We Asked 3 Chefs What They Never Leave Costco Without—They All Said the Same Thing
Key Takeways
- The chefs we interviewed always buy cashews at Costco.
- Costco cashews are a great value.
- Cashews can be used in salads and stir-fries and can add creaminess to vegan recipes.
I’ll confess: I didn’t think I would get a lot of use out of our Costco membership when my husband and I joined in 2022. Being a family of just two, I had a hard time wrapping my head around what to do with packages of two dozen yogurts or a year’s supply of frozen taquitos. But after a trip through the pantry section, I was hooked. The prices on shelf-stable staples were unbeatable, for sure, but the quality was what really made Costco stand out. Turns out, I’m not alone in feeling that way: I have spoken with dozens of chefs who are big Costco fans for the same reason. They love everything from the furikake to the famous $5 rotisserie chicken, but the one item that several wouldn’t leave without? Kirkland Signature Organic Whole Cashews, which come in a 2.5-pound bag for $17.39.
Why Cashews?
Jason Wrobel, chef and author of Eaternity: More than 150 Deliciously Easy Vegan Recipes for a Long, Healthy, Satisfied, Joyful Life, first discovered Costco’s cashews when he was developing recipes for his cooking show How To Live to 100 on Cooking Channel. As a vegan cook, he uses cashews as a dairy replacement in many of his recipes, and the bulk size (and price) at Costco makes them impossible to pass up. “With cashews and other high-fat nuts, you’ve got to be careful about the quality,” Wrobel explains. “You can get, like, rancid nuts out there, but I like the consistency of the quality that I find at Costco.”
Ilson Goncalves, executive chef and owner of Brazilian restaurant Samba Montclair, agrees: “All my nuts come from Costco because they have a great selection of organics, and their prices are unbeatable.” He uses Costco cashews in two of his restaurant’s vegan dishes.
Beyond quality and affordability, our chefs noted that Costco’s cashews are also some of the tastiest out there. “I have a deep obsession with Costco nuts. Not only are they an excellent value, but there is something about them that tastes fresher than other brands, as if they’ve just come out of the oven,” says Erin Clarke, the bestselling cookbook author behind Well Plated.
The Best Way to Use Cashews
Cashews have both a high fat and protein content, making them a great dairy substitute. Both Wrobel and Goncalves reach for them when whipping up vegan recipes. “They’re just super versatile,” Wrobel says, noting that he now uses them frequently in his recipe development with the nonprofit Switch4Good, which promotes switching to a dairy-free diet. “Cashews are amazing for ice cream bases … I suggest using cashews to make creamy salad dressings, like a dairy-free ranch.”
Cashews can be used in both sweet and savory dairy-free dishes, as Goncalves points out. He uses the Kirkland cashews to make a cashew cream sauce, which serves as the base for Samba’s vegan shiitake mushroom stroganoff and its vegan blueberry cheesecake.
Cashews are also a great addition to salads and stir-fries, as just 1 ounce can add an extra 4 grams of protein to your meal. Clarke usually keeps them in her pantry for that very reason—and also for snacking. “I add these to cheese boards, and my guests always ask where they’re from. I’ve also learned the hard way that I cannot keep these out on the counter, or I reach my hand into the bag every time I walk through the kitchen,” she says.
Other Chef-Favorite Costco Finds
Cashews aren’t the only item chefs are scooping up at Costco. Several recommended hitting the produce aisle for great deals on berries, spinach and baby romaine lettuce. While the bulk sizes may seem unwieldy to those with small families (or kitchens), the price is much better than what you’ll find at a conventional grocery store. Organic blueberries at Costco, for example, are just over $8 for 18 ounces, whereas a pint often costs upward of $7 at typical grocery stores.
Chefs are also fans of the Kirkland Signature Italian Parmigiano-Reggiano, which can last up to two months in your fridge after it has been opened. The rinds are also great additions to soups for a bit of extra depth.
The Bottom Line
Chefs love Costco for the same reason so many home cooks do: the quality is stellar for the price. But if chefs could leave with only one item, most would pick up a bag of organic cashews. These high-fat, high-protein nuts are not only perfect for snacking and salads but really star as a dairy replacement in vegan dishes. Plus, the bulk bags at Costco make it easy to whip up cashew cream without breaking the bank.
