Every Bite of This Cacio e Pepe Mac & Cheese Is Like a Warm Hug (I Want to Eat It Every Day)

I’ve always loved macaroni and cheese, but my experience making it has never extended beyond opening a little blue box and a packet of bright orange powder. I’ve really only ever had baked macaroni and cheese at restaurants — usually cheddar, sometimes four cheese. But recently, I had the chance to try a frozen mac and cheese dish from NYC’s iconic Murray’s Cheese shop that is hands down the best I’ve ever tasted: Murray’s cacio e pepe mac and cheese. It combines the classic Roman pasta dish with an all-time American favorite, and the result is ridiculously delicious. Every bite feels like a big, warm hug, and it’s the perfect meal to enjoy as the weather gets colder and the nights darker.

Murray’s Cheese sells pretty much every cheese imaginable (even a cheese advent calendar!) as well as a variety of frozen mac and cheese options, including classic, lobster, spinach and artichoke, and, of course, cacio e pepe, which — no surprise — is a bestseller. Cacio pepe is made with popular pasta brand Sfoglini’s spiral radiatore noodles and a creamy Mornay sauce of New York white cheddar, mozzarella, butter, onion, garlic, thyme, bay leaves, cayenne, and nutmeg. The finishing touch: a healthy dose of grated pecorino and cracked pepper on top.

Murray’s cacio e pepe mac and cheese, which costs $28 for 32 ounces, is delivered frozen and can be stored for up to one week in the fridge or up to one month in the freezer. To prepare it, just remove the plastic lid from the container, and bake it in a 350°F oven for 40-50 minutes, depending on whether it was stored in the fridge or freezer. 

Murray’s cacio e pepe is the ultimate comfort food. The pecorino and black pepper topping give it that authentic, sharp saltiness and earthy heat that immediately made me think of the cacio e pepe dishes I’ve enjoyed during my travels in Italy. And the rich, creamy Mornay sauce takes the flavors to the next level. It’s tangy, buttery, and warm, and clings nicely to the pasta, with the gooey cheeses stretching from my fork to my dish as I ate. 

Besides the flavor, I love that this macaroni and cheese is so effortless to prepare. It requires even fewer steps (and less cleanup) than that little blue box I used to rely on. I just need to pop off the lid, put the container in my trusty Wonder Oven, and I’ve got a hearty main or side dish in under an hour. 

If you’re looking for an easy but impressive comfort food to enjoy on a chilly night at home or to serve to guests over the holidays, Murray’s cacio e pepe definitely hits the spot. But be warned that it’s so popular that it frequently sells out, so, like me, you’ll want to snag a few to keep stocked in your freezer.

Buy: Murray’s Cacio e Pepe Mac and Cheese, $28