Costco Tempura Shrimp (Kirkland) + Extra Crispy Cook Tips
Kirkland Signature Tempura Shrimp at Costco
Costco sells their own Kirkland Signature Tempura Shrimp for $17.99. You get 2.54 pounds of crispy tempura shrimp and savory dipping sauce.
The tempura shrimp can be found in the freezer aisle near some of the other Asian cuisine items such as the Panko Shrimp, wontons, or Costco potstickers.
Costco also sells Coconut Shrimp.
Tempura Shrimp is a Japanese delicacy often enjoyed in sushi bars and a Japanese cuisine staple. Costco’s Tempura Shrimp is hand battered and is crispy on the outside with firm and flavorful shrimp on the inside.
The tempura shrimp can be used as a snack, an appetizer, or even as a meal when paired with a side of rice and vegetables.
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Costco Cost Comparison - Tempura Shrimp
How Much Does the Tempura Shrimp at Costco Cost?
A 30-pack of Costco’s tempura shrimp costs $17.99. This breaks down to $7.08 per pound or $0.60 per hand-battered shrimp.
This is an amazing price for frozen tempura shrimp compared to any Japanese restaurant. Japanese restaurants will likely charge double or even more likely triple the price for this shrimp.
Costco vs. Trader Joe's
The big competitor to Costco’s shrimp tempura isn’t Sam’s Club but instead Trader Joe’s.
Trader Joe’s offers 1 pound of tempura shrimp for $7.99. Each box comes with 10 tempura shrimp that cost $0.80 each.
For a size comparison, Costco’s tempura shrimps weigh about 1.16 ounces, while Trader Joe’s shrimps weigh 1 ounce.
Costco comes out ahead in price and size, so, therefore, is a winner in value.
Costco vs. The Competition
Target also sells tempura shrimp. They sell a half-pound box for $6.99 or $13 per pound. That is nearly double the Costco price.
Safeway/Tom Thumb sell the same box of Tempura shrimp that Target does, and they charge a retail price of $9.99 or a sale price of $5.99. Either way, we’re looking at a $12 per pound minimum.
Kirkland Signature Shrimp Tempura Taste Test
Great Packaging
I really like it when frozen food companies provide resealable bags. This is especially true at Costco because of the size and quantity of its products.
It can be hard to finish 30 of these Costco Tempura Shrimps in a reasonable time.
Not only did Kirkland Signature provide a resealable bag, but they provided a heavy-duty resealable bag that looks quite nice and perfectly fits the Costco tempura shrimp.
The bag holds its shape and protects the fragile tempura shrimp while significantly improving the look. This is, without a doubt, the best resealable bag for a frozen food product I have ever seen.
The Shrimp Look Amazing
The Kirkland Signature Tempura Shrimp, even in their frozen state, looks absolutely fantastic. The shrimp are long, about 3 inches in length and fully covered in quality tempura batter.
The only thing exposed is the shrimp’s tail. It’s obvious that this is going to be a high quality product.
Amazing in the Air Fryer
I opted, as per usual, to cook the Costco tempura shrimp in the air fryer. The air fryer instructions are simple, but I did pull my shrimp out a few minutes early.
The shrimp crisped up nicely and were done in about 6-7 minutes instead of 8.
Excellent Tempura Batter
Coming out of the air fryer, the tempura battered shrimp look just as beautiful as you would imagine them to look.
The color was a perfect golden brown, and all the crinkles and ridges were super crispy.
The shrimp’s tail, aka “the handle,” was spot on and for presentation, Kirkland Signature’s Tempura Shrimp gets a 10/10. One of the best looking frozen foods I’ve seen in all of Costco.
Great Tasting but Not Perfect
Unfortunately, Costco’s tempura shrimp look better than they taste. Don’t get me wrong, these are very delicious, but there are flaws.
The seasoning is great, and as a whole, the product is delicious. The shrimp is moist and flavorful and has a nice blend of saltiness with just a touch of sweetness.
Costco Shrimp Tempura Batter Flaws
The tempura batter was also good. It wasn’t as light, crispy, or as fluffy as I would have liked, but it isn’t bad, considering this is a frozen food item.
My first complaint with the product is that there is too much batter. The Costco shrimp tempura batter is too thick and makes the shrimp appear larger than it really is.
As you can see in the picture, there is a lot of tempura batter for a medium sized shrimp. You can notice with each bite that the ratio of tempura to shrimp is just a little off.
It doesn’t ruin the taste, and the shrimps are not egregiously battered, but it is noticeable.
Slightly Dry at Times
The second major flaw is that the tempura batter on the shrimp is a little dry. This could be due to the air fryer, which has the propensity to dry out food, or it could be because of the thicker batter.
Most tempura shrimp is made with a light, fluffy batter, which is thinner than Costco’s shrimp tempura.
Savory Dipping Sauce
Kirkland Signatures shrimp tempura does come with a dipping sauce. The best way to heat the sauce is by defrosting the bag in a small bowl of warm water.
The sauce itself is savory but light in flavor. There is a little bit of sweetness that does pair really well with the Costco tempura shrimp but does not fully counteract the occasional dryness of the tempura batter.
One of My Favorite Costco Frozen Foods
Overall, Costco’s shrimp tempura is fantastic. Some of my favorite Costco frozen seafood options are the salmon burger patties and the tortilla crusted tilapia, and I think these shrimp tempuras can stand toe to toe with those items.
Costco Tempura Shrimp Cooking Instructions
Kirkland Signature offers only two methods to heat their tempura shrimp. You can either bake them in the oven or cook them in the air fryer.
Oven Method Heating Instructions
- Heat Oven to 400°F (205°C)
- Remove Kirkland Signature Tempura Shrimp from the bag.
- Arrange in a single layer on a baking sheet.
- Place in the oven and bake for 7 to 8 minutes.
- Flip the shrimp and cook for another 7 minutes.
- Do not overcook the shrimp tempura from Costco.
Kirkland Signature Shrimp Tempura Air Fryer Cooking Instruction
- Heat the air fryer to 375°F (190° C).
- Remove Kirkland Signature Shrimp Tempura from the bag.
- Arrange the desired number of pieces in a single layer on a tray or basket.
- Place in the air fryer and cook for 4 minutes.
- Flip the Costco shrimp tempura and cook another 4 minutes.
- Do not overcook ( I personally like cooking the shrimp tempura for 4 minutes and then flipping and cooking for an additional 2 minutes only)
Air fryer models vary, so adjust cook time appropriately.
Kirkland Signature Tempura Shrimp Nutritional Information
How Many Calories in the Tempura Shrimp
One serving of Tempura Shrimp from Costco is 3 shrimp and contains 290 calories. There are 12.5 grams of fat, 34 grams of carbohydrates, and 9 grams of protein.
The carb to protein ratio is a little higher than I like to see, and I rate this as an average nutritional profile for a frozen food from Costco.
Individual Shrimp Nutritional Profile
Individually each Costco shrimp tempura contains 96 calories with 4 grams of fat, 11 grams of carbs, and 3 grams of protein.
And for sodium, you are looking at 460mg per serving or 20% of the daily recommended value. I’ll be eating around 2 servings of shrimp tempura at a time, so that’s going to be close to 1000 mg or 40% daily value.
Low Calorie Dipping Sauce
5 packets of dipping sauce are included in the box of Costco shrimp tempura, and each serving is half a packet or 1 Tbsp.
Each serving of savory dipping contains 20 calories with 0 grams of fat, 6 grams of carbs, and 0 grams of protein. Kirkland Signature gives one full pack of dipping sauce for every 6 shrimp tempura.
Final Thoughts
The Costco Tempura Shrimp really surprised me. These hit on presentation and taste. The batter can be a little thick sometimes, but the taste is great and pairs well with the savory and sweet dipping sauce.
For $17.99, this item is a winner and gets the Costco Food Database seal of approval.
Costco Food Database User Reviews
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Extra Crispy Costco Tempura Shrimp
Equipment
- Air Fryer
Ingredients
- Costco Frozen Tempura Shrimp
- Dipping Sauce
Instructions
- Heat the air fryer to 375°F (190° C).
- Remove Kirkland Signature Shrimp Tempura from the bag.
- Arrange the desired number of pieces in a single layer on a tray or basket.
- Place in the air fryer and cook for 4 minutes.
- Flip the Costco shrimp tempura and cook another 4 minutes.
- Do not overcook ( I personally like cooking the shrimp tempura for 4 minutes and then flipping and cooking for an additional 2 minutes only).
Nutrition
Greg Larkin is the founder and managing editor of Costco Food Database, the premiere site for honest takes on all things Costco food. A self-proclaimed Costco super-fan since childhood, Greg turned his obsession in a mission to properly rate and review all of Costco’s delicious buys. When he’s not busy navigating Costco aisles, you can find Greg smoking Kirkland Signature meats, meal prepping, or perfecting his homemade jerky recipes.