How to Cook Fish from Frozen – Citrus Pepper & Dill Cod

I often avoid purchasing pre-packaged frozen fish. No matter what I tried, it never came out quite right. It was either too dry, too mushy, or worse, too fishy. So, for the longest time, I strictly purchased fresh (even if previously frozen) fish from the grocery store.  That is, until I learned how to cook fish from frozen, which is darn good for weekly meal prep.  It just requires a few extra steps, but it’s worth it for the wallet since frozen fish tends to be cheaper, and it’s worth it to prevent food waste since you’re less likely to toss it away!

Can you cook fish from frozen?

Yes! Yes, you can.

How do you cook fish from frozen?

Thought you’d never ask!  Most frozen fish comes individually vacuum sealed, which is ideal.  The following steps reflect individually wrapped frozen fish.

Defrost frozen fish

First, you need to defrost the fish, so here are two ways I defrost frozen fish.

Defrost in the fridge

The day/night before you plan to enjoy the fish, remove it from the freezer and place it in the fridge.  It will defrost slowly and evenly overnight.

Defrost in cold water

Fill a pot or large bowl with cold to room-temperature water. Fully submerge the individual packets in the water, and allow the fillets to defrost in about 1 hour, depending on how much you have. This is my preferred method.

Do not thaw frozen fish under hot water. Running hot water over frozen fish can cause uneven thawing where the outer layer becomes partially cooked while leaving the inside frozen. This affects texture and moisture, so you may overcook the fish because you’re trying to thaw the middle simultaneously.

Also, this is a potential food safety risk since you allow bacteria to multiply in the outer layers as they enter the danger temperature range between 40°F and 140°F (4°C – 60°C). Keeping perishable food in this range for too long can be unsafe because bacteria multiply rapidly, increasing the risk of foodborne illness.

Pat the fish dry

After the fish has completely thawed and is the same temperature throughout, remove it from the wrapping.

Line a baking sheet with paper towels and place the fish on top.  Take another paper towel and pat the top and sides of the fish completely dry.  If needed, gently squeeze or press down to remove excess water trapped inside.  Note: The more water is removed, the more the fish can absorb the seasoning or marinade.

This is a personal preference, but I like to place a fresh paper towel on top and let the fish dry for 10-15 more minutes at room temperature, or about 1 hour in the fridge.

How to Get Rid of the Fishy Smell from Frozen Fish

For some reason, frozen fish can smell like the ocean—like you’re standing on the boat that caught the fish. Okay, I may be dramatic in how it comes off to me, but you get my point. Fishy-smelling fish is not that appetizing.

Patting the fish dry will help reduce fishy smells by removing the excess moisture off the surface, which is usually where the odor comes from, but it may not be enough.

For stronger odors, try soaking the fish in milk (yes, seriously), water with a fresh-squeezed lemon, or a very mild saltwater brine for about 15 minutes before drying it.  This can further neutralize the fishy odors.

Season the fish

Once the fish is dry, place it in a mixing bowl. Drizzle a little oil or spray with olive oil, then sprinkle in the seasonings. The oil acts as a binder for the seasoning, which is why it’s important to pat the fish dry.  Also, cod is a very lean fish that cooks quickly and can dry out quickly.

Note: The added oil helps create a protective barrier that locks in moisture and slows evaporation during cooking.

How to Cook Frozen Fish

Of all the methods for cooking fish from a frozen state—baking, air-frying, grilling/sauteing, poaching—I discourage cooking fish in a skillet.

Even though the fish is visibly dry, excess moisture from freezing and thawing still makes it difficult to get a good sear. This often leads to “steaming” rather than browning or, in some cases, the fish turning to mush in the pan.

Alternatively, the other methods allow for even cooking, help retain moisture, and prevent the fish from falling apart as quickly.

When it comes to cooking, I prefer cooking fish at lower temperatures to avoid the risk of the fish drying out.

How to Air-fry Frozen Fish

Set the air-fryer to 400F (204C).

Spray the interior basket and place the fillets inside and be sure they are not touching or overlapping.  You may have to cook in batches.  Cook for 8 – 12 minutes or until the outside is golden brown.

How to Bake Frozen Fish

Set oven to 400F.  Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.  Spread out the fillets on the sheet and ensure space between them.  Bake in the oven for 10 – 15 minutes.

See – easy enough!  And just like that, you have delicious, juicy cooked fish for meal prep that doesn’t taste like the ocean, or feel like bread in your mouth!