Costco's Fall Burrata Salad Becomes a Cult Favorite

Mashed reports shoppers are calling Costco's seasonal Kirkland Signature burrata salad, launched in early September 2026, one of the year's best items.

Costco quietly added a new deli item for the fall season in early September 2026: the Kirkland Signature burrata salad. Mashed reports the roughly 2-pound tray combines a base of mixed spring greens with Kalamata olives, grape tomatoes, fresh parsley, three generous mounds of burrata cheese, and a side of balsamic vinaigrette. The combination gives the salad what Mashed describes as a Mediterranean flair and an intriguing mix of textures. It joined other novel Costco launches this year, such as tiramisu cheesecake and twice-baked cinnamon croissants, which the warehouse chain uses to keep shopping trips exciting alongside its bulk staples.

A store-brand salad topping year-end lists is not the usual way Costco makes headlines — its Kirkland line is typically celebrated for undercutting name brands rather than for standout fresh food. Mashed reports shoppers consider the burrata salad one of the best seasonal Costco items of 2026 so far, and the star ingredient explains the devotion: burrata is a fresh Italian cheese with a rich, buttery, milky flavor. Unlike mozzarella, which is strained, cut, soaked, and kneaded from milk curds into elastic balls, burrata is formed as a pouch of mozzarella filled with stracciatella — cream-soaked strands of tender curds — giving it a soft, creamy interior that elevates a pre-made salad.

The reviews are emphatic. Mashed quotes a Reddit reviewer who wrote, "Bought it multiple times again. It's freaking AWESOME. It works as meal prep for at least three lunch salads," while another said, "It was great. Way more in it than I thought; would serve six to eight people easy." A Facebook user told the outlet, "It's amazing, I can't get enough. It's the best salad I have ever eaten." Mashed reports the nutrition label lists six servings per tray, each with 280 calories, 24 grams of fat, 10 grams of carbs, 1 gram of fiber, 6 grams of sugar, and 7 grams of protein, and that the salad typically costs about $19.59 per tray, though price may vary by weight and location.

For a store whose identity is built on value, the burrata salad shows Costco competing on culinary novelty as much as price — and it sets up expectations for how well Kirkland fresh items can perform against the brand's famous discounts. Those discounts remain the core draw: according to Narcity, a pack of eight 184-gram cans of Kirkland tuna at Costco costs $16.99 versus $17.99 for six cans of name-brand Ocean's, and Narcity reports Kirkland extra-strength ibuprofen at $9.99 for 120 softgels is $19 cheaper than name-brand Advil at the warehouse. Narcity also reports Kirkland bagels run $0.53 per 100 grams versus $1.06 for Dempster's at Loblaws.

Because the burrata salad is a seasonal release, Mashed notes it is unclear how long it will stay on Costco's shelves — which gives shoppers a reason to grab one from the deli soon. If demand keeps climbing, a seasonal one-off could earn a longer run in the deli case.