To reheat prawns in an air fryer, set the temperature to 160°C (320°F) for 2-3 minutes until piping hot. This gentle heat prevents overcooking while restoring crispness to battered or breaded prawns. Whether you're working with leftovers from last night's curry or refrigerated cocktail prawns, your air fryer can revive them better than a microwave.
Air fryers circulate hot air rapidly, which reheats prawns evenly without the sogginess microwaves create. The dry heat environment is perfect for restoring texture to breaded tiger prawns or maintaining the succulence of garlic butter king prawns. Compared to oven reheating which can take 10-15 minutes, an air fryer delivers restaurant-quality results in under 5 minutes. At airfryerrecipe.co.uk, we've tested dozens of methods and found air frying preserves prawns' natural sweetness best. It's also ideal for reheating mixed seafood dishes containing prawns from our mixed seafood recipes collection.
The key advantage is control – you can pause cooking to check doneness, unlike microwave reheating where prawns often overcook in seconds. For those monitoring oil intake, air frying requires no additional fat when reheating pre-cooked prawns. This makes it healthier than pan-frying while achieving similar crisp results. Our air fryer conversion chart helps adapt any prawn recipe's temperatures for perfect reheating.
Small cocktail prawns reheat best at 150°C for 90 seconds, while jumbo tiger prawns need 160°C for 2.5-3 minutes. Breaded or battered prawns benefit from slightly higher heat (170°C) to recrisp the coating without burning. If reheating prawns in sauce like a curry, reduce temperature to 140°C and extend time to 4 minutes, stirring halfway. Frozen cooked prawns can go straight in at 160°C for 3-4 minutes – no thawing needed.
Start by arranging prawns in a single layer in your air fryer basket – overcrowding causes uneven heating. Lightly spray with oil if reheating plain prawns to prevent drying (skip this for already-battered ones). Set temperature to 160°C and timer for 2 minutes initially. Check progress – prawns should reach 74°C internally. For extra crispness on breaded prawns, add 30 more seconds. Always serve immediately as reheated prawns cool quickly.
For prawns in dishes like paella or stir-fries, spread the meal evenly in an air fryer-safe dish. Cover with foil pierced with holes to prevent splattering while allowing steam to escape. Reheat at 150°C for 3-4 minutes, stirring once. Discover more techniques in our air fryer recipes section featuring prawn specialties. Remember to clean your basket afterwards using our recommended air fryer cleaner to remove seafood odours.
Place a slice of bread beneath prawns to absorb excess moisture when reheating very juicy varieties. For garlic prawns, add fresh parsley and a squeeze of lemon after reheating to brighten flavours. If prawns were originally grilled, brush with melted butter during the last 30 seconds to replicate charred notes. Always pat prawns dry before reheating if they've been refrigerated in liquid.
Overheating turns prawns rubbery – they only need warming through, not recooking. Using too high a temperature burns coatings before the centre heats properly. Neglecting to preheat the air fryer leads to longer, uneven reheating times. Reheating prawns multiple times compromises both texture and food safety. Storing reheated prawns is unsafe – only reheat what you'll eat immediately.
Another mistake is not adjusting times for your air fryer model's wattage. Compact 3L models may need 30 seconds less than larger 5L units. Our airfryerrecipe.co.uk model guides help you tailor these instructions. Avoid reheating prawns that smell overly fishy or have changed colour – when in doubt, throw them out. Properly stored cooked prawns last 3-4 days refrigerated, but always reheat only once.
