Costco is world-famous for low prices, family-sized products, and a virally acclaimed food court. That said, Costco’s food court items aren’t the only prepared dishes. The Kirkland Signature brand sells all manner of prepared meals, main courses, and sides. And we found the perfect Kirkland Signatures side dish for your summer cookouts.
We sampled 21 Kirkland Signature items, and the prepared mac and cheese blew us away. While whipping up a boxed mac and cheese is convenient, buying it premade is even easier. Kirkland Signature’s version is not only better than boxed, but as good as many scratch-made recipes. In fact, the mac and cheese tastes homemade because it’s assembled with a shredded cheese topping and packaged in an aluminum tin so you can slide it right into the oven. A stint in the oven will melt and brown the cheese, reheat and redistribute the creamy cheese sauce and pasta, and all while saving you dishes and effort. If you have any leftovers, the baking tin and plastic top will become disposable storage tupperware.
Like many Costco products, the Kirkland Signature mac and cheese comes in a giant portion meant for a crowd. The cooking instructions opt to cover the mac and cheese with tin foil and bake for 40 minutes in a 400-degree Fahrenheit oven. However, Costco customers recommend uncovering the mac and cheese for the last 10 minutes for a crispy, browned top.
Costco’s mac and cheese and other side dishes make summer barbecues easy
While Kirkland Signature mac and cheese instructs customers to bake it in the oven, you can use your grill instead. After all, if you’re having a cookout, you’ve probably already fired up the grill for barbecued meats and veggies. Plus, the aluminum tin the mac and cheese comes in is grill-safe. Grilling mac and cheese will keep you out of the kitchen and in the backyard with the rest of the party. Grilling times and temperatures vary; some recipes call for a quick 20-minute stint over direct 425-degree Fahrenheit heat, while others opt for using a smoker technique. Smoking mac and cheese will bring a lot more smoky, woody complexity, but it’ll take up to an hour on the grill over indirect 250-degree Fahrenheit heat.
If you’re looking for more convenient Kirkland Signature barbecue pairings, our list also includes pre-made beef patties made with Angus ground chuck and, of course, Kirkland’s famous all-beef bun-size hot dogs. You can spoon mac and cheese directly over your burger and hot dog for an over-the-top, decadent summertime handheld. Bring the mac and cheese into the main course category by adding our taste-test-approved Kirkland Signature parmesan and cracked black pepper chicken sausage to it. The parmesan in the sausage will complement the sharp cheddar in the mac and cheese. You can smoke the sausages alongside the mac and cheese for an ultra-smoky, savory, and meaty dish.
