The Best Frozen Seafood You Should Snag At Costco

Sure, the frozen seafood section doesn’t have the same appeal as the fresh seafood section, where you can find beautiful, whole red snapper, clams and oysters still in the shell, or thick tuna steaks. But most fresh seafood is pre-frozen anyway and you can find real quality in that lonely looking frozen section, especially if you’re shopping at Costco. But with the giant freezers and never-ending aisles, it can be overwhelming knowing what’s worth your money. That’s where we come in. Here are five kinds of frozen seafood you should be sure to catch (pun intended) next time you’re at Costco.

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Kirkland Signature Raw Shrimp

It might sound a bit ho-hum in comparison to some of the prepared dinners and bacon-wrapped snacks you’ll find in grocery aisles, but hear us out: Kirkland Signature’s a solid store brand, the raw shrimp (frozen, which, again, ensures freshness) is ready to cook―all you need to do is snag as many as your recipe requires, reseal the bag, and put it back in the freezer. 

The shrimp are tail-on, and at 21-25 shrimp per pound you’re getting up to 50 shrimp in your 2-lb bag. If you consider how much a restaurant-prepared shrimp dinner out actually costs, the price tag (under $17) is both several dinners and serious savings.

Tortilla Crusted Tilapia

This is a fun one for a dinner that’s ready to go. I have a bit of hesitation because of the price―just under $10 a pound, so you’re paying $20 for 2 pounds of tilapia. If you’re like me, you could finish that alone after a long (or for-whatever-reason-fish-fanatically-hungry day). But people do seem to love the tortilla crusting (which is apparently why these run out quickly). Bonus points, they do cook up in about 12 to 14 minutes. 

Kirkland Wild Caught Sea Scallops

Just like shrimp, these scallops are measured by how many you get per pound―here you’ll get 2 pounds, with 15 to 20 scallops per pound. Yes, the price is higher―over $50 generally―but there are good reasons (and reasons to buy, if you’re a cook). Scallop prices have skyrocketed for a variety of good (and difficult) reasons, and, since these are dry-packed, you’re not paying for any frozen-packed water weight. Not to mention, just like the frozen shrimp, these are ready to go any time you want to make a scallop supper. 

Alaskan Leader Seafoods Miso Marinated Black Cod

Miso Black Cod got so, so very trendy out there in restaurants for a while. Chefs could just jack up the price like, $15 to $20 for the words “miso” and “cod” alone. Lucky for us the trend-era has passed, but miso and black cod still make for a happy, happy marriage. A “Product of Wild Alaska” and made with “Hikarimisu,” they’re wild caught, they are bone-in (seriously an important reminder for this family size packaging), and they take about 17 minutes in the oven. Most importantly, all those trend restaurant goers weren’t wrong, that miso-cod food synergy thingy is mind blowing―this is a deserved treat on a busy night and actually available at your local Costco.

Costco Blackened Atlantic Salmon

The quality of Costco frozen salmon (versus fish like Cod or Coho, etc.) has varied according to fish-lovers (such as myself) over the years, but a recent favorite seems to be this Blackened Atlantic Salmon―another ready-to-go meal, with that assertively cozy (and yet somehow not bitter?) blackened flavor profile. The salmon are farm-raised without antibiotics and the ingredients list is simple: black pepper, thyme, white pepper, oregano, red pepper, paprika, garlic, onion, chili. (There’s also salmon, of course, but that’s pretty much it―and yes it’s around $30, but that gets you 6 fillets and a good amount of those Omega 3s and 6s. Though, to be honest, my favorite thing is the flavor bang for your buck―someone took some time with that seasoning. All you gotta do is heat it up.  And maybe slice up a lemon.