The Costco Kirkland Ingredient That Takes Your Homemade Indian Food To The Next Level

If you're craving the kind of rich, creamy desi food that tastes like it came straight from an Indian kitchen, you'll need a few staples to make it more authentic. Among these is an age-old mainstay woven into nearly every region of Indian cooking: ghee. This is a type of clarified butter that's mildly caramelized to a nutty golden brown and is appreciated for its high smoke point. It is to Indian cooking what butter is to the French, so it would be a culinary sin not to have a canister on hand when making Indian food. If you're wondering which one to buy, Costco's Kirkland Signature Organic Ghee is a solid pick. It's lactose-free, gluten-free, and — at $20.99 for 27 ounces — you get plenty for your dollar.

Costco sells some top-notch everyday items that aren't always available elsewhere (like these freezer finds under $15 that we buy every time). Kirkland's ghee is one of these, and while it might not be groundbreaking, it definitely checks enough boxes for us to consider it the complete package. The "mild caramel ... notes" described on its Costco product page lend this ingredient a gentle warmth and a touch of nuttiness without any sharp, overpowering dairy flavor. This works especially well for Indian dishes in which ghee is used like a condiment and doesn't require heating, like dropping a spoonful into a comforting bowl of aam daal lentil soup, drizzling it over steaming rice, or brushing it over feathery-soft layered parathas.

Because of its comparatively subtle taste, Kirkland Signature's ghee is a great cooking staple if you prefer more balanced flavors. One Reddit user raved about its homemade taste and incredible aroma straight out of the jar, adding that it's the kind of product worth grabbing whenever you see it. A single jar typically sells for $0.78 per ounce, as opposed to $1.06 (or more) per ounce from other brands.

This fat source is perfect for deep-frying beloved South Indian snacks or lending richness to traditional Diwali desserts like sooji halwa. In addition to Indian dishes, you can use ghee as a substitute in numerous dishes, like in a bowl of Japanese butter rice.

Regardless of your preferred regional cuisine, Kirkland Organic Ghee is useful for everyday cooking, whether you're sautéing vegetables or roasting a whole chicken. Thanks to its high smoke point (approximately 465 degrees Fahrenheit), ghee helps vegetables brown evenly and gives turkey or chicken skin a beautifully crisp finish when roasting or searing. It's also a reliable choice for egg- or cream-based sauces because it lacks milk solids and holds up better than butter. Lastly, this product is an especially appealing choice if you're looking to avoid lactose or simply want to achieve more delicate flavors without splurging.