The #1 Frozen Food to Buy at Aldi’s, According to a Food Writer

The first time I had poké—fresh raw tuna, seasoned sushi rice and pickled vegetables—was a decade ago when I visited Hawaii. I was on assignment writing about the foods of Hawaii for a travel magazine, and I fell in love. It was hard not to eat the simple rice-and-fish dish everyday. 

When I returned home, however, my poké bowl days were over. It was largely unknown on the East Coast where I live. So, when poké shops started to open around me five years ago, I was in heaven—until the dent in my wallet curbed my obsession. If only, I thought, I could make poké bowls at home. But sushi-grade tuna was both hard to come by and expensive.

Until Aldi came to the rescue.

Related: 11 Aldi Dupes That Are Better Than the Original, According to a Food Writer

Now, I’ll admit I love Aldi for a lot of reasons. What’s not to like about a wide variety of food at reasonable prices, especially in these inflationary days. The gourmet treats like fig spread, olives, cheeses, coconut oil and knockoff Girl Scout cookies are a big part of the draw too. Both the fresh and frozen fish at Aldi are usually pretty good, but the day I saw Sushi-Grade Ahi Tuna Steaks nestled in the seafood freezer, I did a double take.

Inside the bag was 12 ounces of beautifully pink fish, cut into two or three pieces that were each about an inch thick. The individual portions were vacuum-sealed, so that the smooth, unblemished tuna was easily visible.

It looked good, but I didn’t believe it—sushi grade? That was a bold statement for supermarket frozen fish. On top of that it’s certified by the Marine Stewardship Council, one of the most rigorous third-party certification organizations when it comes to sustainable seafood. It all seemed just too good to be true. I skeptically bought the product and took it home to try it out on—you guessed it—poké bowls for my family. 

My first step was to defrost the tuna pieces in their vacuum-sealed bags in a bowl of cold water in the refrigerator. (I do this in the morning when I know I’m using frozen fish later that day for dinner.) After I assembled the bowls with seasoned sushi rice, pickled radishes and cucumbers tossed in soy sauce and chili oil, I removed the defrosted tuna from its pack. 

First, I gave it the sniff test. There was no discernible smell to the fish whatsoever—so far so good. Its appearance was evenly deep pink with minimal fat. When I pressed my knife into the tuna, it was firm but easily yielded as I cut it into slices then small cubes. I tossed it with rice vinegar, soy sauce, garlic and ginger, assembled the bowls and presented it to my family with my fingers crossed. If the product tasted even decent, it would be a game changer.

Two bites and the look on their faces said it all. The ahi tuna wasn’t decent, it was phenomenal. It was so good that I went back the next day to buy five more bags because I was worried that once they ran out, the store wouldn’t stock any more. Happily, I later learned that, unlike many of its seasonal or experimental items, this fish is part of Aldi’s regular product line.

My love for this product has, admittedly, become an obsession. Almost anyone who comes over is dragged to the kitchen so I can show them the bag. I’ve become such an evangelist that my friends joke that it’s like I work for the store. I’ve even started to worry that I’ve spread the word a little too much, so I grab one or two extra bags of the tuna whenever I shop at Aldi—whether I need them or not. Just in case they run out—which did happen once, much to my horror. 

Today, there are always at least three bags of these ahi tuna steaks in my freezer. And I don’t only use them for poké bowls. They are wonderful for making tuna tartare, salade niçoise or an incredibly fresh tuna salad sandwich. I also like to lightly coat their edges with teriyaki sauce and dredge them in a mix of white and black sesame seeds. I then sear each side in a hot frying pan coated with a small amount of toasted sesame oil. I slice the rare tuna into ¼-inch slices and serve on top of salad for a light meal. I’m sure it would also make a lovely ceviche and be excellent in these Smoked Tuna Tacos, and of course, if you are a sushi fan, this fish is for you.

There’s a lot to love about this tuna, including how easily it allows us to get more fish into our diets. As for poké, my family doesn’t even consider eating it out—I just make it at home. So next time you’re at Aldi, grab a bag to try for yourself. I’m sure there’ll be plenty left—unless I’ve gotten there first.