I Tried Good Catch Foods Plant-Based Seafood and I Was Shocked

The plant-based food sensation has taken over and is here to stay. While there are several alternatives to beef and chicken, there hadn't been great seafood alternatives. That is until Good Catch Foods came along. Good Catch is a chef-driven food company that produces flavor and high-quality plant-based seafood products. Their products offer the same taste and texture as seafood, without harming the environment.

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What is Good Catch?

Good Catch's co-founders are Chad Sarno and Derek Sarno. Chad Sarno is the founding chef and he came in with extensive knowledge of plant-based cooking. Before starting Good Catch, he co-founded Wicked Food brands. He's launched restaurants worldwide, including Istanbul, London, and Munich. He has also served as the Global Wellness Coordinator, Media Spokesperson, and R&D Chef for Whole Foods Market's focus on plant-based diets.

Good Catch began as a startup company in 2016. Gathered Foods are the makers of Good Catch products. Last year in April, the company secured $26.35 million in its funding round. The investment came in part from the Louis Dreyfus Company, Big Idea Ventures, and others. In 2020, the company announced that Christine Mei would be the new CEO. The title was previously held by Chris Kerr.

You can find Good Catch products in Whole Foods, Kroger, Target, Veggie Grill, and Albertsons. Good Catch also offers foodservice products for restaurant operators and chefs.

What Are the Products Made From?

All of the plant-based seafood products are made from a special blend of 6 legumes. They combine peas, chickpeas, lentils, soy, fava beans, and navy beans to create the base for their fish products. Seasonings and flavors are added to give each product its unique taste and texture.

All Good Catch food products are non-GMO, vegan, and dairy-free. Their products contain soy and wheat, so they are not gluten-free.

Types of Products 

Good Catch makes 9 total products. They have 3 different types of fish-free tuna pouches: Naked In Water, Mediterranean, and Oil and Herbs. They also make frozen crab cakes, fish burgers, fish cakes, fish fillets, fish sticks, and crab cakes with breading.

Each of the frozen products comes with a recommended sauce recipe on the back of the box. Their website also gives suggested pairings and recipes to make with the plan-based seafood.

The Review

Good Catch was nice enough to send me a sampling of all their frozen products, plus their Mediterranean tuna. I'll admit, I am a carnivore through and through, without much experience in plant-based meat products. I have never even tried a beyond meat burger. I was excited to delve into the world of sustainable plant-based seafood delicacies.

The breaded fish sticks, fish fillets, and breaded crab cakes all gave instructions for the stovetop and air-fryer. I chose to use the air-fryer to get a crispy crust. The fish burgers, New England crab cakes, and the Thai-style fish cakes all gave instructions to cook on the stove. I like how you can cook everything from frozen, instead of defrosting it beforehand!

The tuna was already seasoned and tasted a bit of olive, hence the Mediterranean style. It looked like a high-end tuna, something nicer than Bumble bee. The sweet red pepper comes through and I think this would be good as a tuna melt with cheese. The website suggests serving as a tuna salad with hearty greens and pita. I thought it was a tad dry, and did not taste fishy at all. This is a perk if you're seafood averse.

I was impressed by how much the frozen products smelled like fish. The fish burger has a flaky texture and detectable seasoning. It developed a crispy crust and was pretty good. I didn't really detect a fish flavor.

The breaded crab cakes tasted similar to the tuna, with flecks of red pepper, but with a much better texture. It was crispy, crunchy, and downright enjoyable.

The fish filet and fish stick tasted almost identical. Both reminded me of my favorite childhood fish stick snack. The breading was thick and pleasantly crunchy.

The Thai-style fish cakes and New England-style crab cakes were my favorite. They mimicked almost perfectly the flaky and dense texture of a crab cake. They both had a crispy top from pan-frying. The Thai cakes had a hint of lemongrass flavor and spice. I could see devouring a plate of these with some remoulade sauce.

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