I love shrimp. I could eat it for every meal. And, apparently, I could because people aren’t so worried about the cholesterol in shrimp anymore. That’s great news, because we just tasted a bunch of frozen shrimp (watch below) and now my freezer is bursting at the seams with the best frozen shrimp around.
What we mean when we say “frozen shrimp”
We didn’t taste test a bunch of plain, frozen raw shrimp or even plain, frozen cooked shrimp. (Although I would have been perfectly happy to do so, as long as there was some good cocktail sauce nearby.) Instead, we tried all of the seasoned or sauced frozen shrimp you can buy. You’ll find the best frozen shrimp of that variety on this list, as well as the best frozen fried shrimp we previously tried in other taste tests.
What we looked for in the best frozen shrimp
We tasted a bunch of different types of frozen shrimp for this ranking—fried, seasoned, sauced—but across the board we prized frozen shrimp that were firm (no rubbery shrimp or mushy shrimp) with actual shrimp flavor (not too fishy, but also not bland).
Whether you’re looking for the best frozen shrimp scampi, the best frozen tempura shrimp, the best frozen jerk shrimp, etc., we’ve got you covered. You’re going to need a dedicated shrimp freezer, because here’s all the best frozen shrimp to buy.
Best Frozen Shrimp to Buy
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We are absolutely obsessed with this frozen shrimp scampi from Costco. We’ve written about it so much, it really feels like Sporked is just becoming a Kirkland Garlic Butter Shrimp fan zine. The shrimp come individually coated in sauce and frozen, so you can portion them out as you please. As they cook, the sauce melts into an amazing buttery, garlicky pool. And the shrimp stay plump and firm. Serve over pasta or just eat it straight out of the oven with plenty of bread for sopping up all the tasty, shrimpy, buttery juices.
Another banger from Costco, these tempura shrimp were my pick for the best product of 2025 in our annual Sporked Awards. I’ve said it once (or, more likely, I’ve said it thrice) and I’ll say it again: This frozen tempura shrimp tastes better than most restaurant frozen shrimp. Crisped up in the air fryer, the tempura batter is light and crunchy and not oily at all. And the sauce that comes with the shrimp is bright and zippy and packed with savory umami flavor. I love these frozen shrimp.
If you haven’t guessed, Costco is pretty good at the frozen shrimp game. Kirkland’s panko-breaded frozen shrimp are huge and they get really crispy in the oven or air fryer. They come out tasting like they’re fresh from the fryer—no old oil flavor. If you’re simply looking for the best frozen shrimp to keep on hand to add to a rice bowl or throw out for guests, this frozen breaded shrimp is the best frozen shrimp to buy.
If you don’t have a Costco membership (or enough freezer space for the massive package of Kirkland Garlic Butter Shrimp), then Trader Joe’s makes the best frozen shrimp scampi we tried. The shrimp are big—they’re two-bite shrimp—and they’re super tender.The sauce is buttery and really, really garlicky. If you’re not into garlic, then the next entry on this list is the frozen shrimp scampi for you. But if you’re fightin’ off vampires, this is the best frozen shrimp scampi to buy.
If you don’t have a Costco membership and you don’t shop at Trader Joe’s or you prefer a lighter, not super garlicky shrimp scampi, then this is the one to buy. The sauce is light and buttery with more of a shellfish broth flavor than pure garlic. It’s a real shrimp-lover’s scampi. The shrimp are one-biters, perfect for twirling up with linguine.
The first frozen shrimp from Margaritaville that we tried (Honey Tequila Lime) was disappointing, to say the least. So we didn’t have high hopes for the other offerings from the late great Jimmy Buffett. But Buffett surprised us with some really good, super unique frozen shrimp. The sauce is savory and spiced and it goes heavy on the cinnamon and nutmeg. It’s rich and a bit spicy. I’m not a jerk seasoning expert, but this seemed like a pretty good facsimile. Plus, the actual shrimp are surprisingly tender.
While this frozen shrimp dish from Margaritaville isn’t as interesting as the Jammin’ Jerk Shrimp, it’s still a standout offering. The sauce is thick with a good bit of citrusy tang and a surprisingly level of heat. You could serve this over white rice and you’d be eating well. Or you could serve these shrimp on toothpicks for a tasty app. Margaritaville is more than a resort chain…restaurant chain…clothing line…blender brand…song. It’s also a great frozen shrimp brand! (With that one exception.)
SeaPak is back again but this time with some crispy lil’ popcorn shrimps. Sure, they’re mostly batter, but the batter is good. The bites come out crispy and the shrimp that you do get is tender and mild. You really could eat these frozen shrimp like popcorn. But maybe save that for movie night at home rather than trying to smuggle them into a theater.
This is the best frozen shrimp for a very specific group of people who like their shrimp sweet. My colleague, Gwynedd Stuart, is a card carrying member of that group. She loves the nostril-singing honey mustard quality of the sauce and the crisp-chewy batter. Me? I could use more walnuts. But I do get the appeal of a bowlful of these saucy fried shrimps over a bowl of fried rice for a salty-sweet explosion.
You know what that bagged salad needs to really make it a meal? A handful of these frozen shrimp, crisped up in the air fryer. These little fried guys are coated in a batter that’s reminiscent of chicken nuggets—just with more black pepper flavor. Treat them like little shrimpy croutons.
Finding the best frozen fried coconut shrimp was tough. So many of the brands we tried were just too dang sweet. But these big boys from Whole Foods toed the line perfectly. They have enough coconut flavor to let you know you’re not just eating breaded fried shrimp, but not so much coconut that it drowns out the mild flavor of the shrimp. Pair these with a sweet chili sauce and go to town.
Hi! I’m the editor-in-chief of Sporked. I will never turn down a fresh-shucked oyster but I’ll also leap at whatever new product Reese’s releases and I love a Tostitos Hint of Lime, even if there is no actual lime in the ingredients.
Why you should trust me: I have been writing about food and beverages for well over a decade and am an avid at-home cook and snacker. I began my career writing about fine dining and recipes, moved into cocktails and spirits, and now I talk about groceries. If you can eat it or drink it, I’ve probably written about it.
What I buy every week: Trader Joe’s dried okra. Appleton Farms prosciutto from Aldi. Some sort of Trader Joe’s cheese (I’m into the aged gouda at the moment). Frozen waffles (usually the Eggo Cinnamon Toast Minis). Spindrift water (loving the Cosmopolitan right now).
Favorite ranking: Smoked salmon. Imagine me as Scrooge McDuck but instead of coins I’m diving into a vault of slippery smoked salmon slices. Pure joy. I also found some real steals in that taste test!
Least favorite ranking: Canned oysters. I had such high hopes for this but it quickly became a chore. The kitchen smelled like an uncleaned aquarium.
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!
Justine Sterling
Tatiana Tenreyro
Sporked Staff
Jordan Myrick
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!