Costco Tortilla Crusted Tilapia - High Liner + Crispy Air Fryer Recipe

Costco Tortilla Crusted Tilapia is one of the hidden gems of the frozen food section. High Liner offers a healthy, tasty, and convenient tortilla crusted tilapia at Costco. 

High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Costco scaled

These white and flakey tilapia filets are encrusted with corn tortilla chips, chipotle peppers, and garlic.

Tortilla Crusted Tilapia at Costco

A 2lb box of High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia at Costco sells for $13.49. They can be found in the frozen food section next to miso glazed codbeer batted cod, and fish sticks

High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Costco Back scaled e1643771386757

Have You Tried Costco's Tortilla Crusted Tilapia?

Let the rest of the Costco Food Database community know what you thought of this product. Results and reviews are at the bottom of this page. 

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Sustainable Fish

Tilapia is a very sustainable fish, and the packaging lets you know in multiple spots that these are responsibly fished tilapias.

It’s always good to fish responsibly, and these tilapias are from an ASC responsible fish farm. High Liner is committed to responsible and sustainable seafood.  

Costco Cost Comparison

Costco's Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Costs $13.49

High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia sells for $13.49 or $9.49 when the item is on sale. This breaks down to $6.75 per pound or $4.75 when the item is discounted. 

The sale price is fantastic as Costco sells fresh tilapia filets for $4.99. Very rarely will a frozen prepared food item be cheaper than Costco’s price for the same item when it’s fresh. 

Is the Frozen Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Worth it?

Yes, the tortilla crusted tilapia is easily worth the money. I usually don’t like paying extra for food I can make myself, but I never thought of using a tortilla crust on a tilapia before, nor would I know how to.

Because of that, this purchase doesn’t sting much since it brings a new food item to the table.

Update: Like most food items, the High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia has gone up in price. The current retail price is $15.49 per two pound box. 

First Impressions

There are 11 to 12 Pieces Per Box

Once you open the box, all the tilapias are in a clear plastic bag. There appear to be around 11 or 12 individual tortilla crusted tilapias.

Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Costco scaled
Frozen Tilapia - Large Pieces of Seasoning

Unfortunately, the bag is not resealable, so you will have to either figure out how to seal the bag or eat any remaining pieces sooner rather than later.

The Tilapia Looks Amazing

The Costco tortilla crusted tilapias look amazing. The crust is a nice golden brown, and many of the crust’s seasoning pieces are large and visible to the eye. There seem to be flakes of red and green mixed up into the tortilla crust and it looks very appetizing. 

The product looks closer to being handmade than it does to being produced in a factory. They look so good that I want to serve these and pass them off as my own, and I probably could too. 

Crusted on Only One Side

I’m unsure if it is just my batch that I got or if this is the intended product, but my tilapias were only crusted or breaded on one side. On the other side, they were essentially naked. 

Costco Frozen Tilapia Back scaled
Frozen - Naked Back

From how they appear on the box, there is no indication that these are only tortilla crusted on one side. It does look like there could be breading on both sides, but it isn’t 100% clear. 

Cooking Instructions

How to Cook High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia

High Liner lists two different ways to cook these, and both of them are in the oven. The instructions are listed below. Because all ovens vary, make sure the tilapia is heated to a minimum internal temperature of 155°F. 

I have also included my air fryer recipe for these tilapia. 

High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Cooking Instructions scaled

Conventional Oven

  • Place rack in center of the oven and preheat to 425°F. 
  • Place frozen fish in a single layer on a non-stick or foil-lined baking pan. 
  • Bake for 13 to 15 minutes

Convection Oven

  • Place rack in center of the oven and preheat to 375°F. 
  • Place frozen fish in a single layer on a non-stick or foil-lined baking pan. 
  • Bake for 12 to 14 minutes

Super Crispy Air Fryer Recipe

I usually like to follow the instructions to see how the company thinks their product should be eaten, but I decided to air fry the tilapia pieces for this review. 

I did 400° for 10-12 minutes, and they came out perfect. The crust was crispy but not overdone, and the fish was cooked very well. 

Costco Tilapia scaled
Handle With Care - They are Fragile

Air Fryer Cooking Instructions

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. 
  • Spray the air fryer basket or tray with cooking oil. 
  • Place fish in a single layer in the tray/basket.
  • Cook for 10-12 minutes until tilapia reaches 155°F and the exterior is crispy. 

Why I love the Air Fryer for Frozen Foods

I personally like using my air fryer because the food usually comes out a little crispier, and there is a substantial amount of preheating time saved. My air fryer heats up in about 3 minutes, while my oven can take 10-15 minutes to heat up. 

I’m one to experiment with food, but I again chose the air fryer even on my second tasting of these. The crust literally glistens in the air fryer, and the fish comes out perfectly flakey. 

Tortilla Crusted Tilapia - Taste Test

Amazing Frozen Product

I am extremely impressed with these tortilla-crusted tilapias. The crust came out very crispy and flavorful. The presentation of the fish is beautiful and very appetizing. They were easy to eat and seasoned perfectly. 

Costco High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia scaled

The Crust is Crispy and Flavorful

The texture of the crust came out much better than your typical breading, and it was packed with flavor without being overly salty. The garlic and chipotle seasoning really shine through, making the tilapia taste wonderful. 

The One Sided Seasoning/Crust is Perfect

The one sidedness of the crust didn’t seem to bother me as much as I thought it would. Breading on only one side was enough in this case. 

Some people may potentially want the other side to be breaded, but I’ve always thought less is more when it comes to seasoning for frozen food. 

These are seasoned and flavored so well. Much props to High Liner because that is a difficult feat to achieve with frozen foods. I did not miss the second side being breaded or even notice when it came time to eat the fish. 

High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia scaled

I thought there might be some texture inconsistencies if I was biting into the fish side vs. biting into the crusted side, but honestly, it wasn’t a big enough problem to be concerned with.

Overall, I am very impressed with these Costco Tortilla Crusted Tilapia, and I will definitely be buying more. 

Costco Tortilla Crusted Tilapia Nutritional Information

There are 170 calories per serving

There are 9 servings per 2-pound box, so each serving is approximately 3.55oz or 3.4oz, as they put it. Each serving contains only 180 calories, including 7g of fat, 10g of carbohydrates, and 18g of protein. 

I always love to see more protein than fat and carbohydrates combined

Costco Tortilla Tilapia Nutritional Information scaled

Moderate Amount of Sodium

Of course, the only issue will be the sodium, coming in at 440mg per fish fillet. This is 19% of the daily recommended value. Not the worst, but not the best. 

Sodium is always higher in frozen foods, but regardless, this might have some of the best nutritional facts out of all the frozen foods at Costco.

Great Nutritional Profile for a Frozen Food

High Liner wins on all fronts here. The food is gorgeous, delicious, and relatively healthy for you. 

 

Eating fish, in general, is pretty healthy, and in my mind, adding a tortilla crust still keeps these tilapias as one of the healthier frozen food options at Costco. 

Final Thoughts

This is a top-tier frozen food at Costco. It may not have the overall popularity as a frozen pizza or some chicken nuggets, but this frozen tilapia is absolutely delicious. 

They are a little on the pricier side, but the quality is there, and this may be the food item that is closest to the restaurant quality. 

These would blow anything out of the water at any chain restaurant (that’s not saying much), but I wouldn’t be surprised to find food of this quality at a mid-tier seafood restaurant. This is just to give you an idea of the food comparison and what you can expect. 

Either way, these are a must-buy, and a must-try, and one of the best items available in Costco’s frozen food section.

Updated April 3rd 2024

Costco High Liner Tortilla Crusted Tilapia scaled

Extra Crispy Costco Tortilla Crusted Tilapia

This recipes makes the crispiest crunchiest tortilla crusted tilapia. You won't be dissapointed!
5 from 2 votes
Prep Time 2 minutes
Cook Time 12 minutes
Total Time 14 minutes
Course Main Course
Cuisine American
Servings 2 Person
Calories 170 kcal

Equipment

  • Air Fryer

Ingredients
  

  • 4 Pieces Tortilla Crusted Tilapia

Instructions
 

  • Preheat the air fryer to 400°F. 
  • Spray the air fryer basket or tray with cooking oil. 
  • Place fish in a single layer in the tray/basket.
  • Cook for 10-12 minutes until tilapia reaches 155°F and the exterior is crispy. 

Nutrition

Serving: 1FilletCalories: 170kcalCarbohydrates: 9gProtein: 17gFat: 7gSaturated Fat: 1.5gTrans Fat: 0gCholesterol: 40mgSodium: 440mgFiber: 0gSugar: 0g
Keyword air fryer, costco, costco tilapia, costco tortilla crusted tilapia, tortilla crusted tilapia
Tried this recipe?Let us know how it was!

Costco Food Database User Reviews

Have you tried this item? Let the rest of the Costco Food Database community know what you think. Leave a rating and review for this product. 

 5/5 (12)
91.7%
100%
100%


The best fish ever. Costco no longer Carrie’s this fish which is very disappointing
 5/5
Our Costco here in Norther Nevada are out and we haven’t had any for several weeks now . Please bring this back .
 5/5
Super tasty, and convenient! Been eating on rotation for quick lunches
 5/5
Excellent
 5/5
This is excellent on its own, but try it with Tzadziki Greek yogurt "dip." Get it at Costco as well. One of my favorite main courses.
 5/5

 5/5
Love, love these. Cant get enough. 3 times a week.
 5/5
Easy, yummy!
 5/5
Best tasting prepared tilapia ever! We look for it constantly, as it frequently runs out of stock! Buy it when you can find it!
 5/5
It's delicious! Frequently out of stock though.
 5/5

4 thoughts on “Costco Tortilla Crusted Tilapia – High Liner”

  1. This fish makes THE BEST fish tacos! I use pre-shredded coleslaw and make a sauce to go the tacos. Besides using in tacos, we like this fish as a healthy meal with a squirt of lime. It’s the only non-fried fish my husband will eat.

  2. Angelica Peraza

    My family absolutely loves the frozen tortilla crusted tilapia. We normally make a salad and bed the fish on top! It is perfect for a light meal. Definitely an always buy for us!

  3. I recently moved to a new part of the country, and it appears that my local Costcos don’t carry this product. I am really bummed! Is it out of stock, is there a way to mail order it, or am I just out of luck?

    1. What city do you live in? I don’t mind checking out some of the surrounding stores in your area to see if they carry this tilapia.

Comments are closed.