Costco Kirkland Basil Pesto Review

Jar of Kirkland Costco basil pesto on a wooden surface in front of a window

Quality: High

Flavor: Amazing

Cost: $11.34

The Kirkland-brand pesto is one of the most popular items available at Costco — and for good reason. I found this pesto to be as good (if not better) as any store-bought pesto I’ve tried. And that includes the pricey stuff I’ve purchased at specialty grocery stores.

Not only is this pesto very good, it’s also very affordable. At just over $10 for about 2.5 cups, the price point of this Costco pesto is one of the lowest I’ve seen.

Find out why this basil pesto scored so highly in my rating, how long it lasts, and the best ways to use it.

Costco Kirkland Basil Pesto Review Score - 10/10

Flavor - 10/10

Quality - 10/10 

Cost - 10/10

Flavor Rating

I was a little apprehensive as to whether this cheap pesto would be any good, but I’ve gotta say, I was pleasantly surprised! It’s probably one of the best store-bought pestos I’ve tried. The best part? It retained its bright-green color days after I’d opened it (a discolored pesto can really put a damper one one’s meal).

Costco Pesto Quality Rating

The ingredients in this Kirkland-brand pesto tell you everything you need to know about the quality: Genovese basil D.O.P., parmesan cheese, pine nuts, extra virgin olive oil, and pecorino Romano D.O.P. cheese.

Basically, everything you’d want to see in a high-quality pesto can be found in this one.

Cost Rating

I paid $11.34 for this pesto at Costco in Connecticut, which is a pretty great deal, in my opinion. It contains about 2.5 cups of pesto, which is waaaay more than you’d get if you just bought a regular-sized jar of like Barilla or something at the store (I believe the Barilla pesto costs around $3.50 for about 0.80 cups).

Plus, I find the Barilla pesto isn’t as high quality. The Barilla is not a fresh pest, doesn’t have a vibrant green color, and is honestly a little salty.

Overall, the Costco pesto is much cheaper than other store-brand pestos, and the quality is much better for what you get.

Is Kirland Pesto Good?

Yep, this pesto is pretty darn tasty — about as good as any store-bought pesto gets. I found that it lived up to the hype. I was happy with the ingredients on the package, it kept its color for several weeks, and tasted great in a wide variety of recipes.

ideas TO USE COSTCO Basil Pesto

White bowl of tortellini with Costco pesto, arugula, and parmesan cheese on a wooden background

There are so many ways to use the Kirkland pesto! But since the jar is pretty large (per usual with Costco products) and it’s a refrigerated item, you may want to make a game plan so your pesto doesn’t go bad before you finish it. Here are just a few ways I used it.

Tortelloni With Pesto, Arugula & Burrata

Boil some of the Kirkland tortelloni for five minutes, drain (save some of the starchy pasta water), and mix with the Costco basil pesto. Top with arugula, burrata cheese, parmesan cheese, a drizzle of olive oil and a dash of red pepper flakes.

EASY CAPRESE SALAD

Thinly slice mozzarella and tomatoes. Layer your cheese and tomato slices with pesto. Top with basil and a drizzle of olive oil (I like the Terra Delyssa olive oil from Costco).

Pesto Flatbread

Spoon pesto onto a slice of naan. Top with mozzarella and parmesan cheese, sliced peppers, and sliced Amylu chicken meatballs or chicken sausage. Bake in a preheated 350 F oven for 10 minutes.

5-Minute Sandwich

Spread this Kirkland pesto on a crunchy slice of bread (I use half a baguette or the Aldi sourdough bread). Top with slices of the Kirkland sirloin and mozzarella cheese. Broil the sandwich for a few minutes to melt the cheese. I like to top my sandwich with banana peppers.

Or instead of the sirloin strips, you could use the Kirkland oven-browned turkey breast and parmesan cheese. Top with roasted red peppers.

Kirkland Basil Pesto Nutritional Information

Servings Per Container: About 10

Serving Size: 1/4 Cup

Calories: 330

Total Fat: 30g

Saturated Fat: 5g

Trans Fat: 0g

Total Carbohydrate: 9g

Fiber: 4g

Sugars: 0g

Protein: 6g

Kirland Basil Pesto Ingredients

INGREDIENTS: Basil Blend (Genovese Basil D.O.P., Sunflower Oil, Sea Salt), Sunflower O1, Parmesan Cheese, [Pasteurized Part-Skimmed Cow's Milk, Cheese Cultures, Sea Salt, Enzymes), Pine Nuts, Extra Virgin Olive Oil, Pecorino Romano D.O.P. Cheese (Sheep's Milk, Rennet, Salt, Fresh Garlic, Ascorbic Acid, Citric Acid, Black Pepper.

Costco Pesto FAQs

  • Yes, I found this pesto to be as good as any store-bought fresh pesto. It also received high ratings from other Costco reviewers!

  • Yes, there is no gluten in this pesto. My mom, who is gluten-free ate it on gluten-free pasta with no issues.

  • You should always refer to the use-by date on all of your Costco products for food safety. Yet, I found this pesto lasted around two weeks once opened.

    You can also freeze pesto to extend the shelf-life!