Air Fryer Outback Bloomin’ Fried Shrimp (Easy Copycat Recipe)

Outback’s Bloomin’ Fried Shrimp takes everything people love about the Bloomin’ Onion—that crunchy, paprika-spiked, peppery coating—and puts it on plump, juicy shrimp. Each bite is crispy on the outside, tender in the middle, and dunked in a creamy, tangy bloom sauce that you’ll want to put on everything.

This copycat gets you there in the air fryer in about 25 minutes, with no pot of oil and almost no cleanup. If you’ve already made my Air Fryer Copycat Outback Bloomin’ Onion, the seasoning will taste familiar, because it’s the same flavor profile built for shrimp. And because oven and deep-fryer instructions are included below, you can make it whichever way fits your kitchen tonight.

Why This Recipe Works

• The double dredge sticks. Flour, then egg wash, then a second pass through seasoned flour. That second coat is what gives you the craggy, restaurant-style crust that holds onto the shrimp in the air fryer instead of blowing off.
• The seasoning is the Bloomin’ Onion blend. Paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, and black pepper. It’s the flavor people are actually searching for, and it works even better on shrimp than it does on onion.
• Oil spray, not oil bath. A generous coat of cooking spray on the breaded shrimp is what turns the flour crust golden and crunchy in the air fryer. Skip it and the coating stays pale and dusty.
• The bloom sauce is a 5-minute stir. Mayo, horseradish, ketchup, and the same spice blend. Make it first so it has time to chill while the shrimp cook.

What Is Outback’s Bloomin’ Fried Shrimp?

It’s an appetizer on Outback’s menu: hand-breaded shrimp tossed in the Bloomin’ Onion seasoning, fried until crispy, and served with their signature creamy bloom sauce (the pale-orange dipping sauce that comes with the onion). The shrimp are on the smaller side, coated thickly, and meant to be eaten by the handful. This recipe uses medium shrimp for the same pop-in-your-mouth size, but works just as well with large shrimp if that’s what you have.

Ingredients You’ll Need

Exact measurements are in the recipe card at the bottom of the post.

For the bloom sauce:

• Mayonnaise: The creamy base. Use full-fat for the right texture.
• Ketchup: Adds the light sweetness and the signature orange color.
• Prepared horseradish: The kick that makes bloom sauce taste like bloom sauce. Don’t skip it.
• Paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper: The Bloomin’ Onion spices, so the sauce and the shrimp match.

For the shrimp:

• Medium raw shrimp (41/50 count): Peeled, deveined, tails off. Smaller shrimp give you the restaurant-style bite size and more crust per shrimp.
• All-purpose flour: The base of the breading.
• Cornstarch: Mixed into the flour for a lighter, crispier crust that stays crunchy in the air fryer.
• Paprika: Sweet paprika gives the coating its signature reddish color.
• Cayenne pepper: For heat. Start with the amount listed and adjust to taste.
• Garlic powder and onion powder: The savory backbone of the Bloomin’ seasoning.
• Dried oregano and dried thyme: The herbs that make the coating taste like Outback and not like generic fried shrimp.
• Kosher salt and black pepper: Season the flour well; the shrimp underneath is unseasoned.
• Eggs and milk: Whisked together for the egg wash that holds the second layer of flour.
• Cooking spray: Olive oil or avocado oil spray. This is what browns the crust.

How to Make Air Fryer Outback Bloomin’ Fried Shrimp

Step 1: Make the bloom sauce. In a small bowl, whisk together the mayonnaise, ketchup, horseradish, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, oregano, salt, and pepper until smooth. Cover and refrigerate while you make the shrimp.

Step 2: Mix the seasoned flour. In a shallow bowl, whisk together the flour, cornstarch, paprika, cayenne, garlic powder, onion powder, oregano, thyme, salt, and pepper. Divide it between two bowls: one for the first dredge, one for the second.

Step 3: Make the egg wash. In a third bowl, whisk the eggs and milk together.

Step 4: Dry the shrimp. Pat the shrimp completely dry with paper towels. Wet shrimp make the breading slide off.

Step 5: Bread the shrimp. Working a few at a time, toss the shrimp in the first bowl of seasoned flour, shake off the excess, dip in the egg wash, then press into the second bowl of seasoned flour, coating all sides. Set on a wire rack or plate. Repeat until all the shrimp are breaded.

Step 6: Preheat and spray. Preheat the air fryer to 400°F for 3 minutes. Spray the basket lightly, then arrange the shrimp in a single layer without touching. Spray the tops of the shrimp generously with cooking spray until no dry flour spots remain.

Step 7: Air fry. Cook at 400°F for 8–10 minutes, flipping halfway through and spraying the second side, until the coating is golden brown and crispy and the shrimp are opaque. Work in batches if needed.

Step 8: Serve. Sprinkle with a little extra salt right out of the basket and serve hot with the chilled bloom sauce.

Oven Method

Preheat the oven to 425°F. Set a wire rack over a rimmed baking sheet and spray the rack. Arrange the breaded shrimp on the rack in a single layer and spray the tops generously with cooking spray. Bake for 12–14 minutes, flipping and spraying again halfway through, until golden and crisp. The rack lets hot air reach the bottom of the shrimp so they crisp evenly instead of steaming.

Deep-Fryer or Stovetop Method

This is the closest to how Outback makes them. Heat 2 inches of vegetable or peanut oil in a heavy pot or Dutch oven to 350°F. Fry the breaded shrimp in small batches for 2–3 minutes, turning once, until deep golden brown. Don’t crowd the pot or the oil temperature will drop and the shrimp will absorb grease. Drain on a wire rack (not paper towels, which trap steam and soften the crust) and salt immediately. Skip the cooking spray for this method.

Tips for the Best Bloomin’ Shrimp

• Dry shrimp are non-negotiable. Blot them twice. The drier the surface, the better the flour grabs.
• Use one hand for dry, one for wet. Keep one hand for the flour bowls and the other for the egg wash so you don’t end up with clumpy “club” fingers and uneven breading.
• Let breaded shrimp rest 5 minutes. A short rest on the rack helps the coating set so it stays put during cooking.
• Don’t skimp on the spray. Any flour left dry will look and taste chalky. Every visible patch should be coated.
• Don’t overcrowd the basket. Shrimp need airflow on all sides. Two batches of crispy shrimp beat one batch of soggy ones.
• Shrimp cook fast. They’re done as soon as they curl into a C and the flesh is opaque. Overcooked shrimp turn rubbery, so check at 8 minutes.

Variations

Gluten-free: Swap the all-purpose flour for a 1:1 gluten-free blend. The cornstarch is already gluten-free.

Extra spicy: Double the cayenne in the flour and add a few dashes of hot sauce to the bloom sauce.

Bloomin’ Shrimp Tacos: Pile the shrimp into warm tortillas with shredded cabbage and a drizzle of bloom sauce.

Bloomin’ Shrimp Po’ Boy: Stuff a toasted hoagie roll with shrimp, lettuce, tomato, and plenty of sauce.

Steakhouse dinner at home: Serve the shrimp as the appetizer, then follow up with Outback Alice Springs Chicken or Copycat Outback Baby Back Ribs and a Copycat Outback Baked Potato.

What to Serve With Bloomin’ Fried Shrimp

• The chilled bloom sauce (obviously), plus a squeeze of lemon
• A second Outback shrimp option for a seafood spread: Air Fryer Shrimp on the Barbie
• Coleslaw or a simple house salad with ranch
• French fries or a loaded baked potato

Storage and Reheating

• Refrigerator: Store cooled shrimp in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Keep the bloom sauce in a separate container for up to 5 days.
• Freezer: Freeze cooked shrimp on a sheet pan, then bag for up to 2 months. Reheat from frozen.
• Reheat: Air fry at 375°F for 4–5 minutes (6–8 from frozen) until hot and crisp. Skip the microwave, which makes the coating soggy.

More Copycat Outback Steakhouse Recipes

Copycat Outback Baked Potatoes

Air Fryer Copycat Outback Steakhouse Bloomin’ Onion

Copycat Outback Aussie Cheese Fries (With Spicy Ranch)

Air Fryer Shrimp on the Barbie (Outback Copycat Recipe)

Outback Alice Springs Chicken Recipe (Easy Copycat)

Copycat Outback Baby Back Ribs (Easy Oven Recipe)