Costco Deli Mac and Cheese (Kirkland) Review
Author’s Note: Every time I write a glowing review of a Costco product, people accuse me of working for Costco. But, every time I write a negative review, the Costco-lovers are furious and wanna fight me. I cannot win. Ha. Anyway. I do not work for Costco. This is NOT a paid, sponsored, requested, or otherwise Costco-associated review. It’s my own unbiased opinion. Godspeed, gentle readers!
Where have you been all my life???
I’ve been a Costco member for about 2.5 years, and I am just now trying their famous Deli Mac and Cheese for the first time.
My experiences thus far with Costco’s Deli offerings have ranged from “that’s perfectly edible” to “eww, never again.” There hasn’t been anything that I’ve truly raved about.
Until now.
This stuff is REALLY good. It’s as good as the hype. Legit.
In fact, I regret all the years I’ve wasted without this macaroni and cheese.
I am not usually a mac ‘n cheese fan. I mean. I am, but only when it is very, very good. Like, homemade-good. I don’t eat mac ‘n cheese just to eat mac ‘n cheese. You know. Most grocery store versions are barely “tolerable.”
What I love about Costco’s Mac and Cheese is that it’s real-tasting. This is butter and cream and real cheese. It doesn’t taste like questionable “cheese sauce” or mushy noodles or corporate shortcuts. It doesn’t reek of chemical disappointments. It taste like real food.
The giant corkscrew noodles are actually very enjoyable to bite and chew. A fun and unexpected shape. They’re so big, you almost have to cut into the pile like a lasagna, but I love this. They’re soft, but not soggy. And they have textured, twisty noodle ribs on the sides.
The thick, creamy alfredo sauce is generous enough to coat the noodles, but not wantonly puddled. There are three cheeses in this sauce: Cheddar, Parmesan, and Romano. The cheddar is pleasantly tangy, and both melty and crisp (from the oven). I looove how stretchy this cheese is.
There is some kind of glorious flavor here that is hyper-real. It’s richer than just a cheese-taste. It reminds me of savory goodness, like garlic and mustard and paprika. I loved this flavor (whatever it may be), but the macaroni still needed a ‘lil added salt and pepper to reach its full potential.
(The ingredients label lists “natural flavors,” along with garlic and “spice.” More about the ingredients later.)
Costco’s Macaroni and Cheese is sold by the pound, as are most of their Deli offerings. However, the trays are generally about 4 pounds total. That’s a lot of macaroni! It’s the right size for a large family meal or a holiday feast.
I ate mine with leftover turkey (from my Publix Complete Holiday Turkey Dinner; read my review of it here), and this was fabulous. The turkey meat added enough protein to make it a full meal. You could definitely add meat from a Costco Rotisserie Chicken instead (which would only add $5 to your meal!). Honestly, this dish is versatile enough for all sorts of modifications, like adding lobster or sauteed veggies.
How to cook Costco Mac and Cheese
Just to be clear, you do have to bake this yourself. It isn’t ready-to-eat. And it does take a while to heat. I cooked mine at 400 degrees for 1 hour, which was the upper limit of the recommended 40-60 minutes from the label. I live in Florida, and this is definitely not something I’d want to bake in the peak of the summer!
I removed the clear lid and put the aluminum tray on a parchment-lined baking sheet. My macaroni was mounded up pretty high above the pan, and I was concerned there might be leakage (there wasn’t!). I covered mine with aluminum foil before baking (as per the instructions), but I also worried that the shredded cheese on top would melt and stick to the foil (it didn’t!). It came out bubbling and perfect.
I do like that this product comes in an aluminum tray, which is convenient for baking and storing. I prefer this over plastic trays, or even coated cardboard trays. The lid snaps tightly into place for storing leftovers. Good design.
Ingredients in Deli Macaroni and Cheese from Costco
Here is my best attempt at typing out the ingredients, from the label:
- Pasta (Water, Enriched Durum Semolina Flour [Durum Wheat Semolina, Vitamins {B3, B1, B2}, Iron, Folic Acid])
- Alfredo Sauce (Cream, Milk, Water, Butter [Cream, Salt], Romano & Parmesan Cheese [Pasteurized Milk and Part Skim Milk, Cheese Cultures, Cheese Cultures, Salt, Enzymes], Enriched Flour [Wheat Flour, Vitamins {B3, B1, B2}, Iron, Folic Acid], Corn Starch, Salt, Corn Oil, Olive Oil, Cream Powder, Sugar, Yeast Extract, Natural Flavors, Garlic, Cultured Dextrose, Xanthan Gum, Black Pepper, Spice, Natural Antimicrobial, Annatto Extract)
- Shredded Cheddar Cheese (Pasteurized Milk, Cheese Culture, Salt, Enzyme, Annatto [Color], Natamycin [Natural Mold Inhibitor])
Yes, waaaaaay better than I expected! Hurrah. I love seeing the wholesome cream, butter, and cheeses. Minus the “natural flavors,” this is similar to how I would make homemade macaroni and cheese.
Price
This is sold by the pound in the Costco Deli. My 3.81 pound tray cost $13.30. Per pound, the cost is $3.49.
If you get 10 servings (side-dish-size) per tray, each serving would cost $1.33.
This is a Kirkland Signature (Costco store-brand) product, and the item# is: 40506. This is one of the Deli items that is available at my location year-round, without fail.
Servings
How many people does this feed? Well. I was absolutely RAVENOUS (this was my first meal of the day, at 6pm, after a looong day at work), and I gorged myself on 1/5 the tray.
And, I do mean gorged. Like, Augustus Gloop-style gorging. If you’re eating this as a dainty side item, it should serve 10-12, I think. As long as Augustus Gloop isn’t a guest.
Leftovers
I did not have much hope for quality leftovers. Generally speaking, Mac n’ Cheese is notoriously poor quality when re-heated. However, I was pleasantly surprised when I microwaved some of Costco’s Macaroni & Cheese the next day. It wasn’t exactly the same, but it was moist and tender, with satisfyingly oozy cheese and perky noodles. Pretty good. For optimal restaurant-quality, I would always bake this right before serving, of course.
Because Costco’s Macaroni and Cheese is sold un-baked, it can be portioned out into smaller containers and frozen — if you are a single person like I am, and want it baked freshly each time.
Shelf Life
My Macaroni and Cheese had a sell-by date for approximately 3 days after the pack date. However, it took me 6-7 days to eat this, and nothing weird happened.
I mean. Weird stuff happened. But, completely unrelated to this food! Ha.
Dramatic Conclusion
I loved the real cream, butter, and cheese in this product. The flavors and textures are fabulous. I would absolutely buy this Costco Mac & Cheese again. In fact, I might get it as a side dish for Christmas dinner with my family. This is one of the few Costco products that truly “wowwed” me. I hope they don’t change this.
The End.
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