My air fryer garlic butter shrimp has been one of the most-made recipes on Weekday Pescatarian for a reason: frozen shrimp straight into the basket, no thawing, dinner in ten minutes. Once I knew that method worked, I couldn't stop thinking about what other flavors deserved the same treatment. After testing a few options, teriyaki became the obvious answer.
Why You'll Love This Recipe
This is a semi-homemade recipe in the best sense. You're not making teriyaki sauce from scratch, you're taking a bottle you already have and giving it more balance and depth than it has on its own. A little butter smooths it out, a hit of fresh orange brightens it up, and a touch of sriracha rounds out the sweetness. And whether you love serving shrimp in a rice bowl, a noodle dinner or in lettuce wraps - you've got one quick and tasty shrimp dinner.
Ingredients for Air Fryer Teriyaki Shrimp
Teriyaki sauce: Not all bottled teriyaki is created equal. Look for one with soy sauce as the first ingredient rather than corn syrup or sugar, it'll give you a rounder, more savory base instead of just intense sweetness.
Orange: I tested this with lemon, lime, orange, and rice wine vinegar before landing on orange. Lemon was solid but didn't add much sweetness. Lime was the most aggressive of the bunch, worth reaching for if your teriyaki runs sweet and needs some balance. Orange gave me the best overall flavor and kept all those savory soy and sesame notes in balance.
Sriracha: At just a half teaspoon, this adds more flavor than heat. Don't skip it just because you're avoiding spice.
Full ingredient list and measurements included in the printable recipe card below.
How to Make Air Fryer Teriyaki Shrimp
Step 1: Air Fry the Shrimp
Preheat your air fryer to 375°F. Add the frozen shrimp to the basket and air fry for 6 minutes. Check for doneness, shrimp should be opaque all the way through. If needed, air fry another 60-90 seconds.
Step 2: Make the Sauce
While the shrimp cooks, melt the butter with the teriyaki sauce in a microwave-safe bowl, 30-35 seconds. You want the butter just barely melted so it emulsifies into the sauce rather than pooling on top.
Step 3: Finish the Sauce
Whisk the orange zest, orange juice, and sriracha (if using) into the warm teriyaki butter sauce until smooth and glossy.
Step 4: Toss and Serve
Toss the shrimp in the teriyaki butter sauce. Plate and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.
What to Serve with Air Fryer Teriyaki Shrimp
My favorite way to serve this is as a rice bowl, shrimp piled over rice with thin sliced cucumber and a generous handful of shredded scallions on top. It's simple, it's pretty, and the textures are lovely.
If you want something a little different, swap the rice for ramen or udon noodles and toss everything together. Lettuce wraps are great if you're after something lighter.
Can I use thawed shrimp instead of frozen?
Yes. If your shrimp is already thawed, cut the air fry time to about 3-4 minutes since you're not cooking through a frozen center. Check for doneness the same way, shrimp should be opaque throughout.
Can I use frozen cooked shrimp?
You can. Reduce the air fryer time by half, since you're just thawing and heating rather than cooking. Check that the shrimp is thawed through and warm before tossing it in the sauce.
What if I don't have an orange on hand?
Use lemon juice in the same amount, half the amount of zest, and a touch of honey. Taste after adding the lemon to see if it needs a little more sweetness before you toss the shrimp.
Print
Air Fryer Teriyaki Shrimp (Straight from Frozen)
- Total Time: 10 minutes
- Yield: 2-3 1x
- Diet: Pescatarian
Description
Frozen shrimp goes straight into the air fryer, no thawing required. It comes out and gets tossed in a dressed up citrus-teriyaki butter sauce. Ten minutes, one bowl and dinner's done.
Ingredients
- 1 lb large shrimp, cleaned, peeled and deveined
- 3 tbsp teriyaki sauce
- 1 ½ tablespoons butter
- 2 teaspoons fresh orange juice
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ tsp sriracha, to taste (optional, for flavor and a kick)
- ½ tsp sesame seeds, for garnish
- 1 scallion, for garnish
Instructions
- Air fry the shrimp: Preheat air fryer to 375°F. Add frozen shrimp to the basket in a single layer and air fry for 6 minutes. Check for doneness, shrimp should be opaque all the way through. If needed, air fry another 60-90 seconds.
- Melt the butter and sauce: While the shrimp cooks, melt the butter with the teriyaki sauce in a microwave-safe bowl, 30-35 seconds. You want the butter just barely melted so it emulsifies into the sauce.
- Finish the sauce: Whisk the orange zest, orange juice, and sriracha (if using) into the warm teriyaki butter until smooth and glossy.
- Toss and serve: Toss the shrimp in the teriyaki butter sauce. Plate and garnish with sesame seeds and scallions.
Notes
- Want more depth? Add 1 grated garlic clove and ½ tablespoon grated fresh ginger to the butter while it melts. Most bottled teriyaki sauces already bring both to the party, so add if you want a little more savoriness in your sauce instead of sweetness.
- No orange on hand? Use the same amount of lemon juice, half the amount of zest, and a touch of honey. Taste after adding the lemon to see if it needs a little more sweetness before you toss the shrimp.
- Garnish swap: Diced cilantro is excellent here, either alongside the sesame seeds and scallions or in place of the scallions entirely.
- Prep Time: 4
- Cook Time: 6
- Category: main dish
- Method: Air Fryer
- Cuisine: Asian
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