I Tried Kraft’s New Fancy Mac & Cheese

If you haven’t heard the news, Kraft is getting fancy. They just put out three new flavors in a more sophisticated “restaurant-style” line-up: Monterey Jack Caramelized Onion, Parmesan Pesto, and Romano Cacio e Pepe. But don’t worry, it’s still boxed mac and cheese at the end of the day—all you need to do is add milk and butter. 

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I tried them at home side-by-side, because I have the best job in the universe. Here’s my honest review of each box.

New Kraft Mac & Cheese

Kraft Parmesan Pesto

Publix

Pros: I’m obsessed with the gemelli noodles in this box. That’s the most consistent pro with all of these new Kraft flavors—the satisfying, unique pasta shapes.

Cons: I’m getting this flavor out of the way first, because it just wasn’t it. I’m sorry, Kraft. You tried. I’ll say this in your defense: It is hard to make a good store-bought jarred pesto sauce, so I can’t imagine the trials of trying to dehydrate one into a powder and put it in a box. The key to a good pesto is freshness, so you’re fighting an uphill battle. But that isn’t the only problem—the creamy mac and cheese just doesn’t mesh with the pesto flavor, even though parmesan is the base. It just tastes a little funky overall.

Verdict: 10/10 pasta shape. 2/10 pasta flavor. But don’t worry, it gets better from here.

Credit: Liv Averett / Kraft

Rating:

3/10

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New Kraft Mac & Cheese

Kraft Monterey Jack Caramelized Onion

Publix

Pros: My TikTok algorithm has been feeding me caramelized onion pasta recipes for years. As delicious as they look, I’ve never attempted them, because caramelizing onions takes 5-7 business days and I just don’t have that kind of time. This Kraft flavor is like the “lite” version of that, and I love it. Every bite is luxuriously rich, carrying that caramelized onion sweetness and jammy creaminess. The cavatappi noodles that are simply divine. I highly recommend baking some breadcrumbs on top for a little extra savoriness, too.

Cons: Look, I’m a savory guy, and a whole bowl of that caramelized sweetness might be too much for my palette. But that’s just me. 

Verdict: Kraft, you’ve successfully turned a two-hour recipe into something that takes only ten minutes. That’s a feat you should be really proud of.

Credit: Liv Averett / Kraft

Rating:

9/10

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New Kraft Mac & Cheese

Kraft Romano Cacio e Pepe

Publix

Pros: This totally works in concept. It has everything you love about Capio e pepe, plus an extra rich creaminess and tangy Romano. But I’m not going to beat around the bush with my one main complaint, so let’s get right to it. 

Cons: This is too darn peppery. I love, love, love, love Cacio e pepe. It’s my special interest. I make this pasta dish once a week, minimum. So I’ve got a tough grading scale. But the pepper in this gave me spicy hiccups. Black pepper has never in my life given me spicy hiccups.

Verdict: Be generous with the cream. I think I went too light on the cream, hence the overwhelming pepper. That said, I like the flavors in here, I just think they need to adjust the balance a bit.

Credit: Liv Averett / Kraft

Rating:

6/10

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