Air fryer shrimp tempura delivers big on crunch and can be ready in about 40 minutes with only 6 ingredients! This easy-to-follow process is sure to be a crowd-pleaser.
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Craving something with out-of-this-world crunch that doesn’t take forever to make?
Air fryer shrimp tempura have the most satisfying texture and are even easier to make than you think!
In fact, this recipe only takes about 40 minutes, and that includes cooking the tempura shrimp in the air fryer in batches.
And you only need 6 ingredients! If you thought tempura was a complicated process, you’ll be amazed how straight-forward this recipe is.
Here’s what I’m going to teach you in this post:
- How to make the most amazing tempura battered shrimp in the air fryer
- The easy way to flash-freeze tempura shrimp if you want to prep them ahead of time
- Tips for making the best tempura shrimp in the air fryer
- How to reheat leftover shrimp tempura
A lot of people assume tempura is really complicated to make or involves special ingredients.
In fact, you probably already have everything you need right in your pantry! Once you see how easy it is, you might find yourself craving homemade shrimp tempura all the time. And if you love this shrimp recipe, you’ll love our Shrimp Scampi Recipe Without Wine!.
How to Make Air Fryer Shrimp Tempura
A full printable version of this recipe with ingredient measurements is available at the bottom of this post.
STEP ONE: Prepare the shrimp by deveining them (if necessary) and removing the shell up to the tail.
STEP TWO: Make 4-5 small notches on the “belly” of each shrimp and stretch them out. Pat them dry with paper towels.
STEP THREE: In a bowl, whisk together a ½ cup of the flour, ice-cold water, and egg whites. In a second bowl, add the remaining flour.
STEP FOUR: Place cornstarch and salt in a plastic zipper bag. Add the shrimp and toss well to coat.
STEP FIVE: Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F. Spray the inner basket generously with cooking oil spray.
STEP SIX: Dip the shrimp, one at a time, in the wet flour batter, then dredge them through the dry flour to lightly coat them. Place them on a clean plate or parchment-lined baking sheet.
STEP SEVEN: Working in batches, set the shrimp in the basket in a single, uncrowded layer. Spray them well with cooking oil spray, then air fry for 7-8 minutes until lightly golden.
STEP EIGHT: Repeat until all the shrimp have been cooked.
How to Make Air Fryer Frozen Tempura Shrimp
- Prep the shrimp through step 5, then place the plate or baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour to flash-freeze. Remove the shrimp and store in a plastic zipper bag until ready to cook.
- When ready to cook, preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F. Spray the inner basket with cooking oil spray.
- Working in batches, set the frozen shrimp in the basket in a single, uncrowded layer. Spray them well with cooking oil spray, then air fry for 12-15 minutes until lightly golden.
- Repeat until all the shrimp have been cooked.
What is Shrimp Tempura?
Tempura is a Japanese method of lightly battering and deep frying foods, most often seafood or vegetables.
Believe it or not, the light and crispy coating is actually just a combination of flour, egg, and water!
Shrimp tempura simply refers to shrimp that have been prepared with this batter and then deep-fried.
For this recipe, we’ll be using the traditional tempura batter but cooking the shrimp in the air fryer instead of deep frying.
Can You Make Trader Joe’s Tempura Shrimp in the Air Fryer?
You bet! Follow the same steps as you would for making frozen tempura shrimp, skipping the prep of course.
They’ll turn out gloriously crispy and golden!
Tips for Making the Best Air Fryer Tempura Shrimp
- Make sure the water you’re using in the batter is ice cold. This slows down the gluten formation process, which is what makes the batter so light and puffy.
- It’s very important not to overcrowd the basket. You really want the hot air to be able to circulate properly to fry up the tempura batter on each shrimp.
- While your first batch of shrimp are in the air fryer, continue battering your second batch so they’re ready to go in the air fryer as soon as the first batch is done. This is the most efficient way to cook up all your shrimp tempura!
How to Reheat Leftover Shrimp Tempura in the Air Fryer
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F.
- Lay the leftover tempura shrimp in the air fryer basket in a single layer.
- Cook for 3-5 minutes until the tempura is crispy and the shrimp are heated through.
Other Air Fryer Shrimp Recipes You’ll Love:
- Air Fryer Bang Bang Shrimp
- Air Fryer Coconut Shrimp
- Bacon-Wrapped Shrimp in the Air Fryer
- Air Fryer Popcorn Shrimp
- Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
- Air Fryer Lemon Pepper Shrimp
- Frozen Shrimp in the Air Fryer
More Air Fryer Seafood Recipes
- Air Fryer Mahi Mahi
- Air Fryer Tilapia
- Air Fryer Crab Cakes
- Air Fryer Salmon
- Air Fryer Cod
- Air Fryer Scallops
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Air Fryer Shrimp Tempura
Ingredients
- 1 pound fresh jumbo shrimp
- 1 ¼ cups all-purpose flour divided
- ½ cup cold water
- 2 egg whites or 1 large egg, beaten
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Prepare the shrimp by deveining them (if necessary) and removing the shell up to the tail. Make 4-5 small notches on the “belly” of each shrimp and stretch them out. Pat them dry with paper towels.
- In a bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the flour, water, and egg whites. In a second bowl, add the remaining flour.
- Place cornstarch and salt in a plastic zipper bag. Add shrimp and toss well to coat.
- Preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F for 5 minutes. Spray the inner basket generously with cooking oil spray.
- Dip shrimp, one at a time, in the wet flour batter, then dredge them through the dry flour to lightly coat them. Place them on a clean plate or parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Working in batches, set the shrimp in the basket in a single, uncrowded layer. Spray them well with cooking oil spray, then air fry for 7-8 minutes, until lightly golden.
FROM FROZEN:
- Prep shrimp through step 5, then place the plate or baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour to flash-freeze. Remove the shrimp and store in a plastic zipper bag until ready to cook.
- When ready to cook, preheat the air fryer to 370 degrees F for 5 minutes. Spray the inner basket with cooking oil spray.
- Working in batches, set the frozen shrimp in the basket in a single, uncrowded layer. Spray them well with cooking oil spray, then air fry for 12-15 minutes, until lightly golden.
Notes
How to reheat shrimp tempura:
1. Preheat your air fryer to 370 degrees. 2. Place shrimp in air fryer basket and cook for 3-5 minutes or until hot.Nutrition
This nutrition information is based on the exact products I used in this recipe. Brands and sizes of products could alter exact nutrition and should always be calculated independently.
I plan to try this tomorrow. It looks delicious and easy! However…
I think you meant to say…
FROM FROZEN:
Prep shrimp through step SIX… (not Step FIVE), then place the plate or baking sheet in the freezer for 1 hour to flash-freeze.
Step 5 has no batter yet. Step 6 is where they get dipped in the batter.
I just noticed Step 5 at the bottom is not the same as Step 5 up top under the photos… That is what confused me.
I totally understand where you got confused. Thanks for your feedback and I hope you enjoy the recipe!
Can this be made gluten free?
Sure, you’d just need to replace the flour with a gluten free alternative.
This recipe is simple, straight forward, and gives an excellent result. I’ll be using it often.
Hi Peter, Thanks so much! I’m glad you enjoyed it.