6 Japanese Meals at Costco That Are Better Than Takeout (For a Fraction of the Cost)

Costco makes it easy to try cuisine from around the world on a budget. This superstore has a ton of Japanese-style dishes and dinners that rival your favorite restaurants while also helping you save money. 

You can unlock the true value of your Costco membership by shopping for your favorite Asian dishes at the wholesaler with its low prices.

The freezer aisle in particular is stocked with ready-to-cook gyoza, ramen, fried rice, and noodle dishes from well-known Japanese brands, making it simple to build an entire meal without a special trip to an Asian grocery store.

Editor's note: Prices and availability are subject to change and may vary by location.

Price: $15.39

These crispy bites are a must for your next party or game night.

Indulge in an authentic Japanese-style gyoza without ever leaving your house. These pork and chicken dumplings come in easy-to-cook trays for a yummy appetizer anytime.

The box contains 60 dumplings divided into five trays of 12, plus five packets of soy dipping sauce. 

Each dumpling is filled with seasoned pork, chicken, onion and cabbage inside a thin wrapper that crisps on the bottom while staying juicy inside, a method known in Japan as "hane," or gyoza with wings. 

They go from freezer to table in about 10 minutes by pan-frying with a little water and oil, no thawing required.

Price: $13.79 (on sale from $18.79)

Bring the taste of Tokyo home on your next Costco visit.

This ramen features Shoyu sauce, a Japanese classic, for extra bold flavor. Each bowl is ready in minutes, so you won't have to wait in long lines at your local Japanese restaurant.

The box includes six individually packaged bowls with ramen noodles, tender white meat chicken, and a mix of vegetables like corn, carrots, green onions and red bell peppers in a savory soy sauce broth. 

Each bowl is microwave-ready in about four minutes, and shoppers often customize it further with a soft-boiled egg, extra soy sauce or black pepper.

Price: $17.99

Here's a classic Japanese dish you can snag for a deal.

This tempura shrimp makes a great appetizer or entrée for those busy nights. Try this with rice, noodles, or steamed veggies for an authentically Asian dinner.

The bag holds 30 large, tail-on shrimp coated in a light tempura batter and comes with six packets of soy-based dipping sauce. 

They cook straight from frozen, whether baked in the oven at 400 degrees for about seven minutes or crisped in an air fryer, with no thawing needed. The resealable bag makes it easy to cook only a few at a time for a smaller snack.

Price: $14.99

Enjoy the taste of fried rice, Japanese-style, with this freezer item. This fried rice has grilled chicken and a savory sauce for a restaurant-quality dish. Plus, it's ready within a few minutes for a quick meal that tastes anything but.

The box comes with six individually packaged 9-ounce bags, each combining grilled white meat chicken with rice and vegetables such as carrots, onions, leeks, edamame and sweet corn, all seasoned with soy sauce and mirin. 

Each bag microwaves in about three minutes, and the recipe includes roughly 15 grams of protein per serving, making it filling enough to serve as a light meal on its own or a side dish alongside other Asian entrees.

Price: $15.99

Here's a vegetarian option for your next Meatless Monday. You get six packs of easy-to-make stir-fry noodles at this incredible value. This saves you a trip to your favorite restaurant while also keeping you under your budget.

Each 9-ounce package contains thick yakisoba noodles tossed with cabbage, carrots, broccoli, Chinese pea pods, water chestnuts, edamame and a garlic-sesame-soy sauce for an authentic Japanese flavor. 

The noodles are ready in three minutes in the microwave, right in the bag, or can be prepared on the stovetop in about 10 minutes for those who prefer a pan-fried texture. It's a filling, meat-free dinner option that still delivers on flavor.

Price: $10.49 (on sale from $13.99)

This rainy-day snack makes it easy to enjoy restaurant-style ramen more quickly.

This affordable Costco find contains six bowls of pork ramen. To elevate this convenient meal, add your own mix-ins, like an egg or tofu.

Each 3.56-ounce bowl includes a noodle block, a powdered pork-based soup base, dehydrated green onion, dried garlic slices and a separate spicy sauce packet, so eaters can control how much heat to add. 

The rich, creamy tonkotsu-style broth is ready in about four minutes with boiling water or in the microwave, and the noodles keep a firm, chewy texture that holds up well compared with basic instant ramen.

Save big this month when you buy your favorite Japanese meals from Costco. This superstore offers restaurant-quality food at a bargain price.

With a Costco membership, you can save more money on groceries and find unique, quality products that might even become staples in your household.

Stop by your local Costco to see what other Asian-inspired dishes you can find.

Many of these frozen options come from Ajinomoto, a Japanese food company with more than a century of history, which helps explain why the flavors taste closer to restaurant fare than typical grocery store freezer aisles. 

Rotating deals and warehouse-specific sales mean prices can dip even lower throughout the year, so it pays to check the freezer section on each visit.