5 Best And 2 Worst Costco Salmon Products, According To Shoppers

Costco offers plenty of delicious foods in various forms, thanks to the store carrying a plethora of brands on its shelves. This includes numerous salmon products that come in all shapes and sizes, from frozen fillets seasoned in many unique ways to different types of smoked salmon. These products function as strong lunch or dinner options, or as side dishes to help enhance a larger meal. Thanks to its versatility, Costco's high-grade salmon gets plenty of discussion from regular shoppers, who all have opinions about the most common salmon products.

Customer opinions range from brimming positivity to unhappy negativity, with a clear divide between which salmon products are worth buying and which are not. This list encompasses the best and worst of these Costco shelf-stocked dishes, determining which are worthy of taking home and which are better left at the supermarket. While customers have high praise for the majority of the dishes on this list, there are a few particular standouts that are best avoided. One thing's for sure, though: Costco's diverse salmon lineup means there's a little something for everyone.

Smoked salmon is a welcoming commodity, and one that Costco delivers on thanks to Kirkland Signature. The company's 12-ounce smoked salmon packs are produced in the Netherlands, with the fish itself procured from Norway. It's a simple, pre-cut package of salmon, but one that dedicated shoppers say boasts impeccable flavor. Regulars call it a go-to smoked salmon brand, citing its flavor as a reason why. Even among a wide swath of smoked salmon options at various stores, customers will point to Costco and Kirkland Signature as the best money can buy.

Dedicated enjoyers often share recipes involving smoked salmon or dishes that it can be used to complement. Highlights include being draped atop bagels, loaded into a baguette sandwich, or paired with cream cheese. But it's just as tasty on its own, too. Although Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon has become the victim of Costco's price jumps in recent years, it hasn't stopped customers from praising it in droves. The versatility, taste, and overall experience the smoked salmon offers ensure a distinctive flavor that has captivated its dedicated base of buyers.

Sometimes, the best salmon dish is one that's already prepared and seasoned, ready to be thrown into the oven or air fryer. Live Ocean's Sweet Thai Chili Salmon provides such an experience with each box of half a dozen hand-seasoned fillets. The fish uses brown sugar, mild chili peppers, and ginger as some of its core ingredients, topped with additional spices for added flavor. It's a customer favorite, partially because of how easy it is to prepare, with it only taking a few minutes in the microwave.

Regular buyers attest to just how much sweetness the salmon offers, earning high praise as a core dinner dish. Though functioning as a strong basis for a hearty meal, it's equally delectable on its own. Some even attest to it being the best salmon on the market — not just because of its added flavors, but because of the taste of the fish, which is sourced from Chile. It goes to show how beloved Live Ocean's Sweet Thai Chili Salmon is, making it a worthwhile purchase for Costco shoppers seeking a tangier fish dish.

Although Morey's Seasoned Wild Alaskan Salmon has some positive reviews, the mixed satisfaction rate overall makes it an easy-to-avoid entry among Costco's diverse salmon offerings. Boasting a responsibly sourced fish, this dish is reinforced by a blend of sea salt, garlic, and paprika seasoning. It's furthered still by a small amount of onion and red bell pepper. Some customers have expressed adoration for the dish, satisfied by the level of salt and saying it pairs well with rice and green vegetables.

But that hasn't stopped shoppers from debating its taste, with some finding the marinade seasoning approach to be too strong. Particularly, there's a sentiment that the fish is too salty. It appears to be an acquired taste, with customers divided about just how well prepared the Alaskan salmon really is. Morey's doesn't appeal to everyone, with some taste buds getting more satisfaction than others. While it's worth trying out, thanks to an eye-catching spice mixture and some positive testimonials, it differs from other entries on this list as shoppers can't fully agree on just how worthwhile it really is.

Frozen and ripe for the air fryer, Kirkland Signature's Atlantic Blackened Salmon is exactly what it sounds like. Farm-raised Atlantic salmon is sliced into thick fillets, blackened on either side, and seasoned with a whole host of common spices: black pepper, thyme, white pepper, oregano, red pepper, paprika, garlic, onion, and chili. It's a universal mixture that, when paired with the already crisp seafood, has customers locked in adoration. Shoppers find the blackened salmon extremely tasty, praising its salty yet savory flavor, made stronger by the diversity of seasonings used to accentuate its taste.

While the salmon can be prepared in an air fryer right out of the box, customers recommend letting the fillets thaw for a more potent flavor. It ensures the fish doesn't get too crisped, highlighting the pre-blackened crunch without overdoing it. It helps give the dish a smokiness that contrasts with the fish's rich taste, while also elevating the packed, savory approach of its added spices. The varied prep options bring out versatility in flavor, an approach that keeps regulars satisfied and makes Kirkland Signature's Atlantic Blackened Salmon one of Costco's tastiest.

Yet another delectable entry from Kirkland Signature, the product line's Wild Smoked Sockeye Salmon offers a similar yet unique taste to its Signature Smoked Salmon approach. The smoked salmon is made from wild-caught Alaskan salmon, whose red coloring is said to produce a stronger flavor. Regular shoppers tend to agree, attesting to both its taste and quality. It's a deliciousness distinct from regular smoked salmon, with some shoppers also praising the fact that it contains no artificial colors, unlike some smoked salmon products.

Its uses aren't any different from regular smoked salmon. Regulars still enjoy adding it to meals, with a particular slant toward breakfast. It's said the sockeye salmon pairs well with eggs, making for a delectable protein-heavy dish. But it also performs well on its own, too, delivering a sweet, meaty pull with every bite. The differences between Kirkland Signature's smoked sockeye and its regular smoked salmon help it stand on its own. While both are worthwhile, the sockeye has its own fish-focused taste that gives it an added boost — especially for customers who prefer wild-caught over farm-raised.

Although Cuisine Solutions Seared Salmon boasts a flavor combination that sounds delicious on paper, customers are unimpressed with the way the pre-cooked salmon fillets come out. Smothered with soy, honey, and ginger sauce, the dish promises a sweet seasoning that complements the natural savor of the fish itself. But, according to shoppers, this prepared salmon dish isn't all that tasty. Buyers complain of bland fillets, with the sauce doing all the heavy lifting. The thickness of the fillets makes it difficult to cook, too. The texture is rough after leaving it in the oven for the recommended amount of time, but customers say it's more tender when taken out a few minutes early.

But even this doesn't fully succeed in giving the fish a worthwhile taste. Customers feel little enthusiasm about the flavor, with the blandness of the fish still evident over the attempt to mask it with the sauce. They're also not impressed by its price tag, which they find hefty compared to regular fresh salmon. While other fish on this list have been reasonably priced, Cuisine Solutions Seared Salmon is said to be marked notably higher than other dishes. Whether this is the company itself or Costco's doing is up for debate. One thing's for certain, though: This seared salmon dish is definitely best left where you found it.

Sourced from wild-caught fish with small amounts of garlic and onion seasoning, Trident Seafoods' Alaskan Salmon Burgers are one of the best salmon products Costco has to offer. The Alaska-sourced fish meat is pressed into a perfectly circular burger shape, equipped with only a small amount of seasoning to enhance the flavor. But, for the most part, the patty relies on natural flavor to attract regular purchasers. Customer reviews reflect this, expressing satisfaction that the flavor of the salmon gets priority. Shoppers also admire how nutritious the patties are, sporting a generous amount of protein and omega-3 fatty acids in each burger.

Patty freshness is a common compliment amongst reviews, with customers happy about the tender texture and how easily the burgers cook on a stovetop. The burgers also taste great after grilling, making them a solid seafood addition to a backyard barbecue. Though prepped salmon dishes often take the form of delicious frozen fish fillets, these patties maintain a particularly high level of quality, which, ultimately, puts Trident Seafoods above many other options in customers' eyes. Easy to prepare and customize, the Alaskan Salmon Burgers are one of Costco's finest, making for a versatile meal that shoppers are wholeheartedly enamored with.

The salmon products chosen for this piece were gathered via Costco's website. Reviews from the site itself were used as a basis for understanding customer consensus, while social media posts on Reddit, Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube were used to further bolster insight. All sources were used to ensure a wide consensus on each product, making each easier to sort into "best" and "worst" categories.

As for the qualities of the ranking system, taste was one of the core factors. Texture was also important, with tenderness and dryness being the best and worst descriptors for various dishes. Price was also a point for a handful of products. Taking each into account determined overall satisfaction and, thus, where each product was ranked.