Easy Garlic Parmesan Air Fryer Shrimp is one of the fastest and most delicious meals I’ve made in such a long time! From the fridge to the plate in about 30 minutes, these tender shrimp could stand on their own as the main dish or go on top of a fresh salad for a light lunch. 

Air Fryer Shrimp with Garlic

I know I don’t talk about it much on here, but I have a secret love affair happening that goes beyond the pellet grill and Instant Pot land. 

I am FULLY on-board the air fryer bandwagon, and I’m not even sorry. 

Why don’t I post more air fryer recipes, you might be wondering?

Because I cook for a crowd, around here, with 9 people coming to the table three times a day to be fed, and I don’t think there’s an air fryer in existence that can crank out a meal for that many.

For us, we use the air fryer for lunches, and to cook things that we’d normally cook in the oven or in the microwave. 

I like it because the kids can throw in some frozen foods or snacks and it is easy to use and they all come out so much better than they do when they are cooked in the microwave. 

After I tried this Roasted Shrimp Recipe that I found over on Bowl Me Over, I’m going to change my tune and maybe just employ a small army of air fryers so that my family can all enjoy the fruits of my labor. 

Try our Cajun Prawns!

What kind of shrimp works best for this recipe?

What particular kind of shrimp you use isn’t as important as the actual size of the shrimp you are working with. The bigger, the better, when it comes to shrimp in my humble opinion.

I can enjoy salad shrimp as much as the next person, but it just doesn’t quite compare to a colossal shrimp that’s been cooked perfectly. 

So, use what you have and what you can afford and find, but also know that if you go bigger you’ll probably enjoy the end result more. 

Smoked Cream Cheese Pasta recipe

Should you keep the shells on shrimp when you cook them?

I prefer shrimp to be cooked without the shells, myself. I think it helps the seasoning wind up on the final dish in a more established way, and I just kind of like to eat my food without having to fuss with it much. Crab and lobster are one thing, but with shrimp, I just want to dig in and eat. 

You can buy the shrimp with the shells on if that’s what you have, but I’d suggest shelling it before you cook. 

The same goes for the tails. I know some people like to grab onto those while they shovel the shrimp face-side but to me they just kind of get in the way. This is especially true if you’ll be serving the shrimp in or on anything that requires a fork. 

So, for instance, if you are throwing this easy (and healthy) shrimp on top of a bed of my Creamy Asparagus Noodles, shells and tails off. 

If the shrimp will be a stand-alone appetizer or otherwise served along something else that is in the finger-food-family (like my delicious Traeger Surf and Turf Seafood Board), leave the tails on for easy grabbing. 

See all of my Easy Shrimp Recipes!

Air Fryer Shrimp Shopping List

Need to go to the store? Here’s a quick reference list to see what you have and what you need!

• 1 pound shrimp
• olive oil
• garlic powder
• salt & pepper
• freshly grated parmesan cheese
• fresh parsley

Rockfish and Spot Prawn Ceviche

Where did this recipe come from?

This is a blogger recipe exchange called Freaky Friday! It is organized by one of my favorite bloggers around, Michaela of An Affair From the Heart, and she gets groups of bloggers together for a secret recipe exchange where we’re all assigned another blogger and we make one of their recipes and share it on our site. 

The first time I participated was last fall, where I made an awesome Caramel Pecan Bite recipe that featured a recipe by Jennifer Stewart of Take Two Tapas. 

The goal of Freaky Friday is that we get to know each other a little better, and we also get to share another blogger with our own audiences. 

You guys are going to love Bowl Me Over, so I hope that you go and check it out!

Debra calls herself the “Soup Queen”, and I can see why. She’s got some epic soups on her site, but some that caught my eye that I can’t wait to try out are:

• Zucchini Parmesan Soup
• Supreme Pizza Soup
• Spicy Thai Noodle Soup

She lives in California with her husband and their dog family and got her start in the food world by catering weddings and whipping out epic dishes at family reunions. 

She’s also tenacious. In THIRD GRADE she worked to earn enough money to buy a piano because she wanted to learn so badly. My third graders have barely been able to tie their own shoes or make it from one end of the house to the other and still complete whatever task I gave them, so I’m 17 shades of impressed by her gumption there. 

Some other recipes that are going on my “Must Make” list that you might want to check out:

• Vegetable Orzo Soup
• Bow Tie Pasta Salad
• Ham Pasta Salad

How do you store air fryer shrimp leftovers?

Shrimp is best eaten on the day it is cooked, but if you have some leftovers you can keep it for 2-3 days in the fridge in a tightly covered container. I do not recommend re-freezing shrimp after it has been cooked.

What’s the best way to reheat this shrimp?

Stay out of the microwave, if you can. Fish and seafood isn’t done any favors by nuking them, so it is best to just stick these right back in the air fryer when you are ready to eat the next day.

What are some good sides to serve?

Personally, I’m going to make these again as soon as I can, and stick them on top of my Greek Salad.

They would also be fabulous next to a bed of my grilled asparagus, or if you are feeling particularly decadent you can make this mushroom risotto or my creamy mushroom pasta. 

Fall 2020 Freaky Friday Recipes

1. An Affair from the Heart – Brown Butter Chocolate Chunk Cookies
2. Aunt Bee’s Recipes – Homemade Loaded Queso
3. Bowl Me Over – Crispy Smashed Potatoes
4. Hostess at Heart – Chocolate Coffee Cake
5. House of Nash Eats – Asian Lettuce Wraps
6. Lemoine Family Kitchen – Easy Homemade Flour Tortillas
7. Life, Love & Good Food – Italian Grilled Burgers
8. Lisa’s Dinnertime Dish – Lemon Garlic Brussels Sprout Linguine 
9. Take Two Tapas –  Fried Mac and Cheese Balls
10. The Foodie Affair – Strawberry Bread
11. The Speckled Palate – Chicken Pesto Pasta
12. West Via Midwest – Loaded Baked Potato Skins