Make every night Taco Tuesday with these air fryer shrimp tacos! Spiked with a tequila lime marinade that’s perfectly sweet n’ spicy then topped with a fresh pineapple salsa. An ideal super delicious 20-minute meal perfect for busy weeknights!
The shrimp marinate for just ten minutes and take on great flavors from the tequila, lime juice, jerk seasoning, adobo sauce and honey. Then they take no more than five minutes to cook. Quick, easy and just an air fryer basket to clean after!😊
Admittedly, I’m a little late to the air fryer movement but totally embracing it! In addition to this air fryer shrimp recipe, these lion’s mane mushroom crab cakes were awesome. Crispy outside and tender inside.
This kitchen gadget is definitely an easy way to enjoy healthier cooking and I look forward to sharing new air fryer recipes along the way!
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Why You’ll Love these Air Fryer Tacos
- Healthy, perfectly plump shrimp without excess oil when air frying
- Full of delicious Mexican flavors
- Awesome meal on the dinner table in 20 minutes!
- Gluten free and dairy free
- Easy recipe using basic ingredients
Main Ingredients
Shrimp – I use large shrimp (21-25 count per pound) that are frozen from Costco and already peeled and deveined so all I have to do is pinch off the tails. You can use fresh shrimp as well.
Marinade – A sweet n’ spicy blend of tequila, lime zest and juice, honey, jerk seasoning, adobo, Worcestershire sauce and cilantro has a little kick. You can take it up a notch with chili powder, cayenne pepper or hot sauce.
Salsa – Another sweet n’ spicy layer of flavor with fresh pineapple, red onions, poblano and jalapeno peppers, cilantro and lime.
Warm Tortillas – I like having corn tortillas on hand as a gluten-free option but grab flour tortillas if that’s what your gang likes.
Air Fryer Shrimp Cooking Steps
Whisk the marinade ingredients in a measuring cup and pour over the prepped shrimp in a shallow bowl or a resealable plastic bag. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature.
Preheat air fryer to 370 degrees F. Drain marinade from shrimp and light pat with paper towels to remove excess moisture. The shrimp cooks best when kept in a single layer without overcrowding the basket.
Make the salsa while the shrimp marinate or while they cook and gather your toppings. Warm the tortillas in the oven or in a skillet if you like more char. Then you can start building the best shrimp taco ever!🌮
Recipe Tips
- Be sure to remove the tail shells on the shrimp so your family or guests don’t have to.
- Don’t marinate the shrimp more than 15 minutes. The acidity of the lime juice will begin to cook the shrimp and toughen the texture.
- No need for cooking spray in this recipe. There’s a little olive oil in the marinade that keeps the shrimp of sticking.
- Resist any urge to overcrowd the basket. The best way to cook the shrimp is in a single layer.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp! They become tight and rubbery when overdone. You want them plump and opaque.
- Keep in mind every air fryer cooks a bit differently so the level of heat and cooking time may need to be adjusted for your appliance. This recipe is written based on our 5.8-quart Cosori Pro Air Fryer.
Taco Toppings
In addition to the pineapple salsa shown in the recipe card, here are some of our favorite toppings to add to the taco bar!
- Tomatillo Salsa Verde
- Mango Salsa
- Pico de gallo
- Guacamole
- Mexican crema
- Sour cream
- Fresh cilantro
- Green onions
- Lime wedges
What goes with Shrimp Tacos
Here are some side dishes that will go great with these tacos when you’re looking to expand the menu. And, here's a delicious roundup of 23 sides for shrimp!
Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos FAQs
Shrimp are done when they become pink in color outside and just opaque inside. The internal temperature should be 120 degrees when pierced with an instant-read thermometer. Overcooked shrimp will be tough.
No need! Air fryers are designed to maximize the circulation of heat throughout the basket so you don’t have to do any flipping. Just be sure to shake the basket halfway through cooking to ensure the shrimp don’t stick.
Place frozen cooked shrimp in the basket of preheated air fryer to 370°F for 5 minutes. For frozen raw shrimp cook for 10 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through for both. However, I recommend thawing frozen raw shrimp first so seasoning adheres better.
Store any leftover shrimp in an airtight container in the fridge up to 5 days. To freeze, cool cooked shrimp completely, flash freeze on a baking sheet in a single layer, then transfer to a freezer safe bag. Keep frozen up to 3 months. Let thaw before reheating.
Alcohol adds flavor to dishes and completely burns off during the cooking process. If you don’t have tequila on hand, rum is a good substitute. You could also use dry white wine or beer. Simply add chicken stock if you have none of the above.
More Great Taco Night Ideas!
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📋 Recipe
Air Fryer Shrimp Tacos with Pineapple Salsa
Equipment
Ingredients
Shrimp
- 1 ½ pounds large shrimp , peeled and deveined, tails removed
- ¼ cup tequila
- ¼ cup lime juice , plus zest of 1 lime
- 2 tablespoons olive oil , divided
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro , chopped
- 1 tablespoon honey
- 1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce
- 1 tablespoon jerk seasoning
- 1 teaspoon adobo sauce
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- Corn or flour tortillas , warmed
- Toppings: Pineapple Poblano Salsa, guacamole or avocado, crumbled queso fresco, fresh cilantro, squeeze of lime, and Mexican crema
Salsa
- 1 tablespoon olive oil , divided
- 1 poblano pepper , chopped
- ½ red onion , thinly sliced
- 1 cup fresh or thawed frozen corn
- 1 jalapeño pepper , minced
- 8 ounces cubed pineapple
- 2 tablespoons fresh cilantro , chopped
- Zest and juice of 1 lime
Instructions
Shrimp
- Place the shrimp in a medium bowl.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the tequila, lime juice, zest, olive oil, cilantro, honey, Worcestershire, jerk seasoning, adobo, and salt until well combined.
- Pour marinade over shrimp. Let sit at room temperature 10 minutes. Meanwhile make the Pineapple Salsa if you hadn't already.
- When the shrimp are almost done marinating, preheat air fryer to 370 degrees F.
- Drain shrimp from marinade and discard. Carefully place shrimp in a single layer in the air fryer basket. You can fit about one pound at a time.
- Cook each batch of shrimp for 4 minutes, shaking the basket halfway through. They should be plump and just opaque in the center when done.
- Serve shrimp warm with your favorite tortillas, Pineapple Salsa, and other suggested toppings, as desired. Happy taco building!
Salsa**
- Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat.
- Add poblano, red onion and corn to the skillet and cook until softened slightly, about 5 minutes.
- Add jalapeño and cook 1 minute. Transfer mixture to a large bowl and set aside
- Maintain skillet’s heat and add pineapple chunks. Cook 4-5 minutes until slightly charred, stirring once halfway through.
- Dice the pineapple when it’s cool enough to handle. Add to the corn mixture.
- Stir in remaining tablespoon olive oil, cilantro, lime juice and zest. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
- Salsa can be made 3 days ahead. Cover and chill. Let come to room temperature before serving.
Notes
- Be sure to remove the tail shells on the shrimp so your family or guests don’t have to.
- Don’t marinate the shrimp more than 15 minutes. The acidity of the lime juice will begin to cook the shrimp and toughen the texture.
- No need for cooking spray in this recipe. There’s a little olive oil in the marinade that keeps the shrimp of sticking.
- Resist any urge to overcrowd the basket. The best way to cook the shrimp is in a single layer.
- Don’t overcook the shrimp! They become tight and rubbery when overdone. You want them plump and opaque.
- Keep in mind every air fryer cooks a bit differently so the level of heat and cooking time may need to be adjusted for your appliance. This recipe is written based on our 5.8-quart Cosori Pro Air Fryer.
Nutrition
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Heidi | The Frugal Girls says
What a delicious way to change up Taco Tuesday this week... and I love how you topped these with Pineapple Salsa! YUM!
Kim Peterson says
Thanks so much! Yes, so good!
Chocoviv says
Looks good!
Ben @ Havocinthekitchen says
We honestly rarely eat tacos and other similar things, but when it comes, it's usually fish and seafood versions, That's why this recipe is calling my name. Love this corn-pineapple salsa. So delicious!
Kim Peterson says
Thanks Ben!! I'm all about anything other than traditional beef taco! 🙂