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

Seafood-loving Costco members will want to know all about the latest deli entree to stir up social media: Kirkland Signature Shrimp Ceviche Salad. As seen in an Instagram Reel from @costhotfinds, you can now find massive trays of this seafood dish in Costco cold cases, priced at $11.99 per pound. This ceviche is actually a returning item that first hit warehouses in 2021, and while shoppers seem to be enjoying it, some are skeptical about the dish's status as true 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. "It's a cold shrimp salad, not ceviche," said one Instagram commenter, while another simply wrote, "Bell peppers???" The veggie doesn't commonly appear in traditional ceviche variations.

Other Instagram commenters are even harsher. One wrote, "This is a disgrace to ceviche," and another pointed out that ceviche "Has to be made fresh! No thanks." Another user insinuated that the dish might be disguising old shrimp with fresh ingredients. Some who have actually tried the dish weren't sold, either. "As a Hispanic person who grew up eating ceviche, it was a solid attempt but there was nowhere near enough lime juice," wrote one Instagram user. "It tasted pretty bland."

To Costco's credit, it calls the dish a "shrimp ceviche salad," not a ceviche, but it's still understandable that customers might feel misled. It seems that one's expectations and experiences determine if this dish is a Costco prepared food to buy or avoid. If you look at it as a nice shrimp salad, not ceviche, you're more likely to enjoy it.