The Hands-Down Best Smoked Salmon Brand Comes Straight Off Of Costco Shelves

Costco is a treasure trove of great deals on massive quantities of everything from toilet paper to extra virgin olive oil. When it comes to smoked salmon, Kirkland isn't just the best brand available at Costco, it's also the best brand of smoked salmon that we've sampled out of 11 competitors. In our ranking of smoked salmon brands, the Kirkland brand exceeded our expectations on all our judging criteria, including tenderness, flavor, and slice thickness.

While a Florida Costco had a snafu with Kirkland Signature Smoked Salmon back in 2024, recalling over 100 cases, the brand has more than redeemed itself. It remains a favorite mainstay on Costco shelves and should certainly be part of your next Costco haul. The smoked salmon comes in two 12-ounce packages, cut in large, perfectly thick and velvety slices. The texture is melt-in-your-mouth buttery, while the flavor is a delicious balance of umami and smoky. Although smoked seafood can often be fishy and overly salty, this salmon was mild with just the right amount of salt to accentuate savory flavors. And to top it all off, the Kirkland brand was one of the absolute cheapest brands at about $1 per ounce. So not only is it delicious, but it's also the best value for the price, proof that a cheap price tag won't betray quality or sophistication.

Costco customers on Reddit are as impressed with the Kirkland product as we are. One Redditor said it was "by far the best smoked salmon for the price," describing the taste and texture as "creamy salty, and buttery." Many agree and even call Kirkland their "favorite" brand, despite various other options you can find on shelves.

Not only do Costco customers online praise the smoked salmon, but they also offer plenty of satisfying smoked salmon recipes. One customer on Reddit posed the question, "What do you do with this much smoked salmon?" In true Costco fashion, the entire package comes with 1.5 pounds-worth of fish. Luckily, the salmon freezes and thaws beautifully, so you can enjoy it over multiple meals if you aren't feeding a crowd. "Freeze one [and] enjoy the second package over bagels with cream cheese, red onion, lettuce, tomato, and sprinkle of capers," another Redditor replied. 

Bagel and lox is perhaps the most common use of smoked salmon, but another breakfast classic to try with smoked salmon is eggs Benedict as the Hollandaise sauce provides a rich and creamy complement to the saltiness of smoked fish. Other Redditors suggested making sushi. The smoked salmon also makes a great pasta protein, and we have an easy smoked salmon pasta recipe for you to try. As this salmon is imported from Norway, you can always make an open-faced smoked salmon sandwich called smørrebrød that's popular in Scandinavian countries.