promoting even cooking throughout the entire batch of shrimp.

Improves Texture

The texture of shrimp is crucial to the overall dining experience. No one wants to bite into a soggy, rubbery shrimp. By patting them dry before cooking, you help improve their texture. This step reduces the likelihood of the shrimp becoming waterlogged, ensuring they develop a crispy exterior while remaining tender and juicy on the inside.

How to make a breadcrumb coating

To make a breadcrumb coating, you'll need flour, eggs, and breadcrumbs. You can also season the flour and breadcrumbs with salt and pepper, and add grated parmesan cheese to the breadcrumbs for extra flavour.

First, coat the shrimp in flour and pat off any excess. Next, dip the shrimp into a whisked egg with salt and pepper. Finally, fully coat the shrimp in breadcrumbs, patting it down firmly. Fry the shrimp immediately after coating so that the coating does not become soggy.

If you don't want to use eggs, you can substitute them with milk, cream, yoghurt, condensed milk, mustard, or a thin paste made from flour, salt, pepper, and water.

To make the breading process easier, arrange your ingredients in an assembly line, starting with the flour, then the egg, and finally the breadcrumbs. Keep one hand as your "dry hand" and use it for coating the shrimp in the flour and breadcrumb mixtures. Keep the other hand as your "wet hand" and use it for dipping the shrimp into the egg and transferring it to the breadcrumb mixture.

Once you've finished coating the shrimp, cover the plate with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge for 30 minutes to rest. This helps the coating stick firmly to the surface of the shrimp.

The best spices to use

The spices you use to season your shrimp will make or break your dish. The right spices will elevate the natural sweetness of the shrimp, while the wrong spices might overpower it. Here are some of the best spices and seasonings to use when making shrimp in an air fryer:

Garlic Powder

A member of the onion family, garlic is a pungent and savoury spice that adds depth of flavour to shrimp. It is a common ingredient in seafood dishes and pairs well with lemon and other spices.

Paprika

Paprika is a spice made from ground red peppers. It has a sweet, slightly smoky flavour that enhances the natural sweetness of shrimp. It also adds a vibrant red colour to the dish, making it more visually appealing.

Parsley

Parsley is an herb with a fresh, grassy flavour. It is commonly used to add a bright, fresh flavour to seafood dishes. It pairs well with garlic and lemon, and helps to round out the overall flavour profile of the dish.

Salt

Salt is a crucial ingredient in any dish, as it enhances the natural flavours of the food. When cooking shrimp, salt will bring out their sweetness and juiciness. It is important to season shrimp generously with salt to bring out their flavour.

Lemon Juice

While not a spice, lemon juice is an important ingredient when cooking shrimp. Lemon juice will brighten up the flavour of the shrimp and give it a tangy twist. It also helps to balance out the savoury notes of the other spices.

Italian Seasoning

Italian seasoning is a blend of herbs commonly used in Italian cuisine, including basil, oregano, and thyme. It adds a savoury, slightly earthy flavour to the shrimp and pairs well with garlic and lemon.

Black Pepper

Black pepper adds a sharp, pungent flavour to shrimp. It helps to enhance the other spices in the dish and gives a slight kick to the overall flavour profile.

Seafood Seasoning

Seafood seasoning blends typically include a mix of spices such as paprika, garlic, pepper, and other herbs. They are designed to enhance the flavour of seafood, so they pair perfectly with shrimp.

When making shrimp in an air fryer, it is important to experiment and find the right combination of spices that suits your taste. You can also try using pre-made spice blends, such as Cajun seasoning or Old Bay, to simplify the seasoning process.

How to avoid overcooking shrimp

To avoid overcooking shrimp in an air fryer, there are several key steps to follow. Firstly, it is important to select the right type of shrimp. Large or jumbo shrimp are ideal, as they are naturally juicier and less prone to overcooking compared to smaller ones.

Before cooking, make sure to pat the shrimp dry with a paper towel to remove any excess moisture. This step is crucial, as it helps the shrimp cook evenly and prevents them from becoming rubbery or dry.

When arranging the shrimp in the air fryer, avoid overcrowding the basket. Cook the shrimp in a single layer, ensuring they have enough space between them. This allows the hot air to circulate evenly, ensuring consistent cooking and a crispy texture. If your air fryer has a smaller capacity, cook the shrimp in batches.

The cooking time and temperature can vary depending on the size and thickness of the shrimp, as well as your desired level of crispiness. As a general guideline, cook jumbo shrimp at 400°F (200°C) for 5 to 8 minutes. For smaller shrimp, reduce the cooking time accordingly. Keep a close eye on the shrimp to prevent overcooking, as they can quickly go from perfectly cooked to overdone.

To check if your shrimp are cooked to perfection, look for a pink/orange colour and a clear 'C' shape. You can also cut into one shrimp to ensure it is opaque and firm throughout, with no translucency in the centre. Overcooked shrimp will be tough and chewy, so it's important to monitor the cooking process closely.

Finally, allow the shrimp to rest for a minute or two after cooking. This helps maintain the crispiness of the coating and ensures that the shrimp are not overcooked.

By following these simple steps, you can easily avoid overcooking shrimp in your air fryer and enjoy perfectly crispy and juicy shrimp every time.

What to serve with crispy shrimp

Crispy shrimp is a versatile dish that can be served in many ways and paired with a variety of sides. Here are some ideas for what to serve with crispy shrimp:

Tacos, Sandwiches, and Wraps

• Wrap the shrimp in corn tortillas and top with cilantro, a creamy lime sauce, and Latin spices such as chili powder and cumin.
• Make shrimp tacos with soft or hard taco shells, salsa, and guacamole.
• Layer a tostada shell with refried beans, guacamole, salsa, and shrimp.
• Make a shrimp sandwich with cold shrimp, spicy mayo, lettuce, and tomatoes.
• For a lighter option, use lettuce wraps or grilled shrimp lettuce wraps instead of bread.

Salads

• Top any salad with air-fried shrimp for extra protein.
• Try a shrimp salad over your favourite greens.
• Serve with a classic Caesar salad, with its tangy dressing and crunchy croutons.
• Add roasted asparagus to your salad, slightly charred and seasoned, for a savoury contrast.
• For a refreshing option, try a cucumber and dill salad, combining thinly sliced cucumbers with Greek yogurt, fresh dill, and mint leaves.

Bowls and Pasta

• Fill a bowl with quinoa or rice, your favourite veggies, and a drizzle of fresh lemon juice.
• Toss air-fried shrimp with your favourite pasta or a cold pasta salad with fresh, crisp veggies.
• Try a shrimp and burst cherry tomato pasta, or a lemon-pepper shrimp scampi pasta.
• For a low-carb option, try zucchini noodles coated in Parmesan cheese and garlic powder.

Sides

• Serve with roasted broccoli rabe, butternut squash, carrots, or other roasted vegetables.
• Air fryer broccoli or Brussels sprouts are also great options.
• Corn on the cob is a classic side that pairs well with shrimp.
• Try okra and rice casserole, combining shrimp, rice, and okra.
• For a Southern twist, serve shrimp and grits, or cheese grits.
• Air-fryer smashed potatoes with a remoulade dipping sauce.
• Baked zucchini fries or sweet potato fries.
• Succotash is a classic Southern side dish that pairs well with shrimp.
• For a creamy option, try creamed corn.
• Coleslaw is a refreshing and crunchy side that complements the richness of the shrimp.

Sauces and Dips

• Serve with cocktail sauce or your favourite cool and creamy dip, such as a two-ingredient yogurt and chilli crisp dip.
• Avocado salsa combines guacamole with salsa ingredients like fresh tomatoes, red onions, cilantro, and lime juice.
• Spinach artichoke dip is a classic creamy dip that pairs well with shrimp.
• For a kick of heat, try hot honey sauce or garlic yoghurt sauce.

Frequently asked questions