I tried 5 different brands of prepackaged salmon and ranked them from worst to best
Carolina Gazal
- I bought five brands of prepackaged salmon, baked them, and ranked them from worst to best.
- Although Trader Joe's and Changing Seas' salmons were seasoned well, they weren't my favorite.
Although I'm a fan of salmon, I tend to shy away from cooking it.
I usually only season it with olive oil, salt, pepper, and lemon, which can get boring. Luckily, you can find prepackaged, seasoned salmon at most grocery stores.
I decided to bake and try salmon from Changing Seas, Trader Joe's, Italiamo, Sea Cuisine, and Aldi, and rank them from worst to best.
5. Changing Seas salmon with garlic-chive butter
For $8, I got two substantial pieces of salmon.
I had high hopes because the label said it was topped with small-batch, French-made butter.
The prepackaged salmon disappointed me.
The salmon was covered in herbs, but the chives seemed abundant and a bit overpowering.
The butter, which I was excited about, also didn't seem to add much flavor to the fish.
4. Trader Joe’s salmon with lemon-herb butter
Trader Joe's offered a 7-ounce Atlantic salmon for $6, which I thought was a good deal.
According to the label, the butter was made with garlic, lemon, parsley, chives, sea salt, and black pepper.
The salmon was bursting with a very strong lemon flavor.
I usually like lemon on fish, but Trader Joe's salmon had an overwhelming citrus taste that I didn't love.
The texture was also on the chewier side, but that could've been because I didn't give it enough time to thaw before baking.
That said, I could imagine this pairing well with a light salad to balance out the citrus.
3. Italiamo's Mediterranean marinated salmon
Although the label didn't specify what was in the Mediterranean-inspired marinade, I saw plenty of what looked like black pepper, which I love.
The two pieces weighed about 11 ounces and cost $8.50, which was a pretty great deal.
Although the salmon was buttery, I wasn't impressed with the flavor.
I was expecting a mouthful of flavor from the marinade, but all I could taste was the black pepper. Even though I enjoyed the seasoning, I was expecting more.
I'd try to balance the fish's flavor with oregano or parsley if I were to make it again.
2. Sea Cuisine's citrus-herb salmon
Sea Cuisine offered 8 ounces of salmon for $9.
It looked like it was covered with an array of spices. The label also said the rub included honey and sugar, so I was eager to taste the sweetness.
The salmon had a great blend of flavors.
I was impressed by the sweetness of the honey, which complemented the citrus-herb seasoning. The fillet was also soft and buttery.
Next time, I think I could elevate the honey glaze by grilling or air-frying this salmon.
1. Aldi's Mediterranian herb salmon
Aldi's salmon was by far the largest — and the most seasoned. It weighed almost a pound and cost only $8.
I could see colorful spices on the salmon, including what looked like red pepper, green herbs, and black pepper.
This was the most flavorful, hearty fillet of the bunch.
I felt like I was eating a steak, and every bite melted in my mouth.
The flavor was bold, and I think it would be even better if it were grilled and garnished with lemon slices.
If I'm grilling or going to a barbecue, I'd go to Aldi for salmon. I think it would pair well with lemon-butter pasta or grilled vegetables.
But I'm excited to try grilling or air-frying both the Aldi and Sea Cuisine salmons for an elevated flavor.
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