I decided to try five different brands of prepackaged salmon and rank 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.
Aldi's salmon reminded me of a hearty steak, and its flavor was the best out of its competitors.
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
Changing Seas' package of salmon came with two substantial pieces.
Carolina Gazal
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.
I thought the chives overpowered Changing Seas' salmon.
Carolina Gazal
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 fillet of salmon with lemon-herb butter.
Carolina Gazal
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 lemony fish, but the citrus was overbearing in Trader Joe's salmon.
Carolina Gazal
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
I was excited to try the peppery marinade on Italiamo's salmon.
Carolina Gazal
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 could really only taste the pepper in Italiamo's salmon.
Carolina Gazal
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's salmon was the most expensive, but the portion was large.
Carolina Gazal
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 loved the sweetness of Sea Cuisine's salmon.
Carolina Gazal
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 really big and reminded me of actual steak.
Carolina Gazal
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'd definitely buy Aldi's salmon again.
Carolina Gazal
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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