Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hushpuppies
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Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies are so good! If you have been looking for the perfect Air Fryer Hush Puppies Recipe, this one is so good, and it’s straightforward to make in the Air Fryer!

These are also known as Southern Hush Puppies, which are small fritters that are traditionally deep-fried, but today, I used the air fryer.

They are filled with shrimp, jalapeno, cream cheese, and spices and are held together with both bread and cornmeal for a great and classic side dish, appetizer, or snack! These are fabulous.

Today, I served them up with a Classic Cilantro Mayo, and it paired very well! There is nothing like serving an appetizer with a great sauce!

If you are looking for even more Air Fryer Seafood Recipes, some of my favorites are LEMON DILL AIR FRYER SALMON, AIR FRYER OLD BAY SHRIMP, and GARLIC PARMESAN AIR-FRIED SHRIMP RECIPE.

The Best Air Fryer Hush Puppies Recipe

Hush Puppies are perfect for the air fryer since they are traditionally deep-fried, so I choose to use my air fryer today.

They are prepared by using cornmeal batter and then adding some shrimp, jalapeno, and other ingredients, and they make for a great snack.

They are the perfect size for serving as appetizers, and they are tender, delicious, and so good!

The air fryer does an amazing job perfectly cooking them up, so the outside is crispy, while the inside is tender and delicious.

Serve these at your next party for a show stopper!

Why are Hush Puppies called Hush Puppies?

Upon some research on the name, several theories; were given to dogs to hush them. During the Civil War, when runaway slaves would give hush puppies to dogs to hush them.

Another theory is that hunters and fishers would fry some treats for the dogs to hush the puppies up.

We will never know, but we got this delicious treat as a result of someone’s creation.

Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies

Ingredients Needed For Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hushpuppies
  • Shrimp
  • Cream Cheese
  • Jalapenos
  • Black Pepper
  • Paprika
  • Salt
  • Cornmeal
  • All-Purpose Flour
  • Garlic Powder
  • White Bread
  • Eggs

How To Make Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies

Shrimp In Bowl with other ingredients for hush puppies

Remove the tail from the shrimp. Coarsely chop shrimp. Mince jalapenos and set aside 1 tbsp for the spicy cilantro mayo. Add to a bowl with softened cream cheese, minced jalapenos, pepper, paprika, and salt. Mix well to combine

Dredging Stations for Hush Puppies

Prepare a dredging station. Add cornmeal, flour, and garlic powder to one bowl, chopped bread to another, and whisk 3 eggs in the last bowl. 

Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies

Form shrimp mixture into golf ball-sized balls. Dip balls into eggs, allow excess eggs to drip off.

Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies

Roll the balls into the cornmeal mixture, then dip back into the eggs.

Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies

Finally, roll the balls in the bread, pressing the bread cubes to help them to adhere. Set the completed hushpuppies onto a baking sheet as you work. Place into the freezer for 15 minutes before cooking.

Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F, air fryer setting, for 5 minutes.  Line the air fryer basket with foil and spray the foil lightly with cooking spray. Arrange hushpuppies in a single layer on the foil and place them into the air fryer. Lightly spray the hushpuppies with cooking spray—Cook for 8 minutes. Stop halfway through cooking time to turn the hushpuppies for even cooking and spray again with oil. Note* they will be pliable at first, so handle with care.

Prepare the spicy cilantro mayo. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree for 15 seconds. 

Arrange hushpuppies on a platter with the spicy cilantro mayo for a dip. Garnish with cilantro and enjoy!

Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies

Some Pro Tips:

  • This recipe will work in any air fryer, including the Ninja Foodi, Instant Pot Vortex, Instant Pot Crisp Lid, and even the Mealthy. The cooking time may vary by a few minutes due to the difference in the air fryers.
  • If you want to add some heat to these Hush Puppies, add a few seeds from the Jalapeno pepper, or add some red pepper flakes.
  • Try to make the hush puppies the same size so that they all cook up at about the same time.
  • To add some crispiness, I sprayed them with cooking spray.
  • Do not crowd the basket, and these Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies really need room in between them to perfectly crisp up.
  • If you are making them in batches, you can place them into the oven to warm at 200 degrees F until they are all cooked up.

Can you fry hush puppies? 

Yes, these are traditionally deep-fried, but you can add them to a hot skillet filled with peanut oil, vegetable oil, or even canola oil and fry them up.

You can also bake these in a preheated oven at 400 degrees F and bake for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown. For best results, flip them halfway.

How long can hush puppies be stored?

These are a great make-ahead treat. While they are best served right after making them, they are perfect when you reheat them.

They will last in an airtight container for 2 to 3 days. To reheat hush puppies in the air fryer, spray them, and then reheat at 350 degrees F, air fryer setting for 4 to 7 minutes.

Some Recipe Variations:

There are some great ways to make this recipe your own. Some of my favorites suggestions are;

Add Some Onions: Diced onions, onion flakes, onion powder, sliced green onions, or chives.

Sweet Hush Puppies: Add some granulated sugar (about 2 tablespoons) to the batter, or serve with a honey butter mixture.

Corn: Add frozen, canned, or fresh corn into the batter. You would only need about 1/2 cup.

Spice: Although I used jalapeno peppers, you could add some jalapeno seeds or some red pepper flakes into the batter or serve with a drizzle of hot sauce.

Other Great Air Fryer Appetizer Recipes:

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Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies
Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hushpuppies

Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hushpuppies

5 from 2 votes
Author: ForkToSpoon.com
Prep Time: 25 minutes
Cook Time: 8 minutes
15 minutes
Total Time: 48 minutes
Servings: 6 Servings

Description

Air Fryer Fried Shrimp Hush Puppies are so good! If you have been looking for the perfect Air Fryer Hush Puppies Recipe, this one is so good, and it's straightforward to make in the Air Fryer!

Ingredients 

Shrimp Hush Puppies:

  • 1 pound shrimp
  • 4 ounces cream cheese, softened
  • 5 jalapenos, minced and seeded
  • 1 teaspoon coarse black pepper
  • 1/2 teaspoon paprika
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1 cup cornmeal
  • 1/2 cup flour
  • 1 teaspoon garlic powder
  • 1/2 loaf white bread
  • 3 large Eggs

Spicy Cilantro Mayo:

  • 1 cup mayo
  • 1 tablespoon jalapeno, minced
  • 1/4 cup cilantro, diced
  • 1 large lime, juiced
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/2 teaspoon coarse black pepper

Instructions

  • Remove the tail from the shrimp. Coarsely chop shrimp. Mince jalapenos and set aside 1 tbsp for the spicy cilantro mayo. Add to a bowl with softened cream cheese, minced jalapenos, pepper, paprika, and salt. Mix well to combine.
  • Prepare a dredging station. Add cornmeal, flour, and garlic powder to one bowl, chopped bread to another, and whisk 3 eggs in the last bowl. 
  • Form shrimp mixture into golf ball-sized balls. Dip balls into eggs, allow excess eggs to drip off. Roll the balls into the cornmeal mixture, then dip back into the eggs. Finally, roll the balls in the bread, pressing the bread cubes to help them to adhere. Set the completed hushpuppies onto a baking sheet as you work. Place into the freezer for 15 minutes before cooking.
  • Preheat the air fryer to 400 degrees F, air fryer setting, for 5 minutes. 
  • Line the air fryer basket with foil and spray the foil lightly with non-stick cooking spray. Arrange hushpuppies in a single layer on the foil and place them into the air fryer. Lightly spray the hushpuppies with canola oil or olive oil—Cook for 8 minutes. Stop halfway through cooking time to turn the hushpuppies for even cooking and spray again with oil. Note* they will be pliable at first, so handle with care.
  • Prepare the spicy cilantro mayo. Add all ingredients to a food processor or blender and puree for 15 seconds. 
  • Arrange hushpuppies on a platter with the spicy cilantro mayo for a dip.
  • Garnish with cilantro.
  • Plate, serve, and enjoy!

Equipment

  • Air Fryer
  • Cooking Spray

Nutrition

Serving: 1gCalories: 713kcalCarbohydrates: 61gProtein: 29gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 8gPolyunsaturated Fat: 19gMonounsaturated Fat: 8gTrans Fat: 0.1gCholesterol: 230mgSodium: 1290mgPotassium: 476mgFiber: 6gSugar: 5gVitamin A: 382IUVitamin C: 21mgCalcium: 212mgIron: 5mg

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