I picked up a box of frozen Costco Tempura Shrimp, sold under the Kirkland Signature label, and gave them a try in my kitchen. I wasn’t sure what I was expecting but was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the product.
Keep reading and we will cover cooking directions, taste testing, serving ideas and nutritional information.
Let’s get started!
Cooking Instructions
The package has heating instructions for using an oven or an air fryer. I went with the oven instructions which worked great.
Oven Instruction
- Preheat oven to 400F.
- Remove the frozen shrimp from the plastic bag and place in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Place the baking sheet in the preheated oven and cook for 7 minutes.
- After 7 minutes flip the shrimp over and bake for 7 more minutes.
- Remove the shrimp from the oven and serve with the included dipping sauce.
Air Fryer Directions
I have not tried this method and can’t vouch for the time and temperature. That being said, these should turn out incredible in an air fryer.
- Heat air fryer to 375F.
- Remove the frozen shrimp from the plastic bag and place in a single layer in the air fryer.
- Cook for 4 minutes.
- After 4 minutes flip the shrimp over and bake for 4 more minutes.
- Remove the shrimp from the oven and serve with the included dipping sauce.
Taste Test!
I tried the tempura shrimp with the included dipping sauce.
My first impression was that the tempura breading was a little greasy. I am not complaining as this is a deep fried type dish so grease is expected. That being said, I was intrigued that it had a “fresh out of the fryer” feel.
The breading was super crunchy and exceeded my expectations. There is a nice ratio of shrimp to breading and the pieces were quite large. I had cooked six pieces but was satisfied after earing only three of them.
The dipping sauce was basically just soy sauce which was perfectly acceptable but a little plain.
The shrimp tasted fresh and there was no indication while I was eating that this was a frozen product.
Overall this was an above average freezer find!
Serving Ideas
I ate these straight off the plate with some dipping sauce but there are plenty of fun ways to serve the shrimp. Here are some creative ways to serve Costco’s Shrimp Tempura:
- Shrimp Tempura Tacos: Serve in tortillas with shredded cabbage, avocado, sriracha mayo, and a squeeze of lime.
- Tempura Sushi Bowls: Add over rice with sliced cucumber, avocado, nori strips, and soy sauce drizzle.
- Tempura Shrimp Salad: Place on top of mixed greens with edamame, shredded carrots, and ginger dressing.
- Tempura Sandwich: Use brioche buns, add lettuce, pickled veggies, and spicy mayo for a crunchy sandwich.
The shrimp still have their tail on so I would suggest pinching it off before serving in the ideas above.
Nutritional Information
The Costco Tempura Shrimp has the following nutritional information:
- Serving Size: 3 Shrimp
- Calories: 290
- Fat: 12.5 g
- Cholesterol: 52 mg
- Sodium: 460 mg
- Carbs: 34 mg
- Protein: 9 g
This is not the healthiest item you can get at Costco but considering that you are eating breaded and deep fried shrimp it doesn’t come out looking that bad!
Value
You can usually buy the 30 piece box for around $17 which rounds out to a cost of about $0.60 per piece. I feel like this is a decent price and I promise that it is much lower than you would get charged at a restaurant.
When you factor in the time and mess it would take you to make these from scratch at home then these become a great bargain!
