There are now two frozen Argentinian Red Shrimp options on the shelves of Trader Joe's: one plain and unseasoned and Trader Joe's Argentinian Red Shrimp with ginger garlic butter and togarashi style seasoning. This review is going to handle the seasoned variety with ginger garlic butter as pictured below.
If you are looking for the review of the unseasoned red Argentinian shrimp that look like this then go here.
The taste
The shrimp packaged here are comparable to what you get in the larger bag of unseasoned red shrimp. These are red in color, however, they still need to be cooked. They do cook quickly at 1-2 minutes per side.
There was no fishy taste to these. And if you follow the directions for cooking them in a pan as I did these shrimp were tender. Look for the shrimp to become increasingly white when they are done as the red color might throw you off.
But in terms of taste, this is like eating an Asian-inspired scampi. It's buttery but the first thing that hits is the strong heat of ginger. There are notes of the poppy, sesame, and citrus. But the pepper taste here does dominate. So be prepared for medium heat. I wasn't fully prepared for the level of heat.
The butter adds a nice mouthfeel leading you to momentarily believe you are having a scampi. The garlic is hidden behind the ginger and togarashi seasoning. In that seasoning blend, the heat is the standout above all else.
Because of the flavor profile here, I'd recommend rice or a vegetable like broccoli or something like Trader Joe's Stir Fry Mix. Unlike the pre-portioned salmon in lemon herb butter, there wasn't a ton of butter leftover.
The packaging
The packaging here is very similar to another recent addition to the frozen shelves: Trader Joe's Salmon with Lemon Herb Butter. This product is frozen on a plastic tray and vacuum-sealed to prevent freezer burn.
The shrimp is seasoned with three pats of butter sealed in with it. Opening this does get a bit messy as there was some liquid in with my package of shrimp. Also, the butter was buried under a few shrimp so rather than dumping the entire contents of the package into a pan, I dug out the butter and put that into the pan first.
The package lists that these are wild-caught, peeled, and deveined. These are also uncooked. So please don't be fooled by the color of the shrimp.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below is a list of frequently asked questions about these shrimp:
You can defrost this product in the refrigerator overnight. You can also place this product in a bowl. Completely submerge it in cold water. It should defrost in about 30 minutes. Be sure to weigh this product down to keep it submerged.
Despite their red color, this product is raw and will need to be cooked.
You could air fry this. Don't put the pats of butter in the air fryer. The shrimp can go in a single layer. Preheat the air fryer to 400F and cook for 6-8 minutes or until cooked through.
Set your sous set to 140F. Place shrimp in a sealed bag. Cook shrimp for 15-30 minutes.
This would be delicious with rice or a vegetable like broccoli. There isn't a ton of butter leftover
Togarashi seasoning is a seven-spice blend that consists of Togarashi chiles, sesame, poppy seeds, orange peel, ginger, pepper, and nori.
This package costs $7.99 for a 9-ounce package.
Overall
The flavor of this shrimp was solid. Although if you don't like heat then steer clear of this. This was more heat than I was expecting.
But the flavor was good. There were no weird fishy flavors or smells. It was very fresh, well packaged, and easy to prepare.
But the price is my sticking point. This will cost you $7.99 for a 9-ounce package or the equivalent of just over $14 a pound.
Would I buy this again? Yes, I would buy Trader Joe's Argentinian Red Shrimp with ginger garlic butter and togarashi style seasoning. It made for a quick and flavorful meal albeit a spicy one.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
A visual rundown of this product
The package of Trader Joe's Argentinian Red Shrimp with ginger garlic butter and togarashi style seasoning
The nutritional information
The ingredients
How this appears defrosted:
Fully cooked
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Argentinian Red Shrimp with ginger garlic butter and togarashi style seasoning
Product Name: Trader Joe's Argentinian Red Shrimp with ginger garlic butter and togarashi style seasoning
Product Description: Trader Joe's Argentinian Red Shrimp with ginger garlic butter and togarashi style seasoning is frozen, uncooked, and pre-seasoned
Price: $7.99
Summary
Trader Joe's Argentinian Red Shrimp with ginger garlic butter and togarashi style seasoning is new and makes for a quick meal
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- Good flavor
- Cooking directions are on point.
- Shrimp are nice and tender if not a bit lobster-like in taste.
Cons
- If you aren't familiar with togarashi seasoning then you might be taken back by the medium heat here.
Alek says
I think TJ's could sell butter discs in frozen packs. That would been divine to place anything your heart desires. From baked potatoes to steak.
Dan says
I just found this today in Portland, Oregon and tried it out. Took the package, opened it, and placed the frozen block into a gallon freezer bag. Cooked sous vide 140F @ 30 mins, toasted 3 TJ's Brioche Hot Dog Buns (best you can get for split tops if you aren't on the east coast) on a cast iron flat top. Once the shrimp was done, emptied contents into a bowl, tossed in in bag juices, and stuffed the buns. This. Tasted. Amazing. 10/10 will do as often as possible.
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Dan!
Jayne Fichera says
i tried this tonight and was a bit disappointed with the amount of heat it was a bit much for me...but more important were the numerous strands, some reddish, some clear, that seemed like some sort of fiber, that i found throughout the contents...i know there is ginger in the recipe, so i assumed that was what it was, but why not just grate the ginger? it was almost enough of a concern for me to not prepare it, but i went ahead anyway.....i want to know what those fibers were and why they were in the package....
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Jayne!
Angela Osborne says
Love your comprehensive review! My husband usually can't handle Spicy and gets little beads of sweat on his cute bald head...but he LOVED this! Must be something about the combination of seasonings that just gives it such excellent flavor! I think the pricing is fair considering I would have to buy many more ingredients to get that flavor. ❤️ some TJ's!
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing!
Marijani says
Delicious 🤤… just made it for dinner - followed the package instructions to bake in the oven, since I had left over brussel sprouts/broccoli/cabbage stir fry that I stuck in the oven to warm, while the shrimp 🍤 cooked. I will definitely purchase again. Easy to cook, healthy, tangy, spicy but not too spicy and very flavorful.
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Marijani!
WellnessByAlex says
Can this be cooked from frozen in Instant Pot without overcooking? How much water do you add, how many minutes do you pressure cook it? High or low temp? Thanks!
Dawn says
I’ve had this in the fridge since Thursday. It’s now Monday. It says to defrost and then cook immediately. I intended to cook it sooner, but life got in the way. Is it still safe to eat?
becomebetty says
I use the 3 day rule- after 3 days fish and company stink. So I'd toss it.