8 Costco Frozen Prepared Seafoods, Ranked Worst To Best

When it comes to big box stores, few enjoy the popularity and cult following that Costco does. Costco has a good reputation for selling high-quality products in bulk at prices that are not just competitive, but, in many cases, unbeatable. One of these products is its healthy selection of frozen foods, which often occupies three or more aisles of the store.

In fact, among the many hidden treasures you will find in Costco's frozen food aisle is a plethora of frozen, prepared seafood options. These range from salmon burgers to shrimp in a garlic butter sauce. Not only are these offerings convenient and tasty, they are a cost-effective way to feed a family or entertain a crowd.

I wanted to try these frozen, prepared seafood offerings for myself to determine which are worth snagging up on your next visit to Costco and which you might want to skip. Read on for all the details and to find out which item I sampled was the best you can buy at this retailer.

Before diving into this ranking, it is important to outline the criteria I used to evaluate these frozen, prepared seafood products from Costco. As a professional chef, I pride myself on preparing fresh seafood that is moist, tender, and delicious. While convenience and affordability matter, taste and texture are crucial, particularly when it comes to seafood.

The freezing process can sometimes result in irreparable changes in flavor and mouthfeel that may impact the final quality of prepared fish or shellfish after it has been frozen. I was curious to see if this was the case with any of these products. With the notable exception of one item, I can say that it was not. For the most part, I felt all of these products were quite well-executed. That said, there were some particular features that I found either underwhelming or off-putting that led me to rank these items where I did.

Lastly, where there were instructions for using an air fryer on the packaging, I used them. Where there was not, I still used the air fryer for all but one product, adapting reheating instructions accordingly. Frozen seafood is among the best foods to cook in an air fryer. It helps to cook it without drying it out, locking in moisture, and providing a crisp exterior texture that isn't burnt. It also heats evenly, thanks to the uniform air circulation, which means you won't have random frozen pockets remaining in the seafood.

When it comes to comfort food, few things are as satiating as a steaming hot serving of pub-worthy homemade fish and chips. One of the things that sets a mediocre fish and chips recipe apart from a fantastic one is a quality beer batter. The beer in a beer batter does a number of things for fried fish, including helping to produce a light, airy crust and keeping the fish moist. These were some of the main qualities I anticipated finding in the Beer Battered Alaska Cod from the Trident Seafoods brand sold at Costco.

Though I wasn't disappointed by this product, I was underwhelmed by it. The aroma was just barely detectable, even when freshly cooked, and the beer batter was under seasoned. That said, the crust was perfectly light, crunchy, and not greasy. And, the fish itself remained beautifully tender and flaky after it was cooked, which was a win.

Ultimately, I'd say this product was serviceable, but not the best I've ever had. I really wanted more flavor. I'd have settled for a pinch more salt and pepper, though I agree with Gordon Ramsay that curry is the best seasoning for fish and chips. The bottom line with this beer battered cod is that it is good, but nothing to write home about.

When it comes to The Ultimate Fish Stick from Trident Seafoods, I hesitated with where to rank it. As frozen fish stick brands go, this one consistently ranks highly, and for good reason. These fish sticks are made from wild-caught, whole Alaska pollock fillets, not some kind of pulverized fish mash. And, the fish is certified sustainable, making it an environmentally-friendly choice for those worried about overfishing and quality.

That said, despite the many pros of this brand of fish stick, I found them to be very basic in flavor compared with some of the other items I sampled. This could well be the thing you and your family are looking for, however, so don't discount the brand altogether.

These fish sticks were hefty, more like fish fingers, so nobody will go home hungry after downing a few of them. As advertised, the breading was modest and crisped up nicely in the air fryer. The fish itself was moist, flaky, had a pleasant aroma, and was quite sweet in flavor. My biggest complaint was that it needed more seasoning. I just found these to be a tad bland, but nothing a little tartar sauce couldn't jazz up.

The Kirkland Signature Garlic Butter Shrimp landed next on this ranking. These shrimp closely resembled a classic, garlicky shrimp scampi recipe. While they were good, they reminded me quite a bit of the Fremont Fish Market Garlic & Butter Toss n' Serve Shrimp you can get from Aldi, and, if I am being honest, those were far better in quality, texture, and flavor.

There were a few pros to these shrimp, which is why they didn't fare more poorly on this ranking. The shrimp themselves were huge, almost like prawns. They cooked up within 10 minutes in a skillet and were quite simple to throw together. The buttery sauce that was left in the pan was abundant enough to throw over pasta or to dip hunks of bread into.

The cons of these shrimp included their texture, which did get somewhat rubbery after they were cooked. I also found the sauce to be relatively under seasoned. They lacked herbs and garlic, and could have used a burst of fresh lemon, parsley, and a hint of grated Parmesan. I also wish the butter didn't separate so much from the remaining ingredients, pooling atop the dish in a way that I found to be almost unappealing. That said, they were tasty and a hearty portion for a rather good price, so they would definitely be worth purchasing. 

Among the frozen appetizers at Costco that shoppers rave over are the Breaded Panko Shrimp from the Kirkland Signature store-brand. While they didn't land on top of this ranking, I can see why they are so popular. First, they are a steal. Each 2½ pound package includes roughly 40 to 50 shrimp, which is enough to feed a small army in a pinch.

The other reason these are so great is the quality. As breaded shrimp go, these turned out crispy, toasty, and weren't dripping in oil. The shrimp themselves were quite sizable, tender, and not rubbery, which can be a common issue with this type of appetizer. The ratio of breading-to-shrimp was perfect, allowing the shrimp to shine without being overwhelmed, and the flavor of the breadcrumb mix was spot on.

Had the remaining items not been so good, these surely would have fared better. That said, I would absolutely keep a box of these on hand in the freezer for a rainy day. Serve them up with one of the best underrated BBQ sauces, like Lillie's Q Smoky Barbeque Sauce or Heath Riles BBQ Tangy Vinegar Barbecue Sauce, Champion Pitmaster Recipe.

While there are many ways to use everything bagel seasoning, this might be one of the better ones. These Kirkland Signature Everything Seasoning Breaded Cod fillets are quite good. It can be a challenge to find gluten-free items that satisfy both in flavor and texture, but, for the most part, this product delivered.

The biggest triumph of these cod fillets was the aroma. The signature components of everything bagel seasoning, namely sesame seeds, black sesame seeds, minced dried garlic, minced dried onion, poppy seeds and flaky sea salt, were on full display. While the fish was tender and moist, the center remained a tad chewy, which can be an issue with trying to cook fish straight from a frozen state. That said, this was not a deal breaker. 

Perhaps my only beef with this product was the crust. Though it turned out crunchy, was relatively light, had a good flavor, and was not greasy, it was verging on too salty. It also got soggy on the bottom of the fish, even though I used the air fryer to cook it. Despite this fact, I still enjoyed it. I would recommend cooking it slightly longer than what is noted on the package instructions to eliminate that chewiness, but otherwise, it is a solid addition to your freezer for a quick, flavorful, gluten-free meal.

Landing in third place on this ranking of frozen, prepared seafoods from Costco were the Alaskan Salmon Burgers from Trident Seafoods. For those seeking an alternative burger option that is loaded with omega-3s and a healthy amount of protein, these deliver. And, as a bonus, they are made from sustainably-sourced, wild-caught Alaskan salmon, so you can feel confident in knowing that you are eating well while also being a good steward of the environment.

In terms of quality, these burgers were tasty and had a nice texture, though I would have liked more chunks of salmon that were flaky, rather than a relatively densely packed patty. They were moist, yet had a slightly crisp exterior, which gave them a nice mouthfeel.

The aroma of the burger was mildly fishy, but in a pleasant way. The flavor of the salmon was similarly delicate and not overly seafood-forward. Perhaps my only complaint was that I probably would have preferred a bit more seasoning to help give these some oomph, but overall, they were great. While I didn't think they were the most bold-flavored seafood item I sampled, there are plenty of ways you could take these salmon burgers up a notch, and, since you aren't making them from scratch, this frees you up to do so.

The Wild Alaskan Salmon Seasoned Grill from Morey's Fine Fish & Seafood came in second on this ranking. These marinated salmon filets come in individually-wrapped, vacuum-sealed packets that are easy to break out for a quick meal. While the instructions did not have an air fryer method recommended, I used my chef know-how and tossed the salmon filets into the air fryer set at 390 degrees F for 15 minutes, and they turned out perfectly.

These salmon filets were boldly seasoned. The marinade was sweet and savory, with a good amount of spiciness kicking in as I chewed the salmon. While I enjoyed the flavor, I did feel the marinade was a hint too salty, but not to the point that the salmon was inedible. I also will note that this marinade could burn easily if you used the grilling or pan-searing method to reheat this salmon. The edges did begin to crisp up in the air fryer, but I removed the salmon before it burned.

This salmon was skin on, so if you don't enjoy the skin, you would need to remove it before enjoying the fish. The meat itself was moist and tender, if not just a little firmer than it might have been if I had thawed and cooked it, rather than cooked it from a frozen state. That said, I think this is a fantastic product to stock up on for salmon lovers, like myself.

The absolute best item I sampled from Costco's frozen, prepared seafood selection was the Tortilla Crusted Tilapia from the Sea Cuisine brand. Among the things you should know about tilapia before you eat it is that most of this breed of fish is farmed, rather than freshly-caught. That said, this particular tilapia is ASC Certified, which means it was farmed responsibly, so you can feel good about eating it.

From the moment these began cooking up in the air fryer, the slightly sweet and savory aroma of the corn tortilla chip, chipotle pepper, and garlic crust wafted through the air and had me salivating. The crust itself was perfectly crisp and crunchy. It was adequately seasoned with great notes of spicy and lemony flavor that was well-balanced.

The fish itself was tender, moist, and flaky. It had a delicate, almost sweet flavor, which is typical of tilapia. These would be ideally-suited for fish tacos, as the main dish accompanied by some Spanish rice, or served atop a taco-style salad for a quick lunch. I absolutely loved these and gave them an enthusiastic two thumbs up.