Hey there, fellow food lovers! I’ve been experimenting with my Ninja Foodi for years now, and I gotta tell ya – cooking shrimp in this magical appliance is a game-changer! Today, I’m gonna break down everything you need to know about getting perfectly cooked shrimp in your Ninja Foodi.
Quick Answer
For most cooking methods in the Ninja Foodi shrimp typically takes 2-5 minutes to cook depending on size and method. But don’t click away yet – there’s more you need to know to get that perfect texture!
Different Cooking Methods and Times
1. Air Frying Method
- Temperature: 400°F (200°C)
- Cooking time: 3-5 minutes
- Flip halfway through
- Best for: Breaded or seasoned shrimp
2. Steaming Method
- Water needed: 1 cup
- Cooking time: 2-4 minutes
- Best for: Preserving natural flavors
- No flipping needed
3. Pressure Cooking Method
- Water needed: 1 cup
- Time setting: 0 minutes (yes, really!)
- Quick release immediately
- Best for: Fast cooking
4. Baking/Roasting Method
- Temperature: 375°F (190°C)
- Cooking time: 4-6 minutes
- Flip halfway through
- Best for: Marinated shrimp
How to Know When Shrimp is Done
Look for these signs
- Color changes from gray to pink
- Meat becomes opaque
- Forms a “C” shape (if it’s an “O” shape, it’s overcooked!)
- Firm to touch, not mushy
Pro Tips from My Kitchen
- Size Matters!
- Jumbo shrimp = Add 1-2 minutes
- Small shrimp = Reduce time by 1 minute
- Medium shrimp = Follow standard times
- Frozen vs. Fresh
- Frozen (unthawed) = Add 1-2 minutes
- Fresh or thawed = Standard cooking time
- Don’t Overcrowd
- Single layer only
- Cook in batches if needed
- Leave space between pieces
Common Mistakes to Avoid
- ❌ Overcooking (leads to rubber-like texture)
- ❌ Stacking shrimp
- ❌ Skipping preheating
- ❌ Using warm water to thaw
My Favorite Seasonings
I love experimenting with these combos:
- Classic: Garlic powder + paprika + salt + pepper
- Spicy: Cajun seasoning + lemon
- Asian-inspired: Soy sauce + ginger + garlic
Bonus Recipe: Quick Ninja Foodi Shrimp Scampi
Ingredients:
- 1 lb shrimp, peeled and deveined
- 4 tbsp butter
- 4 cloves garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup white wine
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Fresh parsley
Instructions:
- Use sauté function to melt butter
- Add garlic, cook 1 minute
- Add shrimp and wine
- Cook 2-3 minutes until pink
- Garnish with parsley
FAQs
Q Can I cook frozen shrimp without thawing?A Yep! Just add 1-2 minutes to cooking time
Q: What’s the safe temperature for shrimp?
A: 145°F (63°C) internal temperature.
Q: Can I cook veggies with my shrimp?
A: Sure! Start with veggies first, add shrimp later.
Storage Tips
- Cooked shrimp lasts 3-4 days in fridge
- Store in airtight container
- Don’t freeze already cooked shrimp
There ya have it, folks! Now you’re ready to cook some amazing shrimp in your Ninja Foodi. Remember, practice makes perfect, and don’t be afraid to experiment a bit. Would love to hear how your shrimp turns out in the comments below!
Happy cooking!
Can You Cook Prawns In Air Fryer?
Yes, you can cook prawns in the air fryer, but watch out for the size of them. That is because in the US the prawns or shrimp as they call them, are much bigger. In the UK they are not as big so you will want to keep an eye on them and not cook them for as long.
Though the frozen prawns I have found closest in size are the super king prawns from Tesco’s.
Can You Cook Shrimp In An Air Fryer?
Yes, you can air fry shrimp, both fresh and frozen, large or small, peeled or unpeeled.
My favourite is a bag of frozen uncooked peeled shrimp as you can dump it in the air fryer and let the air fryer work its magic. That is what we use in our air fryer shrimp fajitas recipe.
Or if breaded is more your thing we also love a bag of air fryer frozen tempura shrimp.
But of course, you can mix and match and the air fryer is brilliant for all of it.