Frozen Fish Entrees, Ranked From Worst To Best
Americans have been digging into frozen dinners since the 1940s when the canned food supply faced a shortage from World War II, according to History. Clarence Birdseye took inspiration from the indigenous Inuit people of Canada, who would immediately freeze the fish they caught to keep it fresh. Today, frozen fish lives on in the form of heat-and-eat meals that are ready to consume within minutes.
Microwaved fish might not sound like the most appetizing frozen entrée option, but a few brands are out to prove that's just not true. Frozen fish entrées aren't as popular as other types of meals, probably because there are some real textural and flavor issues to battle. Overall, there are also some very exciting options for your next frozen fish pick. Whether you're a pescatarian or just have a hankering for a quick piece of fish, here are our picks for frozen fish entrées, ranked from worst to best.
Lean Cuisine Parmesan Crusted Fish
Parmesan-crusted fish sounds like a rather healthy meal, and Lean Cuisine's version also has fire-roasted tomato sauce and noodles. The fish is topped with some cheese. It's supposed to be flaky and tender fish with a flavorful sauce.
The reality, however, is that the pasta is dry and rubbery, and the fish is bland. Worst of all, the fish ends up being mushy when cooked. It's hard to get both pasta and fish cooked right, so instead of including some kind of partition to allow the 2 to be cooked separately, they're both thrown off in the microwave. One GoodNes reviewer said, "The fish was mushy and seemed undercooked, no matter how long I microwaved it for, the coating on the fish was flavorless, the sauce was all in a glob, leaving much of the pasta to get dry and tough during cooking." If you are looking for a convenient fish entrée option, you'd be better off skipping this one.
Banquet Fish Sticks with Mac & Cheese and Pudding
When fish sticks are done right, they are pretty close to perfection — warm, flaky fish in a crispy, golden crust that practically begs to be dipped into ketchup or tartar sauce. When they're cooked improperly, however, it's a sin. After all, nothing about soggy fish sticks sounds appealing. That's why Banquet's fish entree of fish sticks with mac and cheese is destined for mediocrity. The fish sticks are made with Alaskan pollock, which is a good start. The pairing of fish sticks with macaroni and cheese is a childhood favorite and drums up nostalgic thoughts. However, cooking the breaded fish in the microwave is just hard to get right.
One Banquet.com reviewer said, "Honestly...how are the fish sticks mushier than the macaroni? It is a textural nightmare." A balanced meal needs some differences in texture, some firmness, some crunch, and something that isn't all mush. The one good thing about this microwaveable meal is that if you've just undergone a dental procedure and are relegated to only soft foods, this will be a textural match.
Marie Callender's Golden Battered Fish Fillet
Crispy fish should be banned from the microwave. It's an oxymoron and a guaranteed setup for disappointment. This meal, Marie Callender's Golden Battered Fish Fillet with seasoned rice pilaf and cheesy broccoli, is a prime example of why. With most of these meals, you have the option to also cook them in a conventional oven. If that's an option for you, that is 100% what you should do because you might actually get the results that are promised.
However, we've turned a blind eye to that for the sake of rating all of these meals evenly. The saltiness in this meal can't be ignored — the breading of the fish is so salty that it's unpleasant.
Said one Influenster reviewer, "The batter is quite salty and the fish was way too fishy!!" Even if you put this one in the oven, there are plenty of other options.
Lean Cuisine Tortilla Crusted Fish
Here's yet another Lean Cuisine fish option, but this time with slightly more successful execution. The Lean Cuisine Tortilla Crusted Fish is served with sour cream rice that's also got some corn and poblano peppers in it for an extra kick. It's a nice flavor base with everything working very well together — a nice mix of sour, salty and sweet.
One GoodNes.com reviewer said, "The fish was nicely crusted and had mild flavor. The rice, pepper and corn side in creamy sauce was a highlight of this meal and [the] texture and taste [were] great. I did not find the peppers spicy at all–only filled with peppery flavor."
We didn't rank this meal any higher because it still has the unfortunate ability to get soggy if microwaved. Overall, the flavor is intense and delicious enough that it saves this meal from falling lower on the list.
Healthy Choice Lemon Pepper Fish
Lemon pepper is a winning combination on everything from chicken wings to pork chops, so how does it fare as the main flavor component of this Healthy Choice Lemon Pepper Fish frozen entree? The fish is served on a bed of rice and diced peppers, along with steamed broccoli and a cinnamon apple caramel dessert. It certainly seems to be a lot more nutritious than some of the other entrees on the list with a full serving of green veggies on the side.
Oddly enough, the fish is the best thing about this meal. It is flavorful, and if you appreciate lemon pepper, you'll like this because it packs plenty of it. The meal only falls short because of the rice and broccoli. Healthy doesn't have to be boring, but that's exactly what is happening with this meal. Both of the sides are bland, so stock up on the salt, pepper and hot sauce. The apple dessert is another odd component of this meal. A reviewer on the Healthy Choice website said, "Serving size for fish and broccoli were fine, but it was the serving size of the apple [dessert] that left me saying 'Why Bother!!' About 5 thumbnail square pieces of apple in about a tablespoon of a watery liquid. Not exaggerating."
Lean Cuisine Lemon Pepper Fish
Here's yet another breaded lemon pepper fish option, this time by Lean cuisine. It paired the meal with lemon herb rice, and overall, it is a tasty microwaveable meal option. We love that it's a decent-sized portion with solid flavor, and no need to add sauces to tinker with the flavor intensity.
While lemon pepper might not be everyone's cup of tea, it's a great serving size for those watching their caloric intake. Said one Influenster reviewer, "Probably my favorite frozen fish dinner of any line and I LOVE Fish! Breading is not overdone, seasoning is on point (without the lemon or the pepper dominating the taste) with the perfect blend of seasonings. I add a side salad and always feel full the rest of the night!"
It's still microwavable fish, so if you come into this expecting a Michelin-starred meal, you'll be disappointed. All things considered, Lean Cuisine's lemon pepper fish is a frozen fish TV dinner that doesn't miss the mark!
Trader Joe's Cod Provençal with Ratatouille & Rice
Trader Joe's takes a stab at the microwaveable fish entrée with its cod provençale. This cod dish is served with an eggplant ratatouille and a rice pilaf mixture.
It's 350 calories per serving, so perhaps it decided to skip breading or other heavier carb options to ensure this stayed relatively healthy. It's certainly a tasty frozen fish option but veers toward the bland side. If you're a flavor or spice nut, you should be prepared to jazz this up with some of your own. Become Betty said, "My biggest complaint about the decent-sized portion of fish was that it was not seasoned in any way. There was no discernible salt or pepper here. There is no sear for flavor. Just fish. I packed a lemon with my lunch to brighten things up."
The ratatouille pulls it all together, making this dish more flavorful than boring.
Stouffer's Fish Filet with Macaroni
A breaded fish filet served with a side of macaroni and cheese is in no way supposed to be healthy. Once you've gotten past that, you'll probably really enjoy this Stouffer's frozen fish meal. Is it the most exciting frozen meal you'll ever taste? No, but it is warm, hearty, and quick. One GoodNes.com reviewer added a little bit of their own pizazz to take this meal to the next level. "Absolutely delicious fresh tasting mouth-watering fish filet!" the person wrote. "Even the mac & cheese tasted great. I squeezed a little lemon on the fish after the first round in the microwave and used about 2 T of a great tartar sauce and I savored every bite."
If you do want to amp up the nutrition, you can add a side of steamed vegetables or a fresh salad. That would round this meal out and keep it from feeling heavy and greasy. Breaded fish lovers, look no more. Here is the frozen meal you've been wishing for!
Trader Joe's Korma Fish Curry
Trader Joe's has a whole line of frozen Indian-inspired dishes that are packed with flavor. Its Korma fish curry with basmati rice is no different. Now let's get a few things out the way: the rice is rather bland, as it's just plain basmati rice. There are also no vegetables included with this dish, so if you care anything about having a balanced meal with all of the food groups, you'll need to supplement this one.
Once you get past that, you'll discover that this is a really good dish. The portion of the fish is hearty — there are 2 good-sized filets, according to Freezer Meal Frenzy. There's also plenty of sauce for you to mix with that simple rice. The fish is tender, the sauce is saucy with a little spice and overall it's a great dish to pop into the microwave for lunch on a day when you want to bring a little brightness. Food is enjoyment... and Trader Joe's proves that even frozen dishes can bring that same happiness.