11 Costco Frozen Foods That Shoppers Say Are Secretly Gourmet
The majority of us don't have enough time to whip up a home-cooked meal every night of the week – nor can we afford dining out all the time. Luckily, there are several items in the freezer section of Costco that are not only affordable and amazing deals but also taste just as good (if not better) than restaurants. Here are 11 Costco frozen foods that shoppers say are secretly gourmet, and perfect for keeping in your freezer for those nights you aren't sure what to do for dinner.
Motor City Pizza Co. Double Pepperoni Pizza
Detroit-style pizza is hard to find. Luckily, Motor City Pizza Co. Double Pepperoni is hiding in the freezer section of Costco. "The texture is immaculate," writes one Redditor. "The double pepperoni is the best frozen pizza I've ever had," says another. "I love them. Not only do they taste great but they always cook the same each time," a third chimes in.
Kirkland Signature Supreme Cauliflower Crust Pizza
A good cauliflower crust pizza is also a unicorn. I actually prefer Kirkland Signature Supreme Cauliflower Crust Pizza to normal pizza, and can personally attest that it is better than any pizzeria cauliflower crust I've had. This is a must-buy if you like your pizza smothered in cheese and toppings, including pepperoni, sausage, and roasted veggies. Remember that "cauliflower crust" pizza might be gluten-free, but does not equate to "healthy" or low-calorie. One serving (one-quarter of the pizza) is 310 calories and eight grams of saturated fat – 40 percent of your recommended daily intake – and I can quickly eat an entire pizza in a sitting.
Ajinomoto Yakitori Chicken Fried Rice
For as long as I can remember, Ajinomoto Yakitori Chicken Fried Rice has been in the freezer section of Costco. One box has six bags of chicken fried rice that can be cooked in the microwave for three minutes. Our reviewer maintains that it looks "just like homemade fried rice should look" with "chunks of chicken and a variety of colorful vegetables" along with brown rice. And, it is "so easy" to make that her kids (ages 9 and 11) "could make this independently whenever they wanted."
Kirkland Signature Cooked Meatballs Italian Style Beef
I always have a bag of Kirkland Signature Cooked Meatballs Italian-Style Beef in my freezer. My kids maintain these are better than any homemade or restaurant meatballs they've ever had. And they are so easy to make. You can either toss them in the air fryer or microwave them. One Redditor, also a fan, writes "they are so versatile (Meatball subs, Sweet n' sour meatballs w/ rice & Asia veggies, add them to a frozen pizza to beef it up, add them to pasta w/ a bit of butter, garlic, & parmesan or add them to classic spaghetti)."
Marie Callender Chicken Pot Pies
Marie Callender's chicken pot pies are legendary; you can find them in the Costco freezer section. "You get 8 for the same price as 4 at regular grocery stores," writes one shopper. "Truly are they even related it's crazy how mid the restaurant is when the frozen food is so good," another says.
Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumplings
Costco carries an impressive assortment of Asian food in the freezer section, and you can't go wrong with any of the dumplings. Recently shoppers have been going wild over these new Xiao Long Bao Soup Dumplings. "On my second bag in a few weeks," writes one fan. "These are better and cheaper than the TJs," another person commented.
La Paloma Mini Empanadas Beef Nacho Style
Our reviewer also endorsed La Paloma Mini Empanadas Beef Nacho Style, which many shoppers maintain is better than those at a Mexican restaurant. "These mini empanadas are certainly not fashionable, but they'd look how you'd expect them to. I would have liked a little more browning, crispy looking edges, but they fly off the plate so fast nobody really inspected them," she writes. Toss them in the air-fryer and in minutes, have a quick and "appealing" meal.
Kirkland Signature Chicken Chunks
Lots of people swear that Kirkland Signature Chicken Chunks are better than gourmet and even beat Chick-fil-A. "My kids are singlehandedly keeping them in business I think," jokes one person. They are also versatile, with lots of people tossing them in pasta dishes, salads, or eating with dip.
Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna
One of the most highly hyped Costco branded products is the Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna, and it literally is just like homemade lasagna. "The top was a mound of cheese and sauce with sausage poking through," our reviewer says, adding that it tastes "far better than your average frozen lasagna, and it's made with choice ground beef, sausage, real cheese, and tomatoes." Be forewarned that it takes over an hour to cook.
Rao's Eggplant Parmesan
If you can't make it to a gourmet Italian restaurant, pick up a box of Rao's Eggplant Parmesan at Costco. Each box comes with two trays, each suitable for five people. "The delicious sauce was exactly what you'd expect. The eggplant was good, breaded, and not overly crispy, but not soggy. I felt like I was eating real food," our reviewer says. This meal also takes an hour to bake.
Royal Asia Coconut Shrimp
Several Redditors and our in-house reviewer recommend Royal Asia Coconut Shrimp, "a nice golden coating with visible pieces of coconut with the tails poking out. Put these on a nice platter and they are ready for any guests coming over," she writes. "I didn't have high expectations, but these coconut shrimp were my favorite. They were crunchy and a bit sweet from the coconut, and the shrimp had the consistency you wanted: firm but not tough. They weren't fishy-tasting."
