The Costco pre-made meal section carries convenient mains, appetizers and salads. The Kirkland Signature Quinoa Salad has been a staple item in the ready-to-eat section for as long as I remember so that must mean it’s good! Find out below how tasty this salad is for Costco to have kept it around for so long!
Costco is the place I like to go to when I need an appetizer, salad or main that requires very little to no time and effort to prepare. The pre-made meal section at Costco is always introducing new items and taking away others but one item has stood the test of time and that’s the Costco Kirkland Signature Quinoa Salad.
Other ready-to-eat products from Costco are the Costco Kirkland Signature Seasoned Chicken Wings, Costco Kirkland Signature Four Cheese and Spinach Manicotti, Costco Kirkland Signature Chicken Burger Meal Kit, Costco Kirkland Signature Fish and Chips Meal Kit, Costco Kirkland Signature Stuffed Salmon and the Costco Kirkland Signature Chicken Tacos.
Taste
There are a lot of delicious ingredients in this salad, quinoa, mung beans, bulghur, cucumbers, tomatoes, lentils and bell pepper. The salad has a refreshing, light flavor and a lemon-vinegar dressing that’s really quite mild.
The parsley and chives add some flavor but the stars of the dish are the lemon-vinegar dressing and the vegetables. The tomato is most noticeable vegetable. I like to add a bit of feta to boost the flavor because I find the feta compliments the rest of the salad. The grains are very bland and pretty tasteless so the vegetables add a hint of flavor and additional texture. The main thing I taste eating this is the zesty and tart lemon, oil and vinegar dressing.
To be honest, this isn’t really the most decadent or flavorful salad but the mild, soft flavor really lightens the salad and dare I say, makes it taste pretty healthy!
Cost
The salad price fluctuates depending on the weight of the tray. The salad I bought was $11.25 Canadian. It’s quite a big tray that could easily feed a big group of adults so the price isn’t that bad!
Convenience
When we stayed at an AirBnB in Hawaii Sean and I had this salad with just a rotisserie chicken and it made such a convenient meal! You can use the salad as a side or main and adding extra vegetables, protein and feta make it a bit heartier and filling.
The Costco quinoa salad needs to be kept refrigerated and the best before date is three days from the day it was packaged. Although, I’ve eaten the salad a day after the best before date frequently before and have never become sick.
I think this is perfect to bring camping, to a potluck, summer barbecue or any kind of get-together. You can ever put your own creative touches into the salad with additional ingredients.
Nutrition
Calories
1/12th of the tray is 130 calories, eight grams of fat, 140 mg of sodium, 13 grams of carbohydrates, two grams of fibre, two grams of sugar and three grams of protein. If you’re having the quinoa salad as your main you might end up eating more than 1/12th of the tray. The amount of calories aren’t high and neither is the sodium or carbs. Only the fat is something to be aware of if you’re on a low fat diet.
Ingredients
I’m disappointed that the Costco quinoa salad is not gluten-free due to it containing bulgur. The ingredients list otherwise is short and sweet with grains, vegetables, the dressing and preservatives. The grains and vegetables are all healthy ingredients. I think this salad can be easily replicated at home which would eliminate any food preservatives or additives.
Scoring
Taste: 8/10
Cost: 7.5/10
Convenience: 10/10
Nutrition: 8.5/10
Overall
Give it a try!
This isn’t the most delicious grain salad I’ve had but it’s versatile and tastes reasonably healthy!
What do you think of the Costco Kirkland Signature Quinoa Salad?
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 was looking for a vegan choice at Costco and so sad that it “may” have eggs and shellfish in it!
I came to this review, visiting your site for the first time, because you have nutrition information! (THANK YOU!) In retrospect, I wish I’d read your review before I purchased the product — it was indeed too sour! (I ended up cutting it by adding extra veggies, if I recall correctly.)
Visiting your site a second time because you also reviewed the Kirkland Signature Creole-Style Jambalaya and, again, I needed nutrition info and your site came up. Bookmarking for future reference!
Thanks Mark for reading and following along!
I found your site as I needed to get the ingredients as my Costco just north of Houston told me it is discontinued there. I’ve enjoyed it for several years. I even warm it a bit in the microwave for breakfast some mornings but I’m kind of weird when it comes to breakfast I guess. And I have eaten it 5 or 6 days after the “sell by” date with no ill effects. I drain the liquid that comes from the chopped tomato and cucumber. I think the acid in the vinaigrette helps preserve it a bit and stores these days are just super careful about litigation if someone gets sick. I keep it on the top shelf of our fridge where it’s about 35 degrees or so.
Some copy cat recipes I found suggest brown rice but I knew Costco doesn’t add that. So it looks like a little bulger is the other grain. That makes sense, this salad is sort of like tabbouleh which uses bulger and some similar ingredients.
Anyway, thanks for posting the actual ingredients.
I have tried to like this salad over the years. The version they make in Commerce Twp. MI is very dry. Is quite flavorless. This year I’m trying to rehydrate it. Extra whole lemon, extra Evoo, extra red wine vinegar, extra water m, sit over night, still dry a little more flavorful. I think the do it yourself would be worth it.
It’s too sour. I had to throw out the whole tray because no one wants to eat it.
Too sour?
You have a good point but we are happy about the lemon juice in this dressing because it keeps this nice salad fresh!
Yes, I DO understand your most reasonable comment–the first bites of this salad might be a bit on the “puckery” side.
But the remedy for this is pretty simple.
Just add a little olive oil or avocado oil—You can do this by the serving, or you can add it all at once to the entire tray. Stir a little of either “healthy” oil into mix, taste test it as you go, and continue to add the olive or avocado oil carefully to suit your taste, and voila…Not sour any more!
We love this salad because it is healthy, stores well in the fridge and is available at our Costco stores pretty much all year ’round.
I BOUGHT MINE AT COSTCO IN TULSA.
LOVED IT! TOOK A BOWL TO MY NEIGHBOR ALSO AND SHE LOVED IT!
REFRESHING AND I AM ADDICTED!!!!
Is it me or was there an overpowering taste of cumin?
I just bought another salad to see if the chef screwed up
I eat this all the time and have celiacs. Not sure where that label comes from, but it is not the ingredient list on the Costco quines salad I buy. I wish I could add a picture. But there is no bulger and the only allergic listed is soy.
i eat it hot!
I mix milk and oats (quinoa hemp instant oat meal by One degree) into it … takes the sourness down a notch. honey can help!
Too sour!!
This comment, is for everyone! Everyone, who is interested in saving lots of money, that is!
It is a smart idea to do your research, thoroughly, regarding what all of the best before dates, expiry dates, and sell by dates, all really mean!
FACT: The vast majority of products out there, are products that will last much longer, than what they, put on the package/s! The primary reason for putting these dates on the package, is not necessarily, to keep people safe! The main reason they do this,more than any other reason, is so that you will throw it out, thinking that it’s no good, and buy more of the same product later! This way they can keep selling/sales, profits, up!
This, is a fact, do your research, on all of what all of these types, of best before, expiry dates, etc., really mean!
For example, a can of spaghetti sauce or canned tomatoes or canned beans, with, best before on them, can actually be kept for, up to, 1 to 3 years longer, after/beyond, that printed -on-product/s, date/s, as long as the can/package/jar, or whatever, has not been opened and has not had any bangs or dents, or damage done to the packaging/can, or whatever! I, did many hours of research, on this myself! For every single food item that I purchased including dairy products, etc.!
Like I said, I did a ton of research on this, and I no longer throw out, anywhere near as many food items! Especially, when it comes to dry goods or canned goods! Fresh goods, however, is another story, but best before,, and expires on, mean two, entirely different things!
Don’t be sucked in/tricked/deceived or manipulated, by these exaggerated/deceptive/misleading, warnings posted on products, products, most of them are safe long after, with the manufacturer or producer states! This, is also done, to force stores to rotate their shelf merchandise, more often, So that the retailers also have to purchase products, more often!
Don’t just take my word for it, do your own research and you’ll find out that this is extremely true!
Right after someone started putting these on different packages, then every manufacturer started doing it as well with every single thing they sell, even vitamins have expiry dates on them! It’s gotten to the point where it’s absolutely ridiculous! They, just want people to throw the products out sooner, In most cases, so that everyone, who is I am aware of this marketing psychology technique, which is what it is, will, have to buy more and then they, meaning many companies, will make more money, most of the time on most of the dry goods especially or canned goods!
Also, I would like to mention that I worked in retail, for six or seven years myself, at a small grocery store, at a Kmart store, and at a real Canadian superstore, so I know what I’m talking about! Plus I did a ton of research!
Have a nice summer everybody do your research! Why waste your money! Don’t throw your items/ food products out/away until you have to/or until it is, truthfully necessary! A person/anyone, that does this research, (or each type of individual food item), can save hundreds of dollars per year on their grocery budget/food bills!
Great to know! Later!
Thanks for sharing all of your knowledge!
How many ounces is that for around $10? Oh, and do Costco warehouses ALWAYS have this or intermittently (couldn’t find it in a nearby Colorado warehouse, but tons of some pasta salad in the showcase–sigh….)
Sometimes they’re out or just don’t make it that week. I see it about 80% of the time I go.
I make my own. Why pay so much when it takes 15 minutes to cook quinoa? You can spread it on a tray and cool it off in a few minutes. I can’t do nightshades so peppers and tomatoes are a no go. Cucumbers, fresh herbs and maybe a little celery, shredded carrot, minced onion, garlic and for extra oomph, crisp tender broccoli it would be healthy. Evoo and lemon for dressing would be my finishing touch. If the dressing Costco uses is made from vegetable oil or canola oil, please avoid. So very unhealthy and toxic.
Wow, you are totally making my mouth water for your homemade version! Have a nice summer!
Love the Quinoa Salad, however for those watching their sodium, it’s a killer. 900mg per ONE CUP! Homemade version might solve that.
I wonder where the sodium comes from it all seems pretty healthy.
I’m guessing they add it to season it.
I was wondering where to get this information about salt? How do you know it’s 900mg per one cup?
Bought this salad at the Costco in Port Coquitlam bc and it DOES NOT TASTE THE SAME! They also forgot to add cucumbers and peppers, it’s pretty much too much tomato and and some quinoa 😭 not good at all this time around 🤢
Oh no! That’s disappointing!
How many days is it good past the sell by date?
I’ve had it up to 3 I think. But don’t go by what I do hahah
What is the carb, fiber and sugar counts. The salad looks awesome; however, as an insulin dependent diabetic, I need this information. Thanks. Char
Can it be freeze ?
It might turn out quite watery and the texture may be compromised but I’m a firm believer in freezing pretty much anything (just ask my husband).
At my Costco it doesn’t say “best before” it says “sell by” and my sell by date was the 16th. It’s the 20th and I’m wondering if I should eat it or not?
I probably wouldn’t!
I love this Salad! It’s one of the few premade things I buy from Costco. I like to add it to wraps as well, makes a great filling.