7 hidden treasures from Costco’s prepared meals

If you want to save time on dinner and feed a lot of people, Costco’s prepared meals are the perfect solution. Made in-store every day, they offer the best value and taste, especially if you want a home-cooked meal without having to cook yourself. Like most things at Costco, these prepared meals come in huge portions, so it’s important to make sure you can enjoy them all week or if you’re cooking for a large group.

Some of the options in the Costco deli already have a loyal following. If you’ve ever been to a cookout of Costco favorites, you may have tried the cream cheese pinwheel sandwiches or the giant pizzas. (And don’t even get me started on the Costco hot dogs!) But some of the best pre-made options at Costco are the ones that don’t get as much attention. These hidden gems are worth a look, whether you’re getting ready to host a big dinner or just want delicious leftovers for yourself for days.

Read more: A Guide to Buying Salmon at the Grocery Store

Stuffed peppers with minced meat and rice

The stuffed peppers are one of the best prepared dishes at Costco, make a wonderful one-pot meal, and are one of the reasons I’ve kept my Costco membership all these years. They’re made with rice, vegetables, and sausage stuffed with red, orange, and yellow peppers. The filling is ground beef, tomato paste, and two types of cheese – mozzarella and provolone. But the Parmesan cheese sprinkled on top gives it an extra salty flavor, along with a crispy crust.

The dish is made with six bell pepper halves, each overflowing with delicious contents. If you’re not starving, half a bell pepper is enough for a meal. They also reheat well in the microwave, although I put them under the broiler for a minute to get a crispy cheese topping even with leftovers. I’ve tried to recreate them, but they didn’t turn out quite as well and cost more to make after buying all the ingredients. If I had to choose just one prepared meal from Costco, this would be my choice.

Beef and pork balls with noodles and sauce

These giant meatballs are perfect for a family meal and don’t require any extra preparation. The meatballs are made with a combination of beef and pork, which enhances the flavor. They’re already pre-cooked, so you don’t have to worry about using a meat thermometer to check if they’re done. This is great if you’re like me and have to multi-task at dinner. The pasta is also cooked, of course, generously coated in marinara, and topped with Parmesan cheese. All you have to do is heat it up and serve. If you’re like my kids and want even more cheese, check out Costco’s wide cheese selection to sprinkle extra Parmesan on top before putting the sheet pan in the oven.

The meatballs are very large, so don’t be surprised if you end up having to cut them in half to serve two people. You’ll need a knife and fork to really enjoy this dish, which for me is one of the signs of a great meatball. For a quick meal, I cut them up ahead of time and mix them with the pasta and sauce. But when served in a hearty dish over pasta and sauce, the giant meatballs make a stunning main dish that requires almost no time in the kitchen.

Salmon Milano with basil pesto butter

Salmon Milano is the process of preparing salmon with butter and herbs. The result is a juicy, tender fish with a bold herbal flavor, and Costco’s is one of the best. Not only do they use excellent quality salmon, but the herb garnish gives it extra flavor without any extra steps. The herb butter is already spread in all the right places on the salmon. As it cooks, the herb butter melts and forms a layer on the top of the fish. Along with large pieces of dill, the placement of the butter ensures that each piece of salmon gets an extra helping of that extra flavor. If the pieces of butter have shifted, you may need to rearrange them before putting the salmon in the oven to make sure they are evenly distributed. This dish looks impressive on the plate and pairs well with steamed broccoli and white wine, which you can also find at Costco in certain states.

This is also one of the healthier options, thanks to the omega-3 fatty acids in the large portion of salmon. The only downside to this option is that, like most fish, it doesn’t reheat well. This option is best prepared if you plan on eating all (or at least most) of it during the same meal. As you’d expect from Costco, this is a large piece of salmon, making it a great value; a restaurant might charge two or three times as much for a similar dish, and a smaller portion at that.

Macaroni and cheese

Costco Mac and Cheese is the perfect option for a sharing side dish and a favorite among the younger members of my family. It’s served with pre-cooked pasta and a creamy, cheesy Alfredo sauce. The gooey sauce is one of the richest I’ve ever tasted and makes my kids’ eyes light up every time they see it in our shopping cart. What makes this Mac and Cheese better than what you might find in the Costco frozen section is that it’s generously sprinkled with shredded cheddar cheese. As it bakes, that cheese melts and then crisps up. For maximum crispiness, I recommend removing the foil – which is recommended for covering the dish while it’s in the oven – for the last 10 minutes of baking.

At just $2.99 ​​per pound, the ready-made mac and cheese is also very reasonably priced and my go-to when I’m going to a potluck and don’t have much time to make something from scratch. You can jazz it up with your favorite mac and cheese ingredients to make it your own or upgrade it to a main dish. It’s also very tasty on its own, of course, and it makes enough for a big dinner plus leftovers from lunch the next day. The mac and cheese also freezes well, making it a great choice even for Costco shoppers in smaller households.

Grain-celery salad with apple cider vinegar vinaigrette

This is my favorite prepared salad from Costco because it has lots of dressing and grains that make it hearty and filling. The Kale Poppyseed Salad from Costco’s produce section is much loved, but doesn’t have as many ingredients as this prepared salad, which has an edge thanks to its complex flavor. The crunchy celery pairs well with fresh kale and carrots and the sweet dried cranberries. The chickpeas provide extra protein, which I like in a salad because it fills me up. I portion out individual servings of this salad when I’m meal prepping and eat them for lunch throughout the week. It’s one of the few salads that doesn’t require any extra ingredients because it has veggies, protein, and enough dressing all in one.

The dressing comes in two packets so you can add exactly the amount you want. I recommend starting with one packet and mixing thoroughly before adding the next. If you plan to split the servings over several days, add one packet of dressing to half of the salad and keep the other on hand to add to the rest of the salad later in the week. This way the salad won’t get soggy from sitting in the dressing for days. This salad stores well in the fridge and the flavors will blend even better overnight.

Tandoori wrap with mint yoghurt sauce

Convenience foods don’t have to be boring, and Costco’s tandoori wraps are the perfect example. They’re packed with flavor and served with a creamy mint yogurt sauce. The tandoori chicken is the perfect balance of sweet, savory, and spicy thanks to the addition of coconut, garlic, and paprika. These wraps are already cut, but they’re so packed with meat inside that I recommend cutting them even further. Half a wrap is enough for me for lunch or dinner, especially when I pair it with a salad or fruit.

The yogurt sauce that comes with it is a perfect complement and I love that it comes separately so you can adjust the amount to your liking. I tend to put a small amount on my plate and dip the wrap with each bite, although my kids prefer to slather it on. When we have extra sauce—which isn’t often—I like to drizzle it over shredded Costco rotisserie chicken in pitas with freshly chopped veggies. These wraps are another no-cook option since you don’t even have to heat up the oven. That’s why I often rely on Costco’s ready-made salads, sandwiches and wraps on hot days—all you have to do is cut off the portion size you want and enjoy!

How I picked Costco’s hidden gems

Taste was the main criteria we used to decide which Costco prepared meals we were keen to try, but convenience and value were also important, as most Costco shoppers want to make the most of their grocery budget. I also made sure to include dishes that are great for lunch and dinner, as well as some that can be made with no prep or used as a shared dish for a group. I shop at Costco for the large portion sizes, which makes it even easier to feed my family and take leftovers to lunch, and many of these favorites work for both.

As a long-time regular Costco customer, I’ve been making sure to bring prepared meals that I always bring with me as a shared meal, whether it’s at work meetings, neighborhood gatherings, or my kids’ birthday parties. I’ve also asked my kids what their favorite dishes are from Costco’s deli section, and they gave all of those choices an A+, which was great because those are also the dishes I most often buy for myself.

Read the original article on Chowhound.