The Costco Kirkland Signature Soup You May Want To Skip

Costco has many amazing pre-made foods that you absolutely should grab on your next shopping trip. However, while you can find many wonderful things at Costco, there are still some items you might want to think twice about. In this instance, we're talking about Kirkland Signature Lobster Bisque.

Like the frozen foods you should avoid at Costco, the brand's lobster bisque has racked up plenty of lackluster reviews, with one Redditor even calling it "offensively bad." Some of the most common complaints are that the broth is bland and there's little to no meat in it. In its defense, lobster bisque isn't necessarily known for containing a lot of meat, though it certainly can. Technically, a bisque is defined as being made from the shells of lobster and sometimes other crustaceans, which are what give it flavor. Unfortunately, a lack of flavor seems to be one of the most reported issues with this Kirkland soup, with more than a few people saying they had to make additions to enjoy it.

Now, we've tried Kirkland Signature Lobster Bisque for ourselves, and honestly, while it's certainly not the greatest you can find, it isn't beyond saving. In our experience, without doctoring, the flavor does leave a bit to be desired, and it does have a distinctively fishy smell, which might not be everyone's cup of tea. However, with a few additions, it's possible to make this seafood bisque tastier. It's up to you whether or not you want to take a chance on it.

Although many people don't like Kirkland Signature Lobster Bisque, there are a few ways to tackle the most common complaints. While this means you can't just heat it and enjoy it, we think it works if you're craving lobster bisque in a pinch or are already stuck with a few cartons in your fridge.

To improve the taste, you can add spices like cayenne, Cajun seasoning, Old Bay, and smoked paprika, depending on the flavor you want. Heating some shallots and garlic with a splash of sherry before adding the soup to a pot also helps take the soup up a notch. As for meat, you could always add lobster meat yourself, but that can be expensive. Instead, we've found that diced shrimp works incredibly well as a substitute, and frozen bags of it can be found for pretty cheap. If the shrimp is cooked, you can simply thaw it and toss the chopped pieces into the bisque to heat through. But if you want more oomph or have uncooked shrimp, perfectly grilled shrimp works a treat to improve the flavor even more.

Will any of this make Kirkland's bisque taste like it's come fresh from the coast of Maine? No. But it will be leaps and bounds more flavorful and robust than it was. Although you should still think twice about picking up this bisque, if you're a fan of seafood and don't mind fixing it up, it can be an enjoyable meal.