Make the crispiest shrimp and the best sauce you've ever had when you make this Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp recipe! It's my new favorite Air Fryer shrimp recipe!
What Makes This Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp Drool-Worthy?
- Crispy. This will be the most perfectly crisped shrimp you've ever made. The cornmeal takes it to a whole new level.
- Sauce. This Air Fryer shrimp sauce is going to rock your world. It's creamy with a touch of sweet, a touch of spice, and the perfect amount of tang. This is easily one of our best shrimp recipes!
- Easy. I think food tastes better when it's so easy to make. The Air Fryer takes away all the drama from fried shrimp. No deep fryer to clean, no babysitting shrimp, and no hot oil odors. The result is dinner done in about 30 minutes.
How Do You Make Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp?
- Sauce. In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, garlic, mustard, hot pepper sauce, relish, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and salt. Stir until well combined. Cover and chill until serving time.
- Shrimp. In a large bowl, whisk together the half and half, egg, and 1 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning. Add the shrimp and toss gently to combine. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Breading. Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, whisk together the cornmeal, remaining 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Coat. Spray the air-fryer basket with vegetable oil spray. Dredge the shrimp in the cornmeal mixture until well-coated. Shake off any excess and arrange in the air-fryer basket. Spray shrimp with vegetable oil spray.
- Air Fry. Set the air fryer to 350°F for 10 minutes, carefully turning and spraying the shrimp with vegetable oil spray halfway through the cooking time.
- Finish. Serve the shrimp with the sauce.
For help choosing the right temperature and cook time for reheating, check out my guide to air fryer cooking times.
Can You Stack Shrimp in the Air Fryer?
While slight overlapping is okay, it's best to keep the shrimp in a single layer. If you stack the shrimp all on top of each other they will get soggy, and you won't get the crispy Air Fryer shrimp you anticipated.
Tips and Tricks for Making Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp
- Sauce. Don't forget to make your sauce first. If you make it after you get the shrimp cooking, the timing will be off.
- Salt. Make sure your Cajun seasoning doesn't have salt, or it will be too salty.
- Layers. Place your shrimp into your Air Fryer basket in a single layer for crispy Air Fryer Shrimp every time!
Want More Foods You Can Cook in the Air Fryer?
- Bacon - make the BEST bacon you've ever had without pan-frying with my method!
- Keto Chicken Tenders - these are so crispy and delicious!
- Korean Chicken Wings - crazy good flavor from the Gochujang sauce and perfectly cooked.
- Fruit Hand Pies - nothing beats making hand pies in the Air Fryer!
Whether you make this incredible Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp as an appetizer, or as a meal, you're going to love it! Make sure to pin it on Pinterest or share it on Facebook so you don't lose the recipe.
Servings: 4
Calories: 606kcal
Click on highlighted ingredients or Equipment to see exactly what I use to make this recipe
Equipment
Ingredients
FOR THE SAUCE
- ½ cup Mayonnaise
- 1 Garlic Cloves, minced
- 2 teaspoons Lemon Juice
- 2 tablespoons creole mustard
- ½ teaspoon hot pepper sauce
- 1 tablespoon sweet pickle relish
- 1 Chopped Green Scallions, chopped
- ½ teaspoons Worcestershire Sauce
- ¼ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ¼ teaspoon Kosher Salt
FOR THE SHRIMP
- ½ cup Half and Half
- 1 Eggs
- 1 tablespoon Cajun Seasoning, without salt, divided
- 1 ½ cups finely ground cornmeal
- 1 pound Raw Shrimp, large, peeled and deveined, 21-25 count
- Kosher Salt, to taste
- Ground Black Pepper, to taste
- Vegetable
Instructions
FOR THE SAUCE
- In a small bowl combine the mayonnaise, garlic, mustard, hot pepper sauce, relish, green onion, Worcestershire sauce, paprika, and salt. Stir until well combined. Cover and chill until serving time.
FOR THE SHRIMP
- In a large bowl, whisk together the half and half, egg, and 1 teaspoon of the Cajun seasoning. Add the shrimp and toss gently to combine. Refrigerate for at least 15 minutes or up to 1 hour.
- Meanwhile, in a shallow dish, whisk together the cornmeal, remaining 2 teaspoons Cajun seasoning, and salt and pepper to taste.
- Spray the air-fryer basket with vegetable oil spray. Dredge the shrimp in the cornmeal mixture until well-coated. Shake off any excess and arrange in a single layer the air-fryer basket. Spray shrimp with vegetable oil spray.
- Set the air fryer to 350°F for 10 minutes, carefully turning and spraying the shrimp with vegetable oil spray halfway through the cooking time.
- Serve the shrimp with the sauce.
- Don't forget to make your sauce first. If you make it after you get the shrimp cooking, the timing will be off.
- Make sure your Cajun seasoning doesn't have salt, or it will be too salty.
- Place your shrimp into your Air Fryer basket in a single layer for crispy Air Fryer Shrimp every time!
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Nutrition
Calories: 606kcal | Carbohydrates: 49g | Protein: 32g | Fat: 31g | Fiber: 7g | Sugar: 3g
Tried this recipe?Follow @twosleevers and Pin it!
And don't forget to check out my air fryer cookbooks! Every day easy air fryer, and Air Fryer Revolution.
This recipe looks great! Your suggestion to make the sauce in advance makes perfect sense. I look forward to trying this recipe in my air fryer for a perfect appetizer!
Is there a hack to make the breading low carb?
Yes indeed. You might try this recipe for breading. https://twosleevers.com/keto-chicken-tenders/