Fremont Fish Market Oven Crispy Popcorn Shrimp

Popcorn shrimp are a treat any time of year. With crisp breading on the outside and tender shellfish inside, they make a great lunch or dinner when paired with some cocktail sauce for dipping and served alongside a salad or fries.

Aldi sells a variety of shellfish throughout the year, but they really amp up their seafood game during the season of Lent, when many people are looking to avoid beef, chicken, and other traditional meats. One of my favorites to pick up at Aldi during this time is a box of popcorn shrimp.

Fremont Fish Market Oven Crispy Popcorn Shrimp cost $4.99 for an 18-oz. box at the time of publication.

At the time when I bought these, they were labeled as an Aldi Find (Special Buy), which means they’re only in stores for a short time. However, I think I’ve seen popcorn shrimp (maybe in a smaller box?) sometimes in the Regular Buy freezer at Aldi, so it’s possible you might be able to buy it year round, but I don’t know for sure. Even if this popcorn shrimp isn’t available all year, you can reliably purchase other types of breaded shrimp at Aldi throughout the year.

This popcorn shrimp is certified sustainable through the Marine Stewardship Council. It was wild caught in the Major Fishing Area 31 in the Western Central Atlantic using the otter trawl catch method, and it was processed in the U.S.

The primary ingredients are shrimp and bleached wheat flour, but this is a processed food with a fairly long ingredients list.

If you’re watching out for allergens, these have shrimp, milk, and wheat.

Fremont Fish Market Popcorn Shrimp nutrition information and ingredients. (Click to enlarge.)

One 18-oz. box contains six servings, with about 24 shrimp (85 grams) per serving. A serving will net you 220 calories, 11 grams of total fat (14% DV), 2 grams of saturated fat (9% DV), 45 mg of cholesterol (15% DV), 720 mg of sodium (31% DV), 22 grams of total carbohydrates (8% DV), 1 gram of dietary fiber (2% DV), 2 grams of total sugars, 1 gram of added sugars (3% DV), and 8 grams of protein.

These are easy to prepare in either a conventional oven or a deep fryer.

To bake in the oven, preheat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit. Arranged the full package of shrimp in a singel layer on a baking sheet and place it on the middle rack of the oven. Bake for 10-12 minutes. For best results, turn over halfway through cooking.

To deep fry, preheat the fryer oil to 350 degrees. Fry two servings (about 48 shrimp) for 2 minutes and 30 seconds to 2 minutes and 45 seconds.

I prepared these in my air fryer, cooking them for about 15 minutes at 400 degrees. They came out with a satisfying crisp breading and didn’t last long on the dinner table. They have a decent ratio of tender shrimp to crunchy breading and reminded me of times when I’ve ordered a basket of shrimp and fries from a restaurant. If you like breaded shrimp, these are well worth your while.

The Verdict:

Fremont Fish Market Oven Crispy Popcorn Shrimp bake or fry up crispy like their name says. They’re a satisfying meal served alongside cocktail sauce for dipping. Recommended.