10 Chef-Favorite Ingredients You Didn’t Know You Could Buy at Costco (2024)

Costco Next May Be the Brand's Coolest Hidden Membership Perk

Asaro Organic Castelvetrano Olives

A favorite of in-the-know Costco shoppers, these buttery green olives even have a Subreddit dedicated to finding them. Already pitted, they make great snacks right out of the jar, but can also be chopped or crushed for Dirty Martini Dip or pasta puttanesca; marinated for feta-stuffed olives; roasted to serve alongside olive-brined pork; or skewered on top of a Martini. An opened jar can last over a year, though good luck not eating your way through one before then.

Better Than Bouillon

A one-pound jar of this highly concentrated umami bomb retails for about $6 at Costco in chicken, beef, and veggie varieties. Made with a base of real vegetables and meat, it’s one of our favorite store-bought stock brands, and an opened jar can last for up to two years in the fridge. Use in soup recipes that call for broth, or as a flavor booster for roasted vegetables.

Maldon Sea Salt

A favorite of chefs around the world, this flaky sea salt is harvested in the town of Maldon, United Kingdom. Costco’s 1.25-pound bucket is the stuff of TikTok lore, and this $9 find is indeed worth every penny (especially since salt can last for up to five years in a cool, dry place).

Unlike boxed Maldon salts, this plastic tub seals nicely, and can be decanted into a salt jar for countertop use. Sprinkle on baked potatoes, chocolate chip cookies, toast, or any dish that could use a finishing touch. A bucket of Maldon also makes a fun host or thank you gift for food-loving friends.

Jongga Sliced Napa Cabbage Kimchi

This excellent brand of kimchi, imported from Korea, is made with fermented napa cabbage, garlic, ginger, gochugaru, daikon radish, and chili flakes. Make your way through an 88.1-ounce jar by serving as a banchan alongside Korean barbecue dishes, or adding to dishes from fried rice to braised chicken to hot dogs.You can take your time since kimchi lasts pretty much indefinitely.

Nielsen Massey Pure Vanilla Extract

There’s vanilla extract, and then there’s Nielsen-Massey vanilla extract. Preferred by pastry chefs and cooks worldwide (including Ina Garten!), one highly concentrated bottle employs a cold extraction process to extract as much flavor from the vanilla bean as possible, with a tablespoon equating to one vanilla bean.

Costco sells eight-ounce bottles of the Madagascar bourbon and Mexican varieties in two packs. It also sells the brand’s vanilla bean paste, which we've seen on Reddit for just $26 and would make a fantastic Vanilla Bean Cheesecake or Bakewell Coffee Cake.

Kirkland Signature La Mancha Spanish Saffron

Saffron adds a gentle floral flavor to dishes like paella. While it’s known as the world’s most expensive spice, Costco’s private-label saffron can often be found for under $10. To get the most out of the strands, add a pinch to water, stir to infuse, then use the liquid for dishes like Saffron Chicken Kebabs and Saffron Rice Pilaf. Costco occasionally has other brands of higher-quality saffron in the spice section, so be on the lookout.

Kerrygold Grass-Fed Pure Irish Butter

This sunny yellow butter is regarded as some of the best for cooking, baking, and spreading thanks to its high butterfat (82%), velvety texture, and slightly grassy flavor — it was even deemed the best overall butter in our unsalted butter taste test. Both salted and unsalted varieties are available at Costco. If you can’t work your way through the two-pound package in a reasonable time, just freeze a few sticks to use in the future.

Tsar Nicoulai Caviar

Caviar? From Costco? It may not be on sample, but this stuff is legit. Farmed and processed domestically in California’s Sacramento Valley, this white sturgeon caviar is touted as having a “smooth, buttery finish.” Choose from various sizes, or a tasting set with blini included.A 1.76-ounce portion will run you about $50.

Terra Delyssa First Cold Press Extra Virgin Olive Oil

At about $15 a liter, this extra-virgin olive oil, made from the first press of Tunisian olives, is a relative bargain; it can be used for finishing dishes like steak or salads, but is also mild enough in flavor for everyday cooking. The three-liter tin helps protect the integrity of the olive oil by keeping it shielded from light, and it can be easily decanted into a squeeze bottle or other vessel for easy drizzling.

Fresh Truffles

Costco offers seasonal summer truffles and winter truffles, imported from Europe, as an online exclusive. At $99 for four ounces, they’re not cheap, but they’re a relative deal — a shaving of truffles at a restaurant can run you about the same, after all. Break out a Microplane, and shave them over risotto or buttered noodles for a fun party trick or romantic dinner at home.