14 Aldi Frozen Seafood Products, Ranked

Aldi is home to an incredible range of items, from chocolate candies to enjoy with an afternoon beverage to hearty soups to warm your soul. The grocery chain has a variety of top-notch meats (as well as some to avoid), but what about the seafood selection? Surely, there are some hit-or-miss items there, too. I wanted to test out a range of seafood products to determine which was which. I selected several items from my local store, aiming for an array of fish varieties as well as other sea creatures to get the most accurate scope of Aldi's offerings. 

I cooked and thawed each item according to package instructions and ranked the foods primarily based on the flavor and texture, but sometimes the seafood's value, quality, or overall versatility played a part in how it fared. Come with me on this epic journey into the world of Aldi frozen seafood to find which ones are "reel-y" scrumptious and which ones left me feeling a bit salty.

Popcorn shrimp are an adorable, tiny, and fun appetizer. The popcorn shrimp from Aldi are cute and mini as you'd expect, but that's where the positives stop. After I baked the little guys and was about to pop one in my mouth, I noticed some strange coloring. Upon further investigation, I noticed it was the shrimp's green poop peeking through the splotchy batter. I baked six pieces for my taste test, and five of them had poop.

The one clean shrimp was delicious, with a delicate interior and crispy battered exterior — albeit uneven. While the digestive tract, is deemed safe for consumption, I simply wasn't interested in it. Hence, I wouldn't eat most of the box, nor would I serve it to anyone or recommend that you, dear reader, buy it. And it's not as though you can easily remove it (as you might if you were deveining shrimp) since it's covered in batter and so small in size. Skip this Aldi item.

The flounder filets are wild-caught, skinless, and boneless, allowing you to thaw and cook them to your liking. I followed the thawing directions: Throw the flounder in a bowl under running water for the specified time. Upon removing the plastic-encased fish from the water, it appeared waterlogged, meaning either the fish itself was very wet upon freezing or water came in during thawing — although, I didn't see any water drip out to prove that was the case.

The flounder completely fell apart both during and after cooking, rendering it unphotogenic and not too appetizing, similar to fish mush. The filet itself is very thin and somewhat flaky. But that flake is outdone by the mushy texture. I can appreciate the mild taste, which is great if you're not interested in something that's too fishy. Yet, the texture and presentation are severely lacking for anyone who eats with their eyes or is planning to serve it to anyone besides themselves. While it was more appetizing than the feces-riddled shrimp, I was not pleased with the appearance nor the meat itself.

The Aldi seafood boil makes hosting a breeze with its 2-pound bag of shrimp, mussels, corn on the cob, red skin potatoes, andouille sausage, and a packet of Cajun-style seasoning to provide convenient flavor. I like the idea of the seafood boil in a bag that you can whip up in under 10 minutes, but ultimately, the flavor wasn't up to par (even with the half a lemon added per the directions). While it's nicely spiced with ingredients like paprika, white pepper, celery seed, cumin, and cayenne pepper (a lick of heat that stays in your throat), it's severely lacking salt. It just tasted like spiced water and lacked the saltiness to bring the flavors together.

It suffered in other areas, too. Some of the larger potato wedges were a bit too crisp and somehow not fully cooked at the same time. The mussels were mediocre, and the spice mix didn't penetrate or enrich them at all, leaving me wanting more seasoning. You have to take the shell, tail, and legs off the shrimp, but the texture was supple and pliable, making it the best part of the entire boil. The shrimp and corn were the most satisfactory, but they're not enough to elevate it any further in the ranking.

If you find that you're not a big fan of the chewiness of shrimp (particularly when it's overcooked), langostino tails could be a great option. They are meaty and somewhat like lobster, but they technically aren't one. Instead, they're squat lobsters, a middle ground between a tiny lobster and a huge shrimp. Aldi's langostino tail packaging is a little odd, though. You have to rip it open and figure out a way to close it, if you don't plan to use all 12 ounces in one go. There's no resealable component, so you'll likely need to close it with something or place it in a separate bag, as I did.

After thawing and cooking as directed, the texture remained a little rubbery and slightly more ocean-y than I typically like. Although you can enhance them with seasoning, their springy texture is off-putting. I can only hope that cutting the cook time by a minute or even 30 seconds or so would ensure a more succulent texture. I'd likely give the langostino a second shot over the seafood boil, but as it stands, it ranks low because it can't compete with the next best seafood option.

If you're craving restaurant-style fish and chips, you might seek out the beer-battered wild-caught cod filets from Aldi. You'll get around a little over 13 ounces per package, meaning you can easily prepare the entire batch if you're making dinner for two or three people. Even so, the cod filets are kind of small. If you're cooking for one, you'll have to cook many of them to fill your belly adequately.

On the plus side, they have a flaky interior and a relatively thin batter. The airy beer batter allows the fish to retain its flakiness and lets the mild flavor of the cod remain the star. They aren't as attractive in person as they are on the package, but the fish has decent flavor and texture. I wouldn't say it's the best frozen battered fish out there. I preferred Costco's Neptune pub-style halibut when I tested out some Costco frozen seafood dishes, but Aldi's is good in a pinch. I'd prefer a slightly thicker and firmer batter with a crispier exterior, but at least the flavor and texture had fewer issues than anything mentioned thus far.

Like some of the other fish mentioned on this list, the Fremont Fish Market salmon filets are on the small side — both thin and narrow. However, they cook nicely, and they hold up without flaking off or breaking into pieces (looking at you, flounder). Salmon is a firmer fish, so it holds up better than flaky white fish. I like that it's skin-on, so you can crisp it up for added texture, but it's easily removable as well. I kept the seasoning minimal (just salt) to let the natural flavors come through (fishy yet mild), but the options are limitless for salmon. 

The pink salmon filets are perfect to keep on hand when fresh salmon isn't in the cards; simply thaw and cook them. You could also follow any number of baked salmon recipes to create a simple and nourishing dinner. But you might need to prepare a few pieces because they're thin. I'd prefer a thicker cut, but the flavor and texture work for the price.

The Fremont Fish Market seafood mix may catch your eye if you don't want to spend the time and effort preparing multiple types of seafood. The 1-pound bag comes with raw shrimp, calamari pieces, bay scallops, and mussels, and ranks in the middle of the ranking because it's good but not an all-star. I should preface by saying that, yes, it can easily be enhanced with butter or a creamy sauce or perhaps paired with pasta or risotto. But for the sake of this ranking, I kept the seasonings minimal. 

As it stands, the textures of the seafood mix are pretty good. The shrimp was succulent, and the calamari was springy without becoming rubbery. The bay scallops and mussels, though, were lackluster on their own. And it's worth noting that the bag was smelled a little off upon opening, when ideally it should smell briny or sea-like. We're starting to see some improvements in the seafood selection (first the beer-battered cod, then the salmon), but there's still a ways to go.

The Specially Selected whole shell mussels in tomato garlic sauce come in a 16-ounce package, although the shells contribute to most of it. The tomato and garlic sauce stays true to its name, offering the umami notes that are elevated by the aromatic garlic. I enjoyed that it had a creamy taste, which lightened the acidity that comes with more tomato sauces. The sauce penetrated the mussels during cooking to create a flavorful and convenient dish. This frozen seafood option is so simple and easy for a weeknight, my toddler even ate one.

As the packaging states, the mussels are cooked and then frozen, so it only takes a few minutes on the stove before they're ready to serve. The mussels are tender and savory with a light brininess that absorbs the tomatoey-garlic sauce. If you like mussels, it's worth keeping a pack or two of these in the freezer. Specially Selected also offers options in natural juices or garlic butter sauce if you prefer different flavor profiles. Any of the three makes a terrific weeknight dinner option when time is limited, but you don't want to skimp on flavor.

If you're looking for a pre-made shrimp appetizer that's mildly flavored yet still delicious, pick up a bag of Fremont Fish Market's jumbo breaded butterfly shrimp. Simply bake, air-fry, or pan-fry them directly from frozen; you don't have to worry about thawing. I baked them, but the other cooking methods allow added flexibility. You'll get 9 ounces of well-made, nicely breaded shrimpy goodness. The shrimp are perfectly tender without being hard and chewy.

The breading, made with wheat and corn flour, reaches the perfect equilibrium between crisp and not too firm or dry. It's delightful all on its own, fresh from the oven, but you can enhance them by dipping them — soy sauce or homemade sweet and sour sauce comes to mind. The flavor and texture are excellent, and are something I'd prefer to eat on a random day over the mussels.

Fremont Fish Market held up well here with three toss-and-serve shrimp options: the salted butter and garlic sauce that I tried, citrus herb, and chipotle sea salt. The butter and garlic bag takes eight minutes to prepare, making it a convenient option to keep in your freezer and use as a quick protein. The sauce comes in little frozen pads that melt as you cook the shrimp and offer a buttery, herby flavor. It's always nice to have pre-made and fully seasoned options to spare yourself the time and brainpower.

The shrimp remained wonderfully tender, while the garlicky butter sauce enrobed each morsel with oily goodness. This frozen dish is adaptable, whether you want to pair it with pasta, toss it on your favorite leafy greens, or jazz it up with added veggies or fresh herbs. I'd be interested to try the other two sauce options, but I'm glad I got the garlic butter, as it's easy to combine with other elements. The standout notes of butter and garlic, perfect texture, and versatility make this seafood a thorough win over the breaded shrimp.

The coconut-breaded jumbo butterfly shrimp comes with an orange marmalade sauce, which brings a bright and tangy touch to the crustacean. The coconut is mildly crisp, but not as hard as some of the other breadings on this list. I like the firmness because if it were any crunchier, you risk ripping the roof of your mouth with the tough coconut. The coconut flavor comes through in each bite and pairs wonderfully with the mild sweetness of the shrimp. The orange marmalade only incorporates more levity into the dish.

The sauce is made with fructose syrup, sugar, orange juice and peel, and spices like mustard, ginger, and paprika to offer dimension, but I liked the crustaceans on their own, too. The shrimp is supple and not overcooked. That said, follow the cooking instructions and temperatures to a T. 

This could be a terrific option to stock in the freezer for easy meals or entertaining; just make sure to buy a couple of boxes since one yields 2.5 servings. Ultimately, I preferred the memorability and flavor of the coconut shrimp over the garlic butter shrimp, which helped it rank higher.

The tilapia lands in the top three because of its excellent flavor, texture, value, and versatility, but I can't place it any higher because I wish it were wild-caught like the other fish. It retained its structure through thawing and cooking and remained flaky without turning soggy. The flavor is very mild, almost buttery, which means you can season it any which way. If it tastes great with just salt, imagine all you can do with this filet — like elevating it in a sweet and spicy skillet with coconut and gochujang. Better yet, you get a whopping 32 ounces of tilapia, making it an unbeatable value. 

I'd be happy to keep it in the freezer for easy meals, and I'm even more pleased that I can thaw and cook it in under 30 minutes. I found the tilapia more versatile than the jumbo shrimp, which boosted its ranking. This fish surpasses the lower-ranked seafood options because of its taste and the number of ways it can be used. While I would purchase the tilapia again, the next two are top tier because of the added textural component.

The breaded fish sticks, made with wild-caught minced pollock, are slender and crisp up well after baking. The packaging says you'll get around 45 pieces, but this could vary based on weight. The fish sticks offer a tasty balance of fish and breading. I've purchased them before, and the key might be to cook them a little less than the directed cook time (make sure to still reach safe internal temperatures) — otherwise the crispiness overpowers the whole stick, and it becomes too crunchy to enjoy.

The texture and flavor of the fish remained at the forefront, and I enjoyed them much more than the first time I tried them. They tasted like fish, in a fresh, non-gamey way. The breading offers a bit of crunch and added mouthfeel, but it isn't so thick that you can't taste the pollock beneath it. Fish sticks are adaptable and highly convenient for my household, so I'd pick this up again over the tilapia as part of a meal or even a snack. Plus, there are loads of ways to upgrade store-bought fish sticks, whether you incorporate them into a comforting casserole or use them as the base of fish tacos. While I'd be happy to purchase these again, the next item is just so delicious and succulent, with a phenomenal texture (inside and out) and price point that can't be beat.

Tempura shrimp is a delicious option to keep stocked in the freezer when you want a tasty appetizer or a side. It can take a basic meal to a new territory, making you feel like you stepped out into a restaurant, but only if it's well-made. The Fremont Fish Market option from Aldi comes with soy dipping sauce, which gives the shrimp an umami boost. The tempura is well-executed and rivals the one I had in a Costco Kirkland frozen meal taste test. 

Aldi's has a classic, delicate tempura flavor and a crispy yet light batter. The soy dipping sauce brings added saltiness to enrich the dish, but the seafood is scrumptious all on its own — a true testament to its quality. I was pretty impressed with these, and the price for 1 pound of food is quite competitive compared to other grocery stores. I think these would be wonderful to keep in the freezer for parties, hangouts, or just a tasty random Tuesday snack. Everything about this is a win for me (immaculate taste, incredible texture, stellar value for what you get), and for that, it receives the top spot among Aldi's frozen seafood selection.

I selected a diverse range of Aldi's frozen seafood offerings, although there are more available than what I got. I cooked everything according to the package instructions and mainly ranked the items based on taste and texture, but value, versatility, and quality also played a part. 

Breaded seafood needed to have a crisp exterior while maintaining a balance between the breading and the actual seafood component; if the breading overpowered the seafood's natural flavor or was soggy or breaking apart, it ranked lower. For non-breaded filets and seafood, the flakiness, moisture, and taste were of the utmost importance. If it were a plain, unseasoned filet, shrimp, or seafood blend, I tried it both plain and with sea salt (seeing as the average home cook would likely do the same). If the item fell apart or was overly chewy, despite following cooking and thawing instructions, it ranked lower on my list. Some items were of good value but poor quality (poopy popcorn shrimp), which played into the rankings as well.