Costco Italian Items Ranked Worst To Best, According To Customers

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Between its huge portions, oversized shopping carts, and merchandise that seems to move locations between every visit, Costco can be an overwhelming experience for the uninitiated. But once you get the hang of the warehouse giant, shopping at Costco can level up your meal planning and hosting: not just because you're able to buy items in bulk, but because the retailer prides itself on sourcing high-quality goods from around the world. There's Mexican hot chocolate, wagyu beef from Japan, and if you're a fan of Italian cuisine, you're in luck with a wide variety of imported products from the European country, as well as domestic products inspired by Italy's food scene.

Some of the items are as Italian as opera, while others are more loose interpretations of Italian culinary traditions, but several stand out to customers due to their flavor and quality. Others are acquired tastes, and some are best left on store shelves. Here are the Italian products you can't miss, ones you should try at least once, and the ones you should skip, available now at Costco.

Succulent lobster wrapped in delicate pasta sounds like the kind of restaurant meal that's a bear to recreate at home, unless you can find a quality premade option that you just boil and serve. While Costco sells a version of that, unfortunately for Costco shoppers, Rana Roasted Lobster Ravioli falls short of expectations. Not only does the item have a three-star rating on Costco's website, where customers say they are "disappointed in this product" due to it having "no actual pieces of lobster and only a mild lobster flavor," but the reviews are even worse on Reddit.

"The flavor was ok, but the filling was more of a cheesy pasta paste. Will probably push myself to finish so I don't waste food, but wasn't that good in my opinion," wrote a Reddit user, with more chiming in to agree. "Maybe 1 in 3 has a little shredded piece of lobster inside," one said, with another writing that they purchased the product for a "birthday meal" but after trying the ravioli, they felt they were "junk" and threw them away.

The $15 product comes in a two-pack, allowing customers to make 13 ounces of the refrigerated ravioli at a time for a little over $1 an ounce. Rana also makes a refrigerated Maine lobster ravioli with similar ingredients that it sells in 8-ounce packages at other supermarket chains where you can find it for as low as $0.62 an ounce, allowing you to try Rana's lobster ravioli without committing to Costco's bulk sizes. 

If you love crunchy snacks and pizza, Sonoma Creamery Pizza Crisps sound like a dream come true, but despite a 4.3 out of 5 average review on Costco's website for the tomato basil flavor, the low-carb snack is a "love it or hate it" product.

Customers that enjoy the flavor have noted that unlike similar parmesan-based crisps, they're made with mozzarella, and therefore "more mild and not as tangy or pungent." One review on the Costco website, however, compared the texture to "almost cardboard," while others griped that the flavor was just okay.

Another shared that while they didn't like the taste, they gave it four stars because they see it as a "good low carb snack." Others agreed, pointing out that it "has a lot more protein than chips." A 30-gram serving size contains 170 calories with 14 grams of protein and 2 grams of carbohydrates. In comparison, a 28 gram serving of Lay's classic potato chips contains 160 calories with 2 grams of protein and 15 grams of carbohydrates.

The brand's pepperoni flavor, which was previously available at Costco, fared even worse on Reddit, where users noted a generic Italian seasoning flavor, but nothing akin to pizza. One customer compared them to "sour milk," and revealed that they struggled to finish the bag. "I took one bite and it did not taste good. It tasted weird," said a Redditor who shared that, after being a Costco member for over 25 years, this would be "the first grocery item I'll be returning."

Rana once again makes the list, this time for its meaty and cheesy frozen lasagna. While it's gotten mixed reviews in the past on Reddit, customers seem to be warming up to the microwavable dish, writing that they "actually really liked it."

Others were not impressed, writing that it "tasted like chef boyardee sauce with fatty chunks in there ... the meat seemed a kinda low quality texture," and "the meat has a weird chewy texture." Several chimed in to suggest that customers instead opt for a similar product from Costco's in-house brand, Kirkland Signature, commenting, "KS Italian sausage and beef frozen (2-pack) is far superior."

I've tried the Rana lasagna myself, and can attest that while it's tasty, it also leans towards the greasy side and is overwhelmingly rich. As one Redditor put it, "I find it to be super heavy like a gut punch." While the one-cup serving sizes are the same as Stouffer's classic lasagna with meat and cheese, Stouffer's clocks in at 290 calories with 12 grams of fat, while Rana's version has a hefty 320 calories and 15 grams of fat.

Olive Garden fans, rejoice! You can make your own version of the Italian chain restaurant's famous salad at home thanks to a two-pack of salad dressing available at Costco warehouses. The brand suggests using it as salad dressing, obviously, but also notes that it can be used as a dip for vegetables or as a base for garlic bread.

Reddit users seem to agree that while it's tasty, the salt content feels higher than in restaurants. "It's been a while since I have been at Olive Garden but I do not remember the salad dressing being so salty. The one I picked up from Costco seems super salty," wrote one user. Several said that they feel it's accurate to the restaurant's version, suggesting that one "can squeeze some lemon over it to counteract the salt if you so desire."

This product is available at supermarkets as well, prompting some users to suggest others "get a normal size bottle at the grocery store first to make sure." Costco's offering features two 28-ounce bottles of the dressing, leading fans to get creative with other uses beyond salads. "I use it to marinate chicken breasts to grill as well as salad. It's hard to get through a bottle on only salads," said one comment. Like one Redditor suggested, I personally like to use this for pasta salads, as I find that it mutes the salt more than when used on leafy greens.

While string cheese is great, there's nothing like snacking on fresh mozzarella — the problem is that, in most cases, you have to commit to a large portion of cheese or be willing to share due to serving sizes. That's where BelGioiso snacking cheese comes in with individually wrapped one-ounce balls of fresh mozzarella. Costco customers can get a 24-pack at warehouses, and with an average rating of 4.4 stars out of 5 on the brand's website, they seem to love the convenient dairy product. "Love these little balls of cheese. Will buy them over and over again," wrote one reviewer as another gushed that they "absolutely love it. Perfect bite sized snack!"

I like to sprinkle it into salads, top pizzas with it, or pair with prosciutto and melon for a delightful appetizer, but honestly, every time I purchase a pack (and it's often), I inevitably end up eating most of the cheese on its own, sometimes drizzled with balsamic glaze or a dash of Maldon salt.

Panettone has been a long-held Christmas staple in Italy, with historical records indicating that the moist fruitcake was already seen as a holiday gift as far back as the 15th century, when the Duke of Milan hosted a Christmas banquet and a cook came up with the bread on the fly.

But as Dawn DeStefano, chef instructor at Auguste Escoffier School of Culinary Arts, told The Takeout, making the dessert can be a days-long process and needs a professional level of skill to execute well. With an average of 4.7 out of 5 stars, purchasing the Madi gran panettone at Costco feels like an easier way to participate in the Italian holiday tradition.

"I highly recommend this is a traditional authentic panettone it is moist, not dry, has a pleasant smell, has yeast, levito madre, very tasty," wrote one reviewer, while another said, "I have been buying these for several years from Costco, and we absolutely love them! ... They are delicious- very fresh tasting and not too sweet. Perfect for breakfast warmed up with butter." Costco shoppers on Reddit also offered alternate uses, from simply popping it into the toaster to using it to make French toast or bread pudding.

Whether you're making sausage and peppers, baked ziti, or Tuscan-style soup, the star of the dish is inevitably going to be the meat, and Costco shoppers seem to agree that the store's in-house brand hits it out of the park with its mild Italian sausage.

Kirkland Signature mild Italian sausage is available at Costco warehouses in 3.5-pound packages and is gluten-free, doesn't have artificial colors, flavors, preservatives, or MSG, and comes with 14 links per pack. Shoppers on Reddit  seem to enjoy the product's flavor with one going so far as to say, "this is some of the best Italian sausage I've found."

Several users noted that the flavor is quite mild, with one person writing that they are "not talking heat, just seasoning." More agreed, commenting, "I like these but i wish there was 'Hot Italian' version that needs a little more spice." After one Redditor wished for a spicier version, another person suggested that simply throwing in some red pepper flakes should add the right amount of kick. 

Parmigiano Reggiano is more than just a deliciously nutty cheese that holds its own in a variety of Italian dishes. The savory Italian cheese is nutritious, with more protein and calcium in a serving than eggs. While Costco sells the beloved cheese in several different formats, including an 80-pound wheel for $1,100, the most highly-rated version of the stuff comes in at a much more reasonable $20 for one pound of shredded cheese.

The Italian import is aged over 24 months, with customers saying that it "has just the grate I desire for my salads, dishes and toppings," calling it their "go-to cheese." Though some reviewers said they find the flavor to be less "intense" than "the softer center of the wheel" of Parmesan, overall the reviews are overwhelmingly positive. "I usually shy away from pre-grated cheese but this is the exception. The cheese is quality and fresh. We go though [sic] a lot of Parmesan and this cheese is great to the very bottom of the jar," gushed one five-star review.

Whether you call it sauce or gravy, a classic marinara can elevate any pasta dish. And while you can certainly purchase all of the ingredients, from minced garlic to canned tomatoes, at Costco to make it yourself, when you're in a hurry, the right jarred sauce can save the day. Costco sells several big names in the space, including Prego, Victoria, and its in-house brand, Kirkland Signature, but customers seem to favor one above the rest: Rao's.

When a Redditor put the question to the social media board to see which marinara sauce available at the warehouse giant is the peoples' favorite, Rao's got the overwhelming majority of the votes. "We buy Rao's whenever it's on special," said one comment, while another went so far as to say it "has absolutely ruined other sauces for me."

"You know what I love about Rao's? If you don't use up leftover sauce fast, it gets moldy pretty quickly," said one commenter. While that may sound like a negative quality, they then explained that they see it as a good thing, explaining that it's going to contain fewer additives. Per Rao's Homemade Marinara product label, they'd be correct, as no preservatives are listed alongside its tomatoes, olive oil, onions, spices, and herbs.

Just like marinara sauce, you can certainly find all of the ingredients to make your perfect version of meatballs at Costco, but if you'd rather just heat and serve, Kirkland Signature Cooked Meatballs come highly recommended by customers. With an average 4.7 out of 5 stars on Costco's website, the beef meatballs are described by customers as "delicious" with "the best flavor."

One customer noted the meatballs versatility, commenting how they "turn plain pasta into wonderful hearty main meals," before adding how well they work for a quick appetizer when guests drop by. A freezer must-have!

Over on Reddit, customers said they "eat them like once a week," suggesting they be served with marinara sauce, simmered in teriyaki sauce, in "meatball soup in the crockpot," or to make quick meatball subs. I've purchased these meatballs myself and can attest that they're easy to heat, are versatile in a variety of recipes, and are consistently tasty.

Making lasagna from scratch can take even the most experienced home cooks quite a bit of time, from making sauce to layering all of the ingredients in the pan. And though there are shortcuts you can take to optimize the process, sometimes you just want something quick, easy, and tasty. 

Kirkland Signature Italian Sausage and Beef Lasagna, a microwavable 3-pound meal sold in packs of two, has an average of 4.7 stars out of 5 on the Costco website, where customers call it "fabulous," "delicious," and share that they "keep it on hand for unexpected guests or nights I just want comfort food and don't want to cook."

Reddit users seem to agree, calling it the "best frozen lasagna out there" and sharing that it tastes "almost homemade." Others, unashamedly, noted how they could finish a pan in a single-sitting. 

Some commenters commented that it's a bit greasy and sweet, and as someone who has tried it myself, I don't disagree with their assessment. Given the choice, I prefer Stouffer's version as it tastes less greasy than the Kirkland Signature lasagna, but overall I find this to be an easy and tasty option for scratching a comfort food itch.

With an average 4.8 stars out of 5 on Costco's website, Kirkland Signature Basil Pesto makes it to the top spot on our list of the best Italian items at Costco, and for good reason. The imported sauce, made with ingredients like basil, parmesan cheese, olive oil, and pine nuts, is a fan favorite, with five-star reviews calling it the "best pesto in a jar," a "perfect pesto," and their "favorite Costco product."

Reddit users agreed, noting its taste and that it's a product always worth having on hand. Some suggested using it as a spread on sandwiches, not just for pasta dishes, and several said they freeze leftovers to have available for later use. As someone who consistently has a jar of this pesto in the fridge, I can attest that it's delicious and versatile, though I agree with comments that point out how it can lean towards the salty side, so taste as you go when using it.

This ranking was created through a combination of customer reviews of individual items on Costco's website, discussions about individual items on the r/Costco subreddit, and the writer's personal opinion as a long-time Costco customer. Items featured in the ranking were selected for a variety of reasons, including, but not limited to, national availability and longevity.