The pros: Trader Joe's Marinated White Fish Vera Cruz is an easy dinner that is reasonable in calorie count and easy on the palate.
The cons: Swai isn't terribly flavorful.
The verdict: I got my first introduction to Swai at Trader Joe's. Now, if you've never had Swai or heard of it, then this blogger only writes about seafood and can give you a great overview of what is more commonly known as catfish. If you've ever consumed Trader Joe's Korma Fish Curry, then you've had swai. The magic in that dish, is not the seafood, but the sauce it sits in.
Some fish are just taste like fish. Swai is pretty darn neutral in flavor. It has a nice texture that is flaky enough, but won't disintegrate too quickly. So being that the flavor here isn't the strongest, but that is why this is sold as a marinated product. The marinade has lots of fresh flavors such as tomatoes, olives, chiles, onions, and capers. Fully defrosted, this took under 20 minutes to make the three fish fillets that were in my packet.
The fish came out light and flakey. The brine from the capers and olives flavored the fish lightly. There was enough of the topping to have with a little with each bite. I still wanted some freshly squeezed lemon with this to brighten up the flavor just a bit more. However, I had two filling meals from this little package. This is priced by the pound. My package cost $5.81 or $5.99 per pound. This is well priced and with a bit of planning makes for a quick weeknight dinner. It's worth a try if you enjoy the savory ingredients that are packaged here. Swai is very mild and does not have lots of flavor. It's a good fish for people who don't enjoy a fishy taste.
Here is the visual run down of what you get if you buy this product:
The package of Trader Joe's Marinated White Fish Vera Cruz defrosted:
The nutritional information, the ingredients, and how to prepare:
After being cooked you get:
Would I buy this again? For a quick meal Trader Joe's Marinated White Fish Vera Cruz wasn't bad. Swai isn't as flavorful as some other fish, but it was a healthy freezer option. I'd consider buying it again.
Want to see more items I've reviewed from Trader Joe's? Click on Thoughts & Reviews of Trader Joe’s for a searchable list.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
I am a big TJ fan, but this isn’t one of my favorites. Like you, I think it’s pretty bland. I agree that it’s a great fall-back for those ‘ I so don’t wanna cook’ days, but I usually jazz it up with extra seasoning and maybe some sliced jalapenos as well :). The soy cod ginger, also found in the frozen section, is the one I usually make a beeline for. Thanks for posting!
I tried this tonight, and while I was a bit wary after the review I ended up quite liking it. I’m normally someone who loves big flavors (and lots of hot sauce!) so I didn’t know what to expect, but the flavor combination seemed like something I would enjoy. And I did! I do think the portion that for was a bit scant for three servings so I might try to recreate it on my own in the future.
Hey Lindsay! I think this would be an easy enough combination to make on your own. Thanks for stopping by and sharing your thoughts!
I love it. So easy. Who cares if it is the sauce that makes it. Its not fishy. I like a medium textured fish that is still flaky and this is. The only thing bad about it is that they have discontinued it. I am soooo disappointed.
Hey Debra! I'm disappointed as well. Hopefully there will be some new item to fill in the void with this. Thanks for stopping by and sharing this information!