The Trader Joe's Seafood Find That Makes Homemade Lobster Rolls Affordable And Easy

Lobster rolls are a delicious New England tradition, but the premium nature of their namesake ingredient makes for a more expensive meal. However, there's a frozen seafood option that can deliver lobster-like flavor and texture at a fraction of the cost, and it's available at your nearest Trader Joe's.

On your next shopping trip, stop by Trader Joe's frozen seafood aisle for the store brand wild raw Argentinian red shrimp. With 20-25 shrimp in each bag, they're perfect for multiple individual dishes or one large family-style meal. The shrimp have a rich sweetness that evokes the buttery decadence of lobster, making it a great, affordable substitute in lobster rolls.

To make a lobster roll with these succulent shrimp, only use what you need and leave the rest frozen — just one of the tips that will make your shrimp retain great taste in general. For the most lobstery results, poach the shrimp in butter, but a simple pan fry is fine, too. Mix cooked shrimp with chopped celery and chives, mayonnaise, salt, pepper, and a squeeze of lemon; then, spoon the mixture onto toasted hot dog buns.

Some fans of these shrimp concur with the comparison to lobster. "The Argentinian red shrimp eat a lot like lobster – similar texture and sweetness," said one Reddit comment. Another echoed this sentiment: "At a quick glance, they could pass for lobster. I almost thought they were, given the red coloring. The texture is similar, so you could swap [it] for lobster in many recipes."

But the wild raw Argentinian red shrimp is not without its critics, including some former fans. A Reddit complaint read: "The Argentinian shrimp used to be consistently good till people started raving about it ... it seems hit or miss now." Another former fan shared, "These used to be my far and away favorite frozen shrimp, but the last few bags have had so many odd issues."

Mixed customer reviews are a great reminder to inspect the frozen shrimp for signs of poor quality, such as black spots indicating oxidization. And once you're ready to cook, there's no need to wash the shrimp beforehand.