I love easy dinner recipes! The air fryer is kind of my best friend in this way. It makes it so quick and simple to prepare nice, full meals for my family. This Cajun shrimp recipe is the perfect example. It takes less than 15 minutes to prepare this delicious, home cooked meal! And there are no fancy steps or ingredients needed. Simply prepare your proteins and vegetables, season with a Cajun seasoning blend, and cook in the air fryer. Hit the jump to recipe button to start cooking!
This recipe has it all, with shrimp, veggies, and sausage all in one basket. The air fried Cajun shrimp is tender, juicy, and perfectly cooked. You can enjoy this dish on its own, or serve it on a bed of rice, or with a side of cornbread, fried okra, or hushpuppies. This dish is definitely a crowd pleaser, but because I also cook for kids, I know the value in having a less spicy option. While you can prepare this recipe with your favorite store bought spice blend, I have included a bonus recipe for a kid-friendly, low spice option at the bottom of the blog!
Why You'll Love This Cajun Shrimp
- Louisiana Fresh – If you’re getting bored with the usual types of cuisine popping up at your dinner table, try something new with this Louisiana-inspired dish. This style of food marries fresh, coastal seafood and cozy southern comfort food with a generous dose of spice. If you have kids, make a less spicy batch and make dinner educational by teaching them about this style of food!
- Fast and Easy – This entire recipe can be prepared in 20 minutes or less! The steps are quick and simple, and the shopping list is manageable. This is a great weeknight dish for when you don’t have a lot of time, but still want to serve something warm and home cooked.
Ingredients For Air Fryer Cajun Shrimp
- Shrimp – You will need one pound of shrimp. I recommend jumbo or extra large shrimp for this recipe. The shrimp need to be cleaned and peeled prior to cooking.
- Zucchini – Zucchini contains vitamins A, B, and C, as well as antioxidants. It is good for digestion and heart health and may even assist with weight loss. Feel good munching on this tasty green fruit.
• Bell Pepper – You can use any color of bell pepper in this recipe, so choose your favorite, or a variety! Make nice, thick slices so that each of your components in this dish are similarly sized. - Olive Oil – Since you are using the air fryer to cook this dish, you only need a little bit of oil to help coat the seasoning and crisp the meat and veggies. Use olive oil, or another oil with a high smoke point, as this dish cooks at 390F.
- Cajun Seasoning – Have a little fun and use your favorite Cajun seasoning blend! If you are new to Cajun food, try a different one each time you prepare this dish, until you have found your favorite. If you prefer, you can prepare your own spice blend. There is a less spicy version at the bottom of this blog, if you are cooking for kids.
- Lemon – It is pretty much a sin to serve seafood without lemon. You only need a tablespoon of lemon for cooking. Keep in mind that you do not want to oversaturate the dish by adding extra juice. The air fryer does its best work with small amounts of liquid. I recommend serving this dish with fresh lemon wedges. That extra squeeze of fresh lemon juice on the final product is so yummy, plus lemon makes a beautiful garnish.
- Andouille Sausage – Get precooked sausage links for this recipe, and slice them thick, so that it is similar in size to your shrimp and zucchini. If you are attempting a less spicy version, you may wish to swap kielbasa instead of Andouille.
How to Make Cajun Shrimp
1. In a large bowl, combine the sliced veggies and cleaned shrimp.
2. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lemon juice and Cajun seasoning. Add extra ¼ tsp salt if desired for saltier shrimp.
3. Fill the air fryer basket with sliced sausage and seasoned shrimp and vegetables. Make sure to not overcrowd the basket. If the basket is smaller, work in batches until all ingredients are cooked. Air fry at 390F for 10-12 minutes, giving the basket a shake halfway through cooking.
4. Garnish with fresh lemon and chopped parsley as desired and serve alone or with rice.
Step by Step Instructions
To begin, make sure all of your veggies have been cleaned and sliced. Slice your sausage links, and clean and peel your shrimp. Place the veggies and shrimp in a mixing bowl.
Next, season your shrimp and veggies! Drizzle them with your olive oil and lemon juice. Add your Cajun seasoning and toss until evenly coated. If you prefer your shrimp on the saltier side, add an additional ¼ tsp of salt at this time.
Now you are ready to cook! Add the shrimp and veggies, along with your sliced sausage, in the air fryer basket. Take care not to overcrowd your basket, as this will prevent the shrimp from cooking properly, and can cause your zucchini to turn out soggy. If your basket is small, you can cook in batches.
Set your air fryer to 390 F, and cook for 10-12 minutes. Be sure to pause halfway through your cook time to give the basket a shake, about 6 minutes per side.
That’s it! When your meal is finished cooking, serve warm. You may serve this dish as is, or with rice. Garnish with fresh lemon and chopped parsley, if desired.
Cook's Tips
- Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- To reheat refrigerated leftovers, warm in the air fryer for 3 minutes at 350 F.
- Need more heat? Add some cayenne pepper to the mix and you for sure will taste it!
- Got leftover veggies and shrimp? You can sauté it in a little garlic butter for another weekly dish.
- For a kid friendly version use beef or kielbasa sausage, as Andouille can be spicy. I've also included a kid friendly homemade cajun seasoning mix in the recipe card below.
FAQ:
If you don't have a Ninja Foodie or other air fryer, use a large skillet. I would cook the vegetables first in olive oil and then add your shrimp last since shrimp cooks much faster.
Yes, bake it at 375F for 15-18 minutes.
Cooking shrimp too long can cause them to get tough fast. I would advise against using precooked shrimp, as this recipe is designed to get every component cooked perfectly at the same time. If you use cooked shrimp, you will need to reduce its time in the air fryer.
These shrimp cook for 10-12 minutes in the air fryer, at 390 F.
You can cook frozen shrimp in the air fryer! They may require a little more time than fresh shrimp, but otherwise can be prepared the same way. Take extra care not to overcrowd the basket if using frozen shrimp.
Looking for more delicious summer and air fryer recipes? Try these:
Tried this Avocado Corn Salad recipe and love it? Please leave me a comment and rating below. Feel free to also tag me, I love to see your creations and sharing them. For more inspiration follow us on Instagram Or like us on Facebook
Cajun Shrimp and Sausage
Ingredients
- 1 lb Jumbo or XL Shrimp cleaned & peeled
- 1 Medium Zucchini sliced
- 1 Bell Pepper any color & sliced
- 1 tbs Olive Oil
- 1 tbs Cajun Seasoning Old Bay, Zatarain’s, Tony Chachere’s or homemade blend
- 1 tbs Lemon Juice
- Optional ¼ tsp Salt
- 6 oz pre cooked Andouille Sausage Link sliced (or kielbasa for non spicy)
Instructions
- In a mixing bowl, combine the sliced veggies and cleaned shrimp.
- Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle lemon juice and Cajun seasoning. Add extra ¼ tsp salt if desired for saltier shrimp.
- Fill the air fryer basket with sliced sausage and seasoning shrimp and vegetables. Make sure to not overcrowd the basket. If the basket is smaller, work in batches until all ingredients are cooked.
- Air fry at 390F for 10-12 minutes, giving the basket half way through cooking.
- Garnish with fresh lemon and chopped parsley as desired and serve alone or with rice.
Notes
Store in airtight container for up to 3 days in fridge
For a kid friendly version use beef or kielbasa sausage, as andouille can be spicy Kid Friendly Cajun Seasoning Blend (not spicy)
2 tsp Garlic Powder
2 tsp Salt or Smoked Salt
2 tsp Smoked Paprika
1 tsp Onion Powder
1 tsp Dried Oregano
1 tsp Cumin
½ tsp Pepper
Nutrition
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