15 Of The Best Costco Frozen Appetizers Under $20
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Whether you're planning a dinner party or just want a light snack, Costco is the place to shop for convenient, affordable appetizers. Its frozen food aisles are packed with options that will satisfy everyone, from the pickiest kids to the most discerning dinner guests. And when you're short on time, these frozen apps offer major time-saving benefits, zero prep, and minimal cleanup, all at Costco's low warehouse prices.
Whatever you don't eat can remain in the freezer for months, reducing food waste and helping you get the most for your money. Plus, Costco's selection offers everything you could need for holiday spreads as well as casual family get-togethers, including retro appetizers that guests won't be able to get enough of, like fried shrimp cocktail, mini quiche, chicken wings, pigs in a blanket, and jalapeño poppers. You can also find more elevated international fare, like spanakopita, samosas, and dumplings.
To determine the best Costco frozen appetizers, I considered customer reviews, quality of ingredients, serving and portion size, cost, and my personal experience as a long-time Costco member. I also looked for products that were versatile or could serve more than one purpose, and that would appeal to a diverse party of diners. I ended up finding 15 Costco frozen appetizers under $20 that will delight your family and party guests without emptying your wallet.
Prices are as of the date of publication and may vary based on region.
Royal Asia Vegetable Spring Rolls with Edamame
These light and fresh vegan spring rolls are handcrafted with a pastry wrapper stuffed with a generous portion of veggies. They come with six packets of ginger soy sauce for dipping, and crisp up perfectly in the air fryer. Costco members love them, saying they prefer the texture and flavor of these to the Summ! veggie egg rolls, and they're even better than restaurant egg rolls. One Redditor says, "I always keep a box of these in my freezer. Cheap and quick snack!"
Purchase Royal Asia Vegetable Spring Rolls with Edamame for $10 to $12
Kirkland Signature Breaded Panko Shrimp
These perfectly breaded shrimp make for a fast, low-prep version of a classic shrimp cocktail recipe. The best way to make these is in the air fryer or oven. Just pop them in for about 15 minutes or until they're crispy, and then serve them to guests with cocktail sauce, tartar sauce, and fresh lemon wedges. Shoppers regularly praise them as one of their favorite Costco appetizers, with one person on Reddit even raving, "I ate the whole box in one sitting."
Purchase Kirkland Signature Breaded Panko Shrimp for between $11 and $19.99
Cuisine Adventures Spanakopita Spinach & Feta Phyllo Triangles
Traditional spanakopita recipes can be tricky to make, and many just don't have time to commit to getting it right while also planning a party. Shoppers say that this convenient frozen app tastes just as good as homemade. It features triangles of thin phyllo dough filled with seasoned spinach and feta, and can be heated in the air fryer. One Redditor says, "Fantastic in the air fryer! Does indeed taste like spinach. But, like, also like pastry and cheese? I love it!"
Purchase Cuisine Adventures Spanakopita Spinach & Feta Phyllo Triangles for around $8 to $17
Kirkland Signature Crispy Wings with Classic Buffalo Sauce
Crispy chicken wings are a crowd-pleasing finger food for parties. These are fully-cooked, ready to heat up in the air fryer and serve along with the classic Buffalo sauce included in the bag. Shoppers compare them to Foster Farms frozen chicken wings, saying these are bigger. They also say to cook them for a little longer than recommended to get them crispy enough. One Redditor said, "Solid 9/10 for frozen wings & you don't even need to hit 'em with sauce."
Purchase Kirkland Signature Crispy Wings with Classic Buffalo Sauce for $15 to $17
Hebrew National Beef Franks in a Puff Pastry Blanket
These are one of the most popular Costco freezer-aisle appetizers. Each box contains 32 bite-sized beef franks wrapped in puff pastry. They're perfect to make in the air fryer and can be served with a range of dipping sauces like ranch, barbecue, and hot honey mustard. Best of all, they'll appeal to guests of all ages. In a post on Reddit, one Costco member stated, "definitely would recommend." Another Redditor agreed, saying, "I love these! My son does too."
Purchase Hebrew National Beef Franks in a Puff Pastry Blanket for $5 to $13
Feel Good Foods Crispy Jalapeño Bites
This Costco frozen appetizer is a restaurant copycat you can enjoy at home. Each vegetarian app features a crispy, gluten-free breading stuffed with diced jalapeños, cream cheese, and white cheddar. It doesn't contain any artificial flavors, colors, or sweeteners. Customers rave about these, and call them delicious and a great value for the money. One shopper recommends pairing them with sour cream, and on Reddit another exclaimed, "just had these, and wow I love them ... I hope they keep these around for a while!"
Buy Feel Good Foods Crispy Jalapeño Bites for around $13
Bibigo Chicken & Cilantro Mini Wontons
These Costco frozen appetizers are perfect for the air fryer, but can also be heated in a pan or microwave. Each one features a chicken and cilantro filling wrapped in wonton dough. They have 4.8 stars on Costco's website, and customers love adding them to soup or just enjoying them with sweet chili sauce. One Redditor says that they are "my go to additions to instant ramen," while another says on Reddit, "everything I've had of Bibigo's has been fantastic. I also love making soup with these."
Purchase Bibigo Chicken & Cilantro Mini Wontons for $5 to $10
Nanak Indian Appetizers
If you are looking for frozen vegetarian apps that give you the best value for your money, this sampler is a great bet. Each box includes dahi kebabs, chili paneer bites, and crispy aloo tikki. They can be made in the air fryer, oven, or a pan and served with mint chutney. One Costco member calls them "absurdly good" on Reddit, and another shopper in the same thread says, "gave these a shot and give them a thumbs up! All three were really delicious and tasted high quality."
Buy Nanak Indian Appetizers for about $10
Kirkland Signature Tempura Shrimp
This fan-favorite Costco frozen appetizer will outshine the main course. Customers think they are fantastic, with one Redditor saying, "we have served these at a few parties, can highly recommend!" Another person recommends using them for a fast and easy bang-bang shrimp taco recipe: "take em out of the oven, into a tortilla, add a little cabbage with poppyseed dressing, and some bang-bang sauce ... Low risk, high reward meal."
Purchase Kirkland Signature Tempura Shrimp for $18 to $20
Wanchai Ferry Pork & Cabbage Dumplings
The Wanchai Ferry brand was born from a dumpling cart on the Wanchai Ferry Pier in Hong Kong, China. These popular frozen dumplings have since become a global sensation, and are considered one of the best dumplings at Costco. They regularly sell out, leaving Costco members eagerly awaiting their return. They are filled with seasoned pork, cabbage, scallions, wood ear mushrooms, and onions. They can be boiled, steamed, or pan-fried and served with a savory sauce traditionally used for pork dumplings.
Purchase Wanchai Ferry Pork & Cabbage Dumplings for $7 to $16
Amylu Cranberry & Jalapeño Chicken Meatballs
Use these meatballs to make an old-school, three-ingredient appetizer with chili sauce and grape jelly. They have a crispy outer coating that gives way to tender chicken seasoned with jalapeño, chipotle peppers, and cranberries. One Redditor calls them the "greatest holiday Costco product." In another Reddit thread, someone says they "are really good as appetizers, just heat 'em up and stick toothpicks in." Shoppers recommend heating them in a crockpot and serving them with cranberry sauce, barbecue sauce, or grape jelly.
Buy Amylu Cranberry & Jalapeño Chicken Meatballs for $10 to $16
Cuisine Adventures Mini Quiche
These mini quiches are a classic party appetizer that will be gone in seconds. Luckily, one box of these contains 72 vegetarian quiches in two flavors: Florentine and three-cheese. You'll definitely want to grab a few to keep your party guests happy. Shoppers love them, agreeing that they are tasty and one of the best Costco apps, with one person on Reddit saying, "I'm so excited! The mini quiches are back at my Costco ... I gasped so loud I scared my husband."
Purchase the Cuisine Adventures Mini Quiche for $10 to $19
Sandwich Bros. Chicken Melts
These delicious, savory party snacks can be cut in twos or fours and served with a variety of dipping sauces. Each box contains 15 individually-wrapped pita pocket melts made from white meat chicken patties and American cheese. Some fans say they're the perfect bite-sized quick snack, recommending serving them with some mustard and hot honey for dipping. One Redditor says, "I am literally obsessed with these, esp with a dash of hot sauce."
Buy Sandwich Bros. Chicken Melts for $8 to $14
Sukhi's Potato and Peas Samosas
One Redditor calls these samosas a 10/10, saying that they are "nicely spiced (not spicy) and satisfying." Each crispy vegetarian appetizer contains a potato and pea filling seasoned with cumin, coriander, and garam masala. Included in the box is a chutney dipping sauce that features cilantro, garlic, jalapeños, coconut, and lemon juice. In a different Reddit thread, a shopper says, "Love these. They crisp up perfectly in an air fryer and have a great flavor. The sauce is also lovely."
Purchase Sukhi's Potato and Peas Samosas for $15 to $17
Bibigo Beef Bulgogi Mandu
These large dumplings are filled with Korean-style beef bulgogi cooked in a sweet marinade that keeps the meat tender and flavorful. They can be steamed, boiled, or pan-fried and served with dipping sauce, or added to a soup for a more filling appetizer. One Redditor says, "I can't get enough of them. I have four bags in the freezer." Another person on Reddit recommends using them for a beef bone broth soup, saying, "add some dashi, ginger, garlic and green onions. Perfection!"
Buy Bibigo Beef Bulgogi Mandu for $8 to $16