This easy Argentine Red Shrimp is juicy, tender, and cooked to perfection in the air fryer. Enjoy as a light appetizer or with your favorite side dishes. Ready to serve in less than 15 minutes!
Jump to:
Why You'll Love this Recipe
- Super simple. All you need is a few staple ingredients and less than 15 minutes to prepare this Argentine red shrimp recipe.
- Versatile. Pair this healthy, fresh protein with your favorite salad or side dishes for the perfect light and delicious meal. It also goes well with a number of my cocktails like the Skinny Spicy Cucumber Margarita and 3-Ingredient Vodka Sour Recipe. You can also serve this alongside my Pan-Seared Tuna Cakes recipe for a great holiday appetizer spread.
- No breading. This air fryer shrimp recipe is made without breading, making it gluten-free and healthier than battered shrimp.
Ingredients and Substitutions
- Shrimp- if you can't find Argentine red shrimp in your grocery store, they are also called wild red shrimp or wild Patagonian red shrimp. I always recommend purchasing wild-caught shrimp which can be found at most grocery stores and fish markets. If you are a fan of shrimp, check out my Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos and Argentine Shrimp Scampi.
- Spices- for the simple marinade, you will need salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika. For a more mild marinade, you can substitute regular paprika in place of smoked paprika.
- Olive oil- olive oil is used to coat the red shrimp in the spices and help it stick. I do not recommend substituting with butter, because it has a lower smoke point than olive oil and may burn. If needed, you can substitute another cooking oil like avocado or vegetable.
See the recipe card below for the remaining ingredients and quantities.
Variations
Use your favorite spices. I kept the marinade on these air fryer shrimp super simple to allow them to be paired with several different dishes. However, if you have a favorite spice rub such as old bay seasoning or shrimp marinade you like to make, feel free to do so!
Instructions
Step 1: Whisk together the marinade. In a small mixing bowl, mix together the olive oil, fresh parsley, salt, pepper, garlic powder and smoked paprika.
Step 2: Toss the shrimp in the marinade. Pour the mixture over the shrimp and gently mix with a spoon to coat the shrimp.
Step 3: Air fry. Place the shrimp in an even layer in the bottom of the air fryer basket and air fry for 8 minutes at 400 degrees F or until the shrimp is pink and the internal temperature of the shrimp reaches 145 degrees F.
Step 4: Serve. Serve the air fryer shrimp while hot with additional fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon juice.
Recipe FAQs
Argentine red shrimp are wild shrimp found in the Southern Atlantic, off the coast of Argentina. While Gulf shrimp are found in the Gulf of Mexico off the coast of the United States. Red Argentine shrimp are larger than regular shrimp, yet light tasting, tender and quick to cook. Argentine shrimp are known for their sweet flavor which makes them a great addition to any recipe.
Not all models of air fryers require you to preheat, but I recommend preheating the air fryer to get the best results. Red shrimp cooked in a hot, preheated air fryer will cook faster and more evenly.
Although shrimp tastes the best fresh, leftovers can be reheated. I recommend avoiding reheating shrimp in the microwave. This can cause it to taste rubbery. For best results, reheat the red shrimp in your Air Fryer at 350 degrees F for 3-5 minutes, or until warm.
Yes, shrimp can be refrozen under a couple of conditions. First, only refreeze shrimp that has been thawed in the refrigerator. Shrimp that has been thawed quickly in cool water or the microwave should not be refrozen. Second, the shrimp needs to be refrozen at room temperature. Putting warm shrimp in the freezer will cause condensation buildup and freezer burn.
Top Tips
- Choose fresh shrimp. Look for red shrimp that are fresh and have a mild scent and a firm meaty texture.
- Use the cook time as a guide. 8 minutes was perfect in my air fryer, but depending on your appliance you may need to adjust the cook time. The best, most accurate way to know if your air fryer shrimp are cooked through is to use a thermometer and ensure the shrimp is at least 145 degrees F.
- Shrimp cook very quickly so be sure to keep an eye on them. Overcooking can cause them to become dry and rubbery.
- Air fry in batches if necessary. If you are doubling the recipe or have a smaller air fryer basket, you may need to work in a couple of batches. Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket as this prevents the air from circulating enough to crisp up the shrimp.
- Any type of shrimp should work in this recipe if you can't find red shrimp! I recommend purchasing large or jumbo-sized.
Serving
Air fryer shrimp is a great dish to serve with light summer salads, grains, angel hair shrimp scampi, or dipped into a flavorful garlic butter sauce. You could even add them to a buttery toasted bun for a new twist on the lobster roll.
More Air Fryer Recipes You'll Like
Did you make this recipe? Please leave a 5-star ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ rating & comment below to let me know how it came out. Thanks for visiting!
🍳Recipe
Air Fryer Argentine Red Shrimp
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 pound Argentine Red Shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 1 teaspoon salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 tablespoon fresh parsley, chopped
Instructions
- Defrost the shrimp, pat dry and peel and devein if necessary.
- Mix all of the ingredients (aside from the shrimp) together in a small bowl.
- Pour the marinade over the shrimp and coat using a pastry brush or mix with a spoon to combine.
- Air fry the shrimp at 400 degrees F for 8 minutes. Serve immediately with more fresh parsley and lemon slices.
Video
Notes
- Choose fresh shrimp. Look for red shrimp that are fresh and have a mild scent and a firm meaty texture.
- Use the cook time as a guide. 8 minutes was perfect in my air fryer, but depending on your appliance you may need to adjust the cook time. The best, most accurate way to know if your air fryer shrimp are cooked through is to use a thermometer and ensure the shrimp is at least 145 degrees F.
- Shrimp cook very quickly so be sure to keep an eye on them. Overcooking can cause them to become dry and rubbery.
- Air fry in batches if necessary. If you are doubling the recipe or have a smaller air fryer basket, you may need to work in a couple of batches. Avoid overcrowding the air fryer basket as this prevents the air from circulating enough to crisp up the shrimp.
- Any type of shrimp should work in this recipe if you can't find red shrimp! I recommend purchasing large or jumbo-sized.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is based on third-party calculations and should be considered estimates. Actual nutritional content will vary with brands used, measuring methods, portion sizes and more.
Emily says
Delicious! This was the PERFECT recipe for a busy weeknight - going to be a regular weekday staple can’t wait to make again 🙂
Sarah Holt says
Hi Emily, so happy you enjoyed the shrimp! It's the perfect weeknight recipe 🙂