Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos (With Frozen Shrimp)
Description
Crispy, taco-seasoned shrimp made from frozen in the air fryer, piled into warm tortillas with crunchy cabbage and a creamy lime sauce. Dinner in 20 minutes.
Ingredients
Shrimp:
- 1 lb frozen raw shrimp, 31/40 count, peeled, deveined, tails off
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 tablespoon taco seasoning
Creamy lime sauce:
- ½ cup sour cream
- 1 tablespoon mayonnaise
- 1 lime, juiced
- ¼ teaspoon garlic powder
- ¼ teaspoon salt, to taste
- ¼ teaspoon hot sauce, to taste
Tacos:
- 8 small corn or flour tortillas, or flour tortillas, warmed
- 2 cups shredded cabbage, or slaw mix
- 1 cup diced tomatoes, or pico de gallo
- 1 avocado, sliced
- ½ cup cotija, or shredded cheese, optional
- Lime wedges, for serving
Instructions
- Thaw and dry: Place frozen shrimp in a sealed zip-top bag and submerge in cold water for 10–15 minutes until thawed. Pat very dry with paper towels.
- Season: Toss shrimp with olive oil and taco seasoning until evenly coated.
- Air fry: Preheat air fryer to 400°F (200°C). Arrange shrimp in a single layer (cook in 2 batches if needed). Cook 6–8 minutes, shaking the basket halfway, until shrimp are opaque, pink, and curled into a loose "C" (internal temp 120°F).
- Make the sauce: While shrimp cook, whisk together sour cream, mayonnaise, lime juice, garlic powder, salt, and hot sauce.
- Warm tortillas: Heat tortillas in a dry skillet, microwave, or over a flame until soft and pliable.
- Assemble: Layer cabbage in each tortilla, top with shrimp, tomatoes, avocado, and cheese, then drizzle with lime sauce. Serve immediately with lime wedges.
Equipment
- Cooking Spray
- Parchment Paper, optional
Notes
- From frozen (no thaw): Air fry frozen shrimp plain at 400°F for 4 minutes, pat dry, then season and cook 5–6 minutes more.
- Shrimp size: Smaller shrimp (41/50) cook in ~5 minutes; jumbo (16/20) need 9–10. Go by color and curl, not the clock.
- Pre-cooked shrimp: Only reheat, 3–4 minutes at 400°F.
- Storage: Refrigerate cooked shrimp up to 2 days; reheat in the air fryer at 350°F for 2–3 minutes. Do not refreeze.
Nutrition
Serving: 1ServingCalories: 548kcalCarbohydrates: 43gProtein: 33gFat: 29gSaturated Fat: 9gPolyunsaturated Fat: 5gMonounsaturated Fat: 11gTrans Fat: 0.01gCholesterol: 218mgSodium: 1040mgPotassium: 858mgFiber: 8gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 506IUVitamin C: 29mgCalcium: 326mgIron: 4mg