The best frozen fish fillets come pre-seasoned and ready to cook for a super-fast and easy weeknight meal. We’re talking straight out of the fridge, into the oven (or even toaster oven in our case), and onto a plate. No prep. No mess. You don’t even have to reach for the salt shaker. But you can’t trust dinner to just any frozen fish brand. We tried nine different frozen seasoned fish fillets to find only the very best.
Before you look down at frozen fish, you should know that, unless you catch your own or have a really good fisherman friend who delivers fresh trout straight to your door, most of the fish you’re eating was once frozen. So heading to the frozen aisle instead of the fish counter is an a-ok thing to do. But when it comes to seeking out seasoned frozen fish, things get a little trickier. While the quality of most of the fish we tried was pretty good, the seasoning was all over the place. Many were way, way, way too salty. But three were awesome. Here are two frozen salmon fillets and one brand of frozen tilapia fillets that I will definitely be buying in the future. (Want the best frozen fried fish? We taste tested that, too!)
- Sea Cuisine Garlic & Herb Tilapia
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Tilapia (a white freshwater fish) can easily turn from flaky to mushy. But cooking this fillet according to the instructions yields a nice, firm fish. First requirement, ticked. The seasoning is heavy on the dried herbs but in a nostalgic way. And it’s not too greasy or buttery—there’s just the right amount to add moisture and give you something to sop up with rice. Do serve this with some rice pilaf or even just some white or brown rice. It’s not fishy at all, simply seasoned just right and easily paired with pretty much any vegetable. It’s the best non-salmon frozen fish fillet we tried—perfect for anyone.
Credit: Merc / Target
- Sea Cuisine Asian Grill Rubbed Salmon
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The salmon is buttery and flaky. And the sweet and savory flavor is baked into every bite. But you still get some of that unctuous salmon flavor. It’s fish-flavored, not fishy. And the sweetness of the sauce really complements those notes. Serve this on a rice bowl or use it in Asian-style fish tacos with cabbage slaw and Kewpie mayo.
Credit: Merc / Instacart
- C. Wirthy & Co. Blackened Salmon
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This is a great blackened salmon. I would be very happy with this at a restaurant. It’s smoky, it’s salty but not too salty. The fish is plump and very buttery and flaky. It’s downright silky. This is better than you could make unless you have some cheffy training. Plus, it comes skin-on, so you can crisp it up in the broiler or a pan if you want (I’m a big fan of skin—please don’t isolate that). “Hubba, hubba,” said senior staff writer Jordan Myrick when they first tasted it. I completely agree. This is a crush-worthy frozen fish fillet. It’s not only the best frozen salmon fillet we tried but the best frozen seasoned fish fillet overall.
Credit: Merc / Target
Best Tilapia
Best Salmon (Runner-Up)
Best of the Best
Thoughts? Questions? Complete disagreement? Leave a comment!