The Ultimate Fish Buying Guide

From salmon to sea bass, here’s everything you need to know about buying fish. Plus, substitutes if the one you want is unavailable.

From: Food Network Magazine

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Photo By: Stephanie Carter

All the Fish in the Sea

Next time you’re shopping for fish, know what you’re getting!

All Illustrations by Stephanie Carter for Food Network Magazine.

Arctic Char / Salmon

These two members of the salmonidae family have a pink-orange flesh. They’re extra-rich, oily fish, which means they’re high in omega-3s.

Substitutes: Ocean Trout, Black Cod, Mackerel

Try Our Recipe: Arctic Char En Papillote with Crispy Leeks and Garlic

Cod

This lean white fish will flake into large tender pieces when cooked. Go with Pacific cod, if you can — it’s a more sustainable choice than Atlantic cod.

Substitutes: Haddock, Pollack, Monkfish

Try Our Recipe: Broiled Cod with Hoisin Glaze

Halibut

A meaty texture distinguishes halibut from other types of lean white fish. Look for wild Pacific or farmed Atlantic halibut, which are the most humanely and healthfully sourced.

Substitutes: Flounder, Sole, Cod

Try Our Recipe: Braised Halibut with Fennel in Puttanesca Sauce

Mahi Mahi

This lean tropical fish is named after the Hawaiian word for "strong." Its light pink flesh cooks up white and firm — and it’s both flaky and dense.

Substitutes: Halibut, Swordfish

Try Our Recipe: Grilled Mahi Mahi Sandwiches

Red Snapper

Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico snapper have a distinctive reddish-orange skin and pinkish flesh. Snapper is lean and mild; some say it tastes slightly nutty.

Substitutes: Grouper, Black Sea Bass

Try Our Recipe: Filipino Whole Grilled Fish with Tomato-Onion Salsa

Sea Bass

Black sea bass is one of the most widely available in this group of white-flesh fish. It’s lean and delicate, with a buttery and slightly sweet flavor.

Substitutes: Flounder, Red Snapper

Try Our Recipe: Filipino Whole Grilled Fish with Tomato-Onion Salsa

Sole

These fillets are super thin, so they cook quickly. Sole generally comes from European waters; its American counterpart is flounder, which is similarly light and delicate.

Substitutes: Red Snapper, Pollack

Try Our Recipe: Sole Meunière

Swordfish

If you like meaty fish, swordfish is for you — it’s generally sold in hefty steaks. When cooked, it’s moist and firm and the flavor is mild but distinct.

Substitutes: Halibut, Tuna

Try Our Recipe: Swordfish Schnitzel with Radicchio Salad

Tuna

The albacore variety usually goes into cans; bluefin, skipjack, yellowfin and others are sold as steaks. Because tuna can toughen quickly, it’s best served rare.

Substitutes: Swordfish, Mahi Mahi

Try Our Recipe: Seared Tuna with Chile-Pineapple Sauce