Costco Adds A Huge Fresh Shrimp Entree, And Shoppers Have Some Big Opinions - Tasting Table

Kirkland Signature Shrimp Ceviche Salad has returned to Costco cold cases as a deli entree priced at $11.99 per pound. The dish features large shrimp with diced bell peppers, red onion, olive oil, cilantro, and lime wedges for squeezing. Shoppers report it tastes fresh, tangy, and delicious, and it works well with tortilla chips. Other customers question its authenticity because traditional Peruvian ceviche uses raw seafood cured by citrus juice, then finished with chili peppers, onions, and herbs. Costco’s version uses pre-cooked shrimp, which raises concerns about freshness and quality and leads to skepticism about whether it is truly ceviche.

"Kirkland's ceviche certainly looks delicious, made with big, juicy shrimp with diced bell peppers, red onion, olive oil, cilantro, and some lime wedges to squeeze on top. Customers who have tried it over the years call the dish fresh-tasting, tangy, delicious, and perfect for scooping up with tortilla chips. But on the other hand, some find it laughable that Costco is passing off a salad of pre-cooked shrimp as ceviche."

"Traditional Peruvian ceviche is made with raw seafood mixed with a citrus juice marinade. The acidic juice "cooks" the fish, giving it a firmer texture, and it's finished with chili peppers, onions, and herbs. An authentic shrimp ceviche recipe should be enjoyed right after preparation, which isn't very realistic for a Costco deli item. While it's no wonder why the chain made some changes for its version of "ceviche," customers are not only doubting its authenticity, but also its freshness and quality."

"Every time the Kirkland shrimp ceviche returns to Costco, it seems to garner as much controversy as praise. Back in 2021, a Costco deli employee on Reddit stated that "the shrimp is pre-cooked but everything else is fresh," to which a commenter replied, "Ceviche ain't ceviche if you're cooking it." Costco customers also noticed this problem with the ceviche tray when it popped back up in 2025, and its latest return has been no different."

Read at Tasting Table