You don’t have to be a cheesemonger to shop like one.
Costco is pretty much a one-stop shop for all your necessities, but you can also get some luxurious products at Costco, such as diamond jewelry, high-end TVs, and artisanal cheeses. A big perk of shopping at Costco is the wide assortment of cheese, including the fancy cheeses you’ve been wanting to try but not at those premium prices. The club’s got your go-to cheeses like cheddar, Parmesan, and mozzarella, as well as some luxe cheeses that can be hard to find or cost a pretty penny elsewhere. Here are the best Costco cheeses for charcuterie boards, baking, holiday parties, snacking, and so on.
Related: 10 Costco Shopping Mistakes You Definitely Don’t Want to Make
Kirkland Signature Coastal Cheddar Cheese
Aged for more than a year, this 2-pound block of mature cheese is an affordable but slightly elevated alternative to basic white or yellow cheddar cheese. Made and aged on the coast of England, it has a rich yet slightly sweet flavor with a crunchiness to it, thanks to calcium crystals that form naturally. Grazing table businesses like to use this cheese on party platters, but you can also grate it for casseroles, slice it for sandwiches, or melt it for sauces.
Tillamook Medium Cheddar Cheese
Rectangular blocks of hard, yellow-orange cheddar cheese are familiar, versatile, and inexpensive. When you need to buy it in bulk, it makes sense to get your cheese fix at Costco. This Tillamook cheddar doesn’t have a long list of fancy qualities, but it sure is a crowd pleaser. It’s a cheese that many people know and love, and Costco has the best price on it. Each block weighs in at 2.5 pounds, which is enough for a couple trays of mac and cheese. Alternatively, you can cut it into cubes for snack trays, slice it up for cheeseburgers, or grate it over baked potatoes.
Kirkland Signature Sartori Cabernet Sauvignon BellaVitano Cheese
If you’re going to Costco for cheese and charcuterie boards, the experts say to pick up a pound (or more) of this BellaVitano cheese wedge. It’s made from cow’s milk and resembles the taste of Parmesan cheese, but with a butteriness to it. As a hard cheese, you can slice or crumble it, but it also melts well. And, like the name suggests, it pairs well with wine, such as pinot noir, shiraz, and merlot.
Beemster Black Label Gouda Cheese
There’s something so satisfying about biting into crystallized cheese, and this one is full of crystals because it’s aged for more than a year and a half in Holland. Costco sells whole wheels of this Gouda cheese, but you can also find wedges of it in the cheese aisle. Though Gouda isn’t known for its meltability, you can still cook with it. It’s also a popular choice for wine and cheese nights because it pairs well with dried fruit, meat, and bread.
Kirkland Signature Manchego Cheese
This Manchego cheese is made from sheep’s milk, aged for six months, and imported from Spain. Sold in 2-pound blocks, it’s a semi-hard cheese that you can slice, grate, or crumble, and you can melt it and cook with it. Just remember that the outer rind isn’t edible, so cut or eat around it. When used on a cheese or charcuterie board, it pairs perfectly with savory foods like olives and cured meat.
Related: 14 Best Kirkland Signature Products That Are Worth Your Money
Cypress Grove Humboldt Fog Goat Cheese
You can expect large blocks, wedges, and wheels of cheese from Costco, home to bulk goods. But if you want something smaller, try this mini wheel of goat cheese. It’s just a pound, and with its soft, creamy texture, it won’t last long in your fridge. With fewer calories and grams of fat compared to hard cheeses, goat cheese is known for being a lighter option. While you can melt and cook with it, it’s commonly served on bread or crackers, or swirled into soups.
Kirkland Signature Parmigiano Reggiano Straveccho
All Parmigiano Reggiano is Parmesan, but not all Parmesan is Parmigiano Reggiano. The former is a step above because it’s aged, made in Italy, and has strict regulations. This 2-pound block from Costco is the real deal—it even dons the Protected Designation of Origin (PDO), which legitimizes its Italian origins. It’s also aged for more than three years, so expect plenty of crystals and a rich taste. You can treat this like you would any ole’ Parmesan, by grating it over soups and salads, adding it to breaded recipes, or making pasta sauces with it.
Boursin Gournay Cheese, Variety Pack
You can get Boursin cheese anywhere but not at Costco prices. Plus, Costco uniquely sells three Boursin cheeses in this variety pack that collectively weighs nearly a pound. Made in France, Boursin is a soft and flavorful cheese. It’s thick and creamy, so it’s often likened to a savory cream cheese. This Costco pack includes two flavors—Garlic & Fine Herbs, and Shallot & Chive. Both are great for spreading on bread, crackers, or bagels, but you can also use it in pasta dishes and mac and cheese.
Kirkland Signature Isigny Ste Mere Imported French Brie
Fancying some fancy cheese? French Brie is a great place to start. Experts usually say to look for triple cream when choosing Brie, but this wheel, which is made in France, is just as tasty even though it’s only double cream. The best part of Brie is the very center, so cut it like a pie so everyone can enjoy a piece of the gooey middle. You can arrange Brie wedges on a cheese board along with some figs, jam, and a sliced baguette, but it also works wonders in baked pasta dishes.
Kerrygold Dubliner Cheese
Americans have caught on to Irish butter, but have you tried Irish cheese? On your next trip to Costco, pick up a 2-pound block of this Dubliner cheese, which is made in Ireland. It’s similar to cheddar with its hard texture, but it’s slightly grittier since the aging process allows crystals to form. As for the taste, it’s kind of like a cross between cheddar and Parmesan, though some also compare it to Swiss cheese. It’s incredibly versatile, so if you’re looking for a cheese you can slice, grate, or melt, this one will do.
Related: 13 Costco Products Chefs Love
Kirkland Signature Fresh Goat Cheese
Goat cheese logs are a fun addition to cheese and charcuterie boards—especially when they come in seasonal flavors. Around the holidays, Costco sells a cranberry-cinnamon goat cheese log, but this one is available all year round. It’s unflavored, but with its creaminess you’re not missing out. Costco sells it in a 2-pack, which brings your cheesy total to more than a pound. You don’t need a lot to make it shine, but goat cheese pairs well with honey, figs, fruits, nuts, and olives.
Champignon Cambozola
Cheese lovers are usually willing to try ‘em all, but picky eaters aren’t always excited to try new foods. If you’re suspicious of blue cheese, this one could convert you. It’s a 1-pound wedge of Cambozola, which is a soft, creamy cheese from Germany that marries the best of French Brie with Italian Gorgonzola. This particular cheese is known for being on the mild side, so it’s perfect for beginners. You can use it similar to Brie—melt it on sandwiches, bake with it, or serve it with charcuterie.
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