The One Food Item I Never Leave Costco Without

Patricia Shannon
·2 min read
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Paper towels? Absolutely. Giant muffins and a cheesecake for a crowd? Naturally. Snacks, snacks, and more snacks? Not even a question. But there is one item I'll never leave Costco without, which hails straight from the seafood section. Costco's Kirkland Salmon Milano with Basil Pesto Butter is a winner for weeknight dinners or big dinner parties, and I am here to sing its praises.

The pre-prepped dish comes with three seasoned salmon fillets (I've also spotted a two-pack on occasion) topped with dill and a generous scoop of Basil Pesto Butter. Baking instructions are on the package, so you only need to preheat the oven, remove the cover, and pop that baking tin into the oven. It couldn't be easier. About 20 minutes later, you'll have one of the most flavorful salmon dinners—and you barely had to lift a finger.

Costco Sign
Costco Sign

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You can't beat the easy cleanup of baking in the disposable pan, but I've transferred mine to a larger dish so I can make a complete meal of it. Broccoli florets tossed in olive oil and seasoned with salt and pepper will roast up nicely when cooked alongside the fish. They might even benefit from a bit of the Basil Pesto Butter making its way over to those little cruciferous greens. Suddenly I had a full meal, and all I had to do was chop a little broccoli.

I rely on very few store-bought, pre-prepped food items (piecrust aside), but Kirkland's Salmon Milano is one that I never pass up—and it always comes out cooked to perfection. I might even try to pass it off as homemade the next time I find myself in a dinner party hosting crunch. Before serving, I'll pull out the classic Southern hostess trick and re-plate it on my prettiest platter. No one will be the wiser.