When Trader Joe's puts out a product, sometimes they make it a theme. Now there are two Cacio E Pepe products on shelves: this frozen spaghetti and the refrigerated ravioli.
Taste
If you are a person who would prefer to not dirty a kitchen for dinner, then this is a pretty solid dish. It isn't hard to make on your own and it contains minimal ingredients.
But if you want to keep things down to just one dish and don't mind carbs, then this is a pretty solid meal.
I made this in the microwave. The directions were spot on, but only bought one so I don't know about the stovetop directions.
You get about six nests of pasta which help ensure they stay a bit more al dente since they are more closely clustered together. Like other pasta dishes, there are blocks of sauce there too.
Once heated the sauce melts, but the nests took some time to untangle. Now, in terms of serving sizes, this is one of those cases where appetites will probably exceed the number of servings. So while this says 3 servings, it is closer to 2 servings if not a 1 serving meal for someone very hungry.
But the sauce is creamy and nice and peppery. It does seem to have more ingredients than a homemade one. Odds are this is to compensate for the fact that is a frozen entree. But I didn't feel like I was missing too much here.
If you've never had a cacio e pepe dish, then the closest analogy I can make is that is somewhat like an alfredo but with way more black pepper to it. And it has the taste of Pecorino Romano cheese as opposed to Parmesan.
Frequently asked questions
Below are some common product questions I get from readers
This can be made in the microwave in about 7 minutes or on the stove top in about 5 minutes.
Each package is $3.99 for a package that is just over a pound in weight.
Each serving is 270 calories. A serving size is about a cup. There are 3 servings per bag.
Overall
It was a pretty solid dish. It made for an easy quick dinner. Best of all get a veggie going and you more or less have a complete meal or two. And like I said earlier, the pasta wasn't mushy in any way.
And if you've ever wondered about how to make this dish at home you can check out this recipe to see if it is something worth trying at home.
For $3.99 it isn't badly priced and your kitchen will stay remarkably cleaner than making it on your own.
Did you try it? Let me know what you think in the comments section!
Product Photos
The bag of Trader Joe's Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe:
The nutritional information and the ingredients
Instructions
After being cooked you get:
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The Bottom Line
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Trader Joe's Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe
Product Name: Trader Joe's Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe
Product Description: Trader Joe's Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe is a new frozen entree.
Price: $3.99
Summary
Trader Joe's Spaghetti Cacio E Pepe is frozen and pretty fresh tasting.
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Taste
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Value
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Worthy of Repurchasing
Pros
- A solid entree
- Even though I microwaved this it still seemed al dente and not mushy.
Cons
- A lot closer to 2 servings
Alek says
Great easy Italian Dinner! Add some grilled chicken sausage too. With a side of garlic naan! Then for dessert a slice of tiramisu. Dinner ready less than 5 minutes.
becomebetty says
Hey Alek! You are totally right! Great suggestions. Thanks as always for stopping by!
Jennifer Chu says
Loved this! Granted I've never tried making it before so I can't compare to a homemade version but I loved how flavorful it was and that the pasta was the perfect texture. The stovetop method works really well too.
becomebetty says
Hey Jennifer! Thanks for the feedback for the stovetop cooking directions. Also, thanks for taking the time out of your day to share your thoughts!
Beth says
I loved it and have purchased again.
becomebetty says
Hey Beth! Glad to hear you enjoyed it too!
Lenay says
Just tried this today and for someone whom is a black pepper lover this was AMAZING!
becomebetty says
Thanks for sharing Lenay!