These Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos are the perfect light, fresh, and easy Mexican dish. The shrimp are tossed in a sweet and smoky dry rub and take less than 10 minutes to cook in the air fryer. Serve them with warm tortillas and a simple slaw and dinner is served!
These air fryer shrimp tacos have been one of my favorite dinners lately. Typically I just serve them with a bag of coleslaw tossed with my favorite Jalapeño Lime Crema or Quick Mexican Pickled Onions.
Not a fan of seafood? Try these Crunchy Air Fryer Buffalo Chicken Tacos.
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Highlights
- Ready in less than 10 minutes
- Tossed in the most flavorful dry rub
- Sweet and spicy
- Topped with a creamy jalapeño lime coleslaw
- Easy & healthy dinner idea
- Can be made gluten & dairy-free
Ingredient Notes
- Jumbo Shrimp: I used / shrimp ( which means - per pound). You can use whatever size shrimp you like, just note the cooking time may have to be adjusted.
- Olive Oil: Swap for avocado or vegetable oil.
- Honey: Swap for brown sugar.
Complete list of ingredients and amounts is located on the recipe card below.
Helpful Equipment & Tools
- COSORI Air Fryer Max XL: The best air fryer on the market at a great price point. It is currently on sale for less than $100. You can’t beat it, easy to clean, large basket, and very powerful.
- 2 Pack Black Kitchen Tongs: These tongs are heat resistant and made of silicone so they will not damage the nonstick coating on the air fryer basket.
- ThermoPro TP03 Digital Instant Read Meat Thermometer: This inexpensive thermometer works great and ensures any protein is cooked perfectly.
Instructions
Overview
- Season the shrimp.
- Air fry until browned.
- Serve with tortillas and slaw.
Step by Step
Step 1: In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, olive oil, honey, salt, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, granulated garlic, pepper, and cayenne. Toss well.
Step 2: Place the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
Step 3: Air fryer at 400 for 6-7 minutes, or until the shrimp reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
Step 4: While the shrimp cooks, toss the cabbage with as much of the jalapeño lime crema as desired. Assemble the tacos and enjoy.
TIP - Use a meat thermometer to ensure the shrimp are properly cooked.
TIP - Dress the cabbage right before serving so it does not get soggy. Only dress what you intend to eat. Store leftovers separately. Read more below.
TIP - Serve the air fryer shrimp tacos with extra crema on top.
Make Ahead & Storage
- Make Ahead: The crema can be made the day before.
- Refrigerator: Store leftover air fried shrimp separately in an airtight container for 3-4 days. Store leftover crema in an airtight container for up to 4 days. I recommend storing the crema separate from the cabbage so it does not get soggy. Dress right before serving.
- Reheating: Reheat leftover air fryer shrimp (for tacos) in the microwave in 15-20 second intervals or in the air fryer at 350 until warmed through. Do not overheat or they will become rubbery. Assemble air fryer shrimp tacos or enjoy in a salad or bowl.
- Freezer: You can store leftover cooked shrimp in the freezer in an airtight bag or container for 2-3 months, but they typically dry out when reheated.
- Reheating: Reheat on the stove directly from frozen.
Expert Tips
- Do not overfill the air fryer. The shrimp should not be overlapping. This allows the air to circulate and for them to cook evenly. Cook in batches if needed.
- Do not overcook the shrimp. I recommend starting with the shortest time and then checking the shrimp. Overcooked shrimp are tough and rubbery.
- Remember the toppings for these air fryer shrimp tacos. The jalapeño lime crema slaw pairs perfectly with these shrimp.
Recipe Notes
- Every air fryer is different. Each air fryer cooks a little differently. These times are estimates based on my air fryer. Be sure to use a meat thermometer to ensure the shrimp are properly cooked.
- The shrimp are not spicy. The spices just add flavor but not much heat.
- The recipe can be doubled if you have a larger air fryer or cook the shrimp in batches. The Cosori air fryer can easily fit one pound.
Variations
- Spicy: Use ½ teaspoon of cayenne pepper.
- Gluten-free: Use gluten free corn tortillas.
- Dairy-free: Use dairy-free sour cream and no cheese. According to this article, Wayfare and Tofutti make the best vegan sour creams.
- Salad/bowl: Instead of serving the shrimp and accompaniments in a tortilla you can serve them over lettuce or rice.
FAQs
- Mexican potatoes
- Mango pico de gallo
- Skinny spicy margarita
- 4 ingredient guacamole
The word healthy is subjective, but these shrimp tacos are lower in fat and calories compared to deep fried shrimp tacos.
Air fryer shrimp take anywhere from 6-9 minutes at 400 depending on the size.
Yes. You will probably need to add about 1-2 minutes to the cook time depending on the size.
Related Recipes
Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos
Equipment:
Ingredients:
- 1 pound jumbo shrimp*
- 1 Tablespoon olive oil*
- 2 teaspoons honey*
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon cumin
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon granulated garlic
- ½ teaspoon pepper
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
Slaw
- 2-3 cups shredded cabbage or coleslaw mix
- 1 batch jalapeño lime crema
For Serving
- 6-8 tortillas, depending on size
- Lime wedges
- Chopped cilantro
- Cotija cheese
Instructions:
- Review all recipe notes and instructions before beginning.
- In a medium bowl, combine the shrimp, olive oil, honey, salt, chili powder, cumin, smoked paprika, onion powder, granulated garlic, pepper, and cayenne. Toss well.
- Place the shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket.
- Air fryer at 400 for 6-7 minutes, or until the shrimp reach an internal temperature of 145 degrees.
- While the shrimp cooks, toss the cabbage with as much of the jalapeño lime crema as desired. Assemble the tacos and enjoy.
Oh I love tacos, these ones look perfect and easy to make! I love that they are done in the air fryer too!
YUM! These are amazing! Such a delicious combination! Thanks for the tips particularly the one about not overfilling the air fryer. That's something that is easy to forget.
The flavors in these tacos were mouthwatering! We really enjoyed that the cream cooled down the spice from the chili powder and cayenne.
Loved these shrimp tacos! The rub had such a nice smokiness that gave the shrimp a wonderful depth of flavor, and the air fryer made the whole process so simple.
These Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos were so delicious! I loved how easy shrimp was to make in the air fryer! I had no idea! Perfect for hot summer days when I don't want to turn on my oven!