Delicious Argentine red shrimp in the air fryer is a quick, simple, and easy recipe that is great for any meal or appetizer! In less than 10 minutes and with just 2 ingredients you can have tender & juicy quality shrimp to top a healthy salad, eat with side dishes, or in my personal favorite - shrimp tacos!
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Jump to:
- Why You'll Love These Red Argentinian Shrimp
- Ingredients & Substitutions
- How to Make This Argentine Red Shrimp Recipe
- How to Cook Shrimp on a Grill Pan or Grill
- Serving, Freezing, Make Ahead, Storage, & Reheating
- Expert Tips
- Recipe FAQs
- Other Delicious and Easy Seafood Dinners
- Air Fryer Argentine Red Shrimp
Argentinian red shrimp have grown in popularity over the past few years. If you've ever wondered if they taste good, the answer is yes (especially when making air-fried recipes)!
Naturally sweet, tender, and full of flavor, these delicious shrimp are slightly sweeter than regular shrimp (some may even think they taste like lobster!) They are super versatile and work as a base protein in many recipes.
If you like this recipe, be sure to try some of these other delicious air-fried seafood recipes like halibut, air fryer crab cakes, Ritz cracker crab cakes, mahi mahi, or salmon!
Or give these pan-seared garlic butter shrimp a try! They are so good!
Why You'll Love These Red Argentinian Shrimp
Here are the top 4 reasons you need to make this Argentine shrimp recipe:
- The best recipe for dietary restrictions: This healthy recipe is naturally gluten-free and dairy-free, and is the best shrimp recipe for seafood lovers and pescatarians.
- Easy & quick. This Argentinian red shrimp recipe is the best easy recipe for how to cook shrimp in the air fryer.
- Great in tacos or on pizza! This type of shrimp holds up well in tacos (just like my Blackstone shrimp recipe) and is great to serve on top of air fryer shrimp pizza. Serve with no mayo red cabbage coleslaw! Or add to healthy Alfredo pasta instead of chicken!
- Simple! Made with just two simple ingredients and goes with rice or any side dish.
Ingredients & Substitutions
Here are the ingredients you need to make this recipe. Reference the recipe card at the bottom for exact measurements and the notes below for substitution ideas.
Argentine red shrimp are generally found frozen, deveined, and without the shell or tails and in many stores including Trader Joe's, Aldi, Whole Foods, and Sam's Club.
They are not to be confused with Royal Reds shrimp or prawns which are different, larger shrimp.
Do Argentine Red Shrimp Taste Different?
Compared to other varieties of shrimp, they have a sweet flavor and a meaty texture. They are also known for their vibrant color.
What Spice Goes Well With Shrimp?
For seasoning, I recommend Trader Joe's chili lime seasoning (just like on our roasted corn.)
Chili powder, garlic powder, lime juice, black pepper, and sea salt will also be tasty.
Old Bay seasoning is another delicious seasoning option.
How to Make This Argentine Red Shrimp Recipe
Below are step-by-step instructions for how to cook this recipe with the best results. The recipe card at the bottom shows the exact cooking time and temperatures.
Step 1
Defrost shrimp and pat dry with a paper towel before seasoning. Start with 1 teaspoon of seasoning and add more if desired.
Step 2
Place shrimp in the basket and air fry at 400F. Let the shrimp cook for 6-8 minutes depending on the size of the shrimp.
How to Cook Shrimp on a Grill Pan or Grill
Follow the recipe card through step one for preparing the shrimp. Heat a grill pan or heat a grill to medium-high heat.
Cook grilled shrimp for 2-3 minutes per side or until no longer translucent.
Serving, Freezing, Make Ahead, Storage, & Reheating
How to Serve
Cooked shrimp are delicious to serve hot or allow them to cool to top a salad. They are a great source of protein for so many recipes!
Some of my favorite ways to eat red shrimp are in shrimp tacos, salads, bowls, or wraps.
Their meaty texture makes them a great addition to fettuccine alfredo or other pasta dishes.
Can You Cook Argentine Red Shrimp From Frozen?
Generally, these shrimp come frozen. You can cook them straight from frozen by adding in a few more minutes.
If cooking straight from frozen, reserve seasoning for after cooking and use a bit of olive oil to adhere to the seasoning.
Make Ahead
Shrimp may be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 4 days before use. Generally, they will taste better when served cold after cooking ahead.
How to Store
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 3-4 days.
Reheating
Reheat by air frying for 1 minute at 350F.
Expert Tips
- Keto and low-carb: Chili powder, lime juice, and salt are a perfect replacement for Trader Joe's chili lime seasoning if you are following keto or Whole30.
- Spicy: For a bit of heat, add a sprinkle of cayenne pepper or red pepper flakes to make the recipe spicy.
- Cooking time: Cooking time will vary depending on the size of the shrimp. Smaller ones may cook in 6 minutes while larger, jumbo-sized shrimp may take 8 minutes.
- Add a squeeze of lemon juice for even more fresh flavor.
- For a decadent and savory finish, top with some melted butter, parmesan cheese, and fresh parsley.
Recipe FAQs
Argentinian shrimp are deep-water, wild-caught shrimp caught in cold waters near the coast of Argentina in the Western, Southern Atlantic Ocean (also known as Patagonia).
They are typically larger than normal gulf shrimp and are safe to eat. They are known for their vibrant red color.
Air-fried shrimp are generally cooked in 6 to 8 minutes at 400F. They do not need to be flipped when air frying.
You can tell that they are cooked when the color is no longer translucent (more opaque in color) and the shrimp curve into a "c" shape.
Be careful not to overcook shrimp - they will have a tough and rubbery texture.
The internal temperature of the shrimp should be 145 F if using an instant-read thermometer.
Where to buy them is getting much easier as these shrimp grow in popularity.
Generally, Argentinian shrimp can be found in the frozen foods section of the grocery store. Many stores like Trader Joe's, Walmart, Whole Foods, Aldi, Sam's Club, or even your local grocer like Publix or Kroger carry red Argentine shrimp.
You can even find them online!
Two of my favorite ways to eat red shrimp are in shrimp tacos or with rice in a bowl. You can also eat them cold in a salad.
They are slightly bigger than regular shrimp and have a pink or red hue in their raw state compared to a gray hue for the regular version.
Red shrimp also tend to have a sweeter taste and flavor. They are also larger (jumbo-sized) compared to regular shrimp.
Shrimp will defrost quickly if submerged in a bowl of ice water in the refrigerator or run under cold water for 5 minutes.
There is a nutritional value of red shrimp according to medical sources. They are believed to be a source of fatty acids and are high in protein per serving.
Other Delicious and Easy Seafood Dinners
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Air Fryer Argentine Red Shrimp
Ingredients
- 1 pound Argentine Red Shrimp
- chili lime seasoning Trader Joe's brand
- garlic powder optional
Instructions
- Defrost shrimp and pat dry.1 pound Argentine Red Shrimp
- Sprinkle with seasonings.chili lime seasoning, garlic powder
- Air Fry at 400F for 6-8 minutes. Serve immediately for hot shrimp or cool for cold shrimp.
Notes
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Andrew says
Very good. At 400 for 6 minutes was too much, the shrimp had a temperature of 200+ degrees. I cooked a second batch, 10 shrimp at 375 degrees for 5 minutes and the temperature was 150 degrees which is close to the ideal temperature of 145 degrees. Very good with or without cocktail sauce!
Lyndsey Piccolino says
Hi Andrew, thanks so much for your 5-star review! I'm so glad you liked them!
Mary says
These were fantastic. I usually overcook shrimp when I pan-fry them or grill them. Your timing on this recipe is spot on and using TJ's Chili Lime seasoning is the magic. So, so good. Thank you for such a simple yet effective (juicy and delicious!) recipe.
Lyndsey says
Hi Mary! I'm so glad you liked them. I love that seasoning too. Thank you for the comment and rating!
Marc says
These are so delicious...the tenderness of the shrimp from the air fryer is unbelievable!!!
Lyndsey says
Thank you!