6 Store-Bought Frozen Cod Fillets, Ranked Worst To Best

Cod is a family of fish that's been a popular food source for millennia. Mild in flavor and incredibly versatile, this workhorse ingredient is able to withstand breading and deep-frying, but is also delicious when delicately pan-seared and served with nothing but a sprinkle of salt and a squeeze of lemon. Thanks to its mellow nature, cod can please many palates, even those of people who may not be the biggest fans of fish in general. Whether you're a seasoned seafood enthusiast, a devoted pescatarian, or just someone who's looking to add more fish to your diet, cod is a great variety to have around, and many brands offer frozen fillets for added convenience. 

Both Pacific and Atlantic varieties are sustainable seafood choices and are relatively low in mercury, making cod an even more appealing choice. While seafood prices in general have been on the rise in recent years, the price of frozen cod hasn't gone up as much as its fresh counterpart, and remains a fairly affordable protein. Frozen seafood isn't just a smart financial choice — it's also better for the environment, creating a smaller carbon footprint and less waste, and its nutritional value is comparable to, and sometimes even greater than, that of fresh fish. To find out which frozen cod fillets are worth adding to my dinner rotation, I selected six commonly available brands and prepared them each in two different ways, then ranked them according to taste, texture, and value. Read on to see how they fared.

As the second most expensive brand on this list, I expected more from Open Nature's Alaskan cod fillets. Visually, they looked gorgeous. Two thick and meaty pieces of fish that I couldn't wait to try. I cooked the oven-roasted fillet according to the package instructions, which mirrored the time and temperature recommendations of two other brands. Both of those cod fillets turned out much more tender than the ones from Open Nature, despite the fact that they were significantly thinner cuts. This fillet did have a nice buttery flavor with just a hint of marine brininess, but it was very dense and chewy.

The air-fried pieces fared better, but the toughness was still present, and they were among the driest of the entire bunch. I paid $15 for two fillets, which is pretty steep considering I didn't even feel like having more than a few bites of either. If these were cheaper, they may have made it a bit higher in the rankings, but not by much.

Great Value, Walmart's store brand, is all about affordability. That's really the only thing keeping these cod fillets out of last place. From the oven, the texture of the fillet was agreeable, with good tenderness and a decent flake. The flavor and aroma, however, were way too strong for what I'd expect from cod. Great Value was the only brand that I'd describe as having a fishy smell and taste. It's also the only brand that doesn't list the cod's origin on the package, at least not anywhere that I could find it. The package does carry the Marine Stewardship Council label, meaning the cod is caught in a certifiably sustainable way, which eased my concerns about its quality level somewhat. Still, that didn't help it taste any better.

Breaded and air-fried, Great Value's cod was much more palatable. The additional crunchy texture and flavor, especially with the addition of tartar sauce, mellowed out the fishiness of the fillet to a tolerable level. If you're willing to put in the effort to bread and fry these fillets, or use any other flavorings and methods that will minimize the fishy flavor, this could be a good buy thanks to its friendly price. Otherwise, there are far better options.

Orca Bay's wild-caught cod fillets were the most expensive option, similar in price to Open Nature but a few pennies more per ounce. While I definitely wouldn't shell out this kind of cash for Open Nature again, I might consider spending it on Orca Bay based on the brand's obvious high quality. The oven-roasted fillet had a buttery taste and a lovely moist texture, without a hint of fishiness or dryness. It was a bit more meaty than flaky, but not in an off-putting way.

The breaded version was also a success. The fish's meatiness really shone in this preparation, maintaining its tenderness while still keeping a toothsome bite. These cod fillets were so mild that they worked almost like blank canvases, which would make them ideal for those looking for the least fishy-tasting fish out there. I wished they had a touch of oceanic flavor, personally, but I could see these being a favorite for lots of people thanks to their lack of it. Orca Bay is too pricey to be a regular buy, but the brand has a lot going for it.

Good & Gather's cod fillets are right in the sweet spot in terms of flavor, quality, and value. Not the cheapest, but on the more affordable side; not the most delicious, but still very tasty. These cod fillets are definitely worth adding to your grocery list if you're a regular Target shopper. The one-pound bag yielded three decently sized fillets, which felt like a bonus considering most of the others only came with two. The oven-roasted fillet was such a success, I immediately pushed Good & Gather to the top of the list: Flaky, sweet and buttery, with a hint of the sea and springy, tender flesh. The cooking recommendations called for a lower temperature and longer cooking time compared to all the rest, and that seems to have yielded far superior results.

Unfortunately, the fillets didn't have nearly the same success when breaded and fried. The flesh got tough and a touch rubbery, and it lost its pleasantly subtle oceanic flavor and took on the taste and texture of chicken breast. I actually convinced myself that I was eating chicken nuggets. That's not a terrible thing, as I love chicken nuggets in all of their forms, but not when I'm expecting fish. Still, for oven roasting, this is definitely a top choice.

Whole Foods' 365 brand cod fillets are significantly less expensive than the two highest-priced brands on this list, which surprised me, considering I typically expect to pay more for just about everything at this store. This is the only brand that offers Atlantic cod, sourced from Iceland, which is a sustainable seafood choice, not subject to overfishing. Taste- and texture-wise, it can be compared to halibut, offering a sweeter flavor and typically a flakier texture than its Pacific counterpart. I didn't find its flakiness to be noticeably different than the Alaskan cod that I tasted, but it did have a buttery richness balanced by a crisp, clean salinity that made it taste like a more expensive fish.

Both the oven-roasted and air-fried preparations of 365's cod fillets turned out wonderfully moist and flavorful. Each one gave a balance of richness and density, as well as delicacy and flakiness, and there wasn't a single bit of dryness discernible in either. I would happily purchase this brand of cod again, and would love to see how well it takes to other cooking methods. 

Per ounce, Waterfront Bistro's Alaskan cod fillets cost only a few cents more than Walmart's Great Value brand. Quality-wise, they couldn't be farther apart. The oven-roasted fillet was so flaky and tender it practically fell apart into petal-like pieces as soon as I touched it with my fork. Of all the roasted fillets I tried, Waterfront Bistro was top in terms of moistness, with a texture that practically melted on my tongue. A delicate, subtle marine taste added just the right dimension of flavor to keep it from being bland. With just a sprinkle of sea salt, it came to life, and before I knew it, the entire fillet was gone.

As for the air fryer version, it was quite a different experience compared to the others, and the most reminiscent of meals I've enjoyed at seaside eateries and classic pub-style fried fish — quite a feat considering it was breaded, not battered, and air fried rather than dunked in oil. The interior retained its moistness and tender flakiness, which gave each piece the perfect contrast between the delicate fish and its crispy coating. The quality you get with Waterfront Bistro for the price simply can't be beaten.

To begin, I selected six brands of frozen cod fillets available at popular grocery chains. I limited the selection to plain skinless fillets, omitting any with breading or flavorings. To prepare each brand, I first thawed the fillets. If the package only had one recommended thawing method, I used it. If it had more than one option, I used the quicker method. Orca Bay, Good & Gather, and Great Value were thawed in cold water and cooked immediately, while Open Nature, 365, and Waterfront Bistro were thawed overnight in the refrigerator before being prepared.

I prepared each brand's fillets using two different methods. First, I baked each in the oven, using the temperature and time recommendations from each package. I chose this method because, since it's largely hands-off, I figured it would eliminate any inconsistencies that might occur with other methods, such as pan-searing, that require more attention. Each oven-roasted fillet was lightly brushed with olive oil and sprinkled with a dash of sea salt, cooked to the recommended temperature of 145 F, before I tasted them. For the next method, I cut the fillets into pieces, coated them with a simple panko breading, and air-fried them. I tasted these alone, and then with a side of tartar sauce — I didn't have any of my favorite store-bought tartar sauces on hand, so I made my own. I judged each fillet based on its taste and texture with both methods, as well as its value.