If you’re convinced nothing can ever match the taste of homemade basil pesto, the Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto from Costco might make you rethink that. It’s made with Genovese basil imported straight from Italy, and blended with savory Parmesan, sharp Pecorino Romano, and rich, buttery pine nuts.
Location in Store
This is located in the refrigerated deli section at Costco, near the fresh pasta like the Kirkland Signature Five Cheese Tortelloni and the Kirkland Signature Organic Spinach & Cheese Ravioli. The item number is 99051.
Taste
This pesto from Costco is delicious and surprisingly versatile. It has a rich, cheesy flavor from the Parmesan and Pecorino Romano that’s very pleasant. You’ll also notice the fresh, herby, slightly sweet taste of basil, along with a subtle nutty richness from the pine nuts.
I notice an almost buttery flavor in the pesto, even though it doesn’t actually contain butter, just olive oil and sunflower oil. The garlic is definitely noticeable, but it isn’t overpowering.
Cost
The 630-milliliter jar of pesto costs $13.99 Canadian at Costco, which is a pretty good deal. Buying all the ingredients individually would cost much more — especially the pine nuts, which are notoriously expensive. In 2018, the same jar of pesto cost $10.99 Canadian, so it hasn’t increased in price that much!
Convenience
The pesto needs to be kept refrigerated and has a best-before date of about five weeks from the time of purchase. If you don’t plan to use it all before then, you can freeze it in an ice cube tray and simply thaw a portion whenever you need it.
The container notes that the pesto shouldn’t be heated. That said, it’s incredibly versatile — you can enjoy it on pizza, pasta, salmon or chicken, sandwiches, eggs, or even as a dip. My favorite way to use it is in a pasta salad made with chickpea pasta!
Nutrition
Calories
A quarter cup of Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto contains 330 calories, 30 grams of fat, nine grams of carbohydrates, four grams of fiber, zero grams of sugar, six grams of protein, and 630 milligrams of sodium. That’s quite high in calories and fat, which mainly come from the oil, cheese, and pine nuts.
Ingredients
I appreciate the relatively short ingredient list. The basil used in the pesto comes from the Genoa region of Italy, which is known for its complex, sweet flavor. The pesto contains milk and pine nuts and may also contain almonds. On the plus side, it’s gluten-free and soy-free.
Scoring
Taste: 9/10
Cost: 8.5/10
Convenience: 10/10
Nutrition: 6/10
Overall
Must buy if you like pesto!
This pesto is delicious, well-priced, and far more convenient than making your own!
Have you tried the Costco Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto? What did you think of them?
Please note that this review was not paid for or sponsored by any third party. This product was purchased by Costcuisine for the purpose of producing this review. The opinions in this review are strictly those of Costcuisine. Costcuisine is not affiliated with Costco or any of its suppliers. In the event that Costcuisine receives compensation for a post from the manufacturer of a product or some other third party, the arrangement will be clearly disclosed (including where the manufacturer of a product provides Costcuisine with a free sample of the product).
I cover the top of the pesto in the jar with a thin layer of EVOO to prevent moulding after each use. I don’t find it changes the flavour much.
Thanks for the tip on freezing in ice cube trays, don’t know why I never thought of it. I usually only use 1/2 the jar before it goes bad.
Why is this blog review being recirculated from 2018?
We live in strange times. Some people call themselves vegetarian while still eating fish and dairy. People self-identify even when it doesn’t match reality. Any true vegan or vegetarian reads the label carefully, they never assume.
This pesto is overwhelmingly salty, almost like eating straight sea salt. If the manufacturer reduced it by about 60 percent, it could be decent. Ours went back to Costco for a refund. It then went to the dumpster where it belongs.
Hi Rachel! 2018 is when I first started the blog and some of the reviews from 2018 are very outdated with pictures, cost etc so I update them to reflect current times!