The Trader Joe's Seafood Find That's Small In Size But Big On Flavor

Trader Joe's offers a slew of fish and shellfish items to fit every need. Whether it's smoked tuna for your morning bagel or crispy battered fish nuggets for your picky kids, the fan-favorite grocer has you covered. One seafood find you shouldn't sleep on? Argentinian red shrimp with ginger garlic butter, a pre-marinated main that cooks in mere minutes.

The shrimp are wild-caught near the Argentinian coast. Red shrimp typically have a sweet flavor and meaty texture, so much so that TikTok debated if Trader Joe's Argentinian shrimp really tastes like lobster, as the brand claims on its website. The shrimp is marinated in allium-rich ginger-garlic butter, lemon, honey, and chili flakes. A seasoning similar to togarashi, a Japanese spice blend, is also added for a zesty, nutty finish.

In a taste test of seafood you should and shouldn't buy at Trader Joe's, Mashed contributor Sam Skopp gave these shrimp the green light, noting solid flavor and quality. "The shrimp were pretty tiny once cooked ... [but] I wasn't thinking all that hard about the size of these shrimp because they tasted so good," Skopp wrote. "Every flavor advertised was both present and not overwhelming, adding slightly spicy, garlicky, buttery, and sharp ginger notes ... Like the best shellfish, my shrimp came out firm without becoming rubbery and tasted a little nutty."

This Trader Joe's product has existed since at least 2021. One single-serve, 9-ounce package of Argentinian red shrimp with ginger garlic butter costs $8.99 (though prices may vary by location). It contains 310 calories, 15 grams of fat, 5 grams of carbs, 2 grams of sugar, and 41 grams of protein. Shoppers can pair it with rice, greens, grits, bread, or noodles, just for starters.

Shoppers say this product is worth buying. "The shrimp ... is sweet and meaty, living up to its lobster-like reputation ... The ginger garlic butter adds a rich, savory flavor that's complemented perfectly by the togarashi-style seasoning ... The heat level is just enough to keep things interesting without setting your mouth on fire," blogger Become Betty wrote. "They came out with a really nice texture, not too chewy or weird ... We definitely tasted ginger and garlic in that buttery sauce," wrote another blogger for What's Good at Trader Joe's? "This shrimp is excellent with [Trader Joe's] Japanese fried rice and chili onion crunch," a Reddit user suggested. Alternatively, some shoppers add bell peppers and onions.

Trader Joe's recommends thawing the shrimp in the refrigerator, then cooking them on the stove or in the oven. You could also briefly grill them for a touch of smokiness, or pop them in the air fryer for a hands-off approach. Whatever route you take, be careful not to overcook them and consequently destroy their texture — the biggest mistake people make when cooking shrimp.