Serve as sidekick to a slab of rib eye steak for ultimate decadence, or with a Winter Salad for freshness and balance.
How to make truffle mac and cheese
Making a white sauce is a rite of passage. A skill that is passed from generation to generation. So, the chances are you already have a mac and cheese recipe up your sleeve. Having perfected the skill of slowly and gently introducing milk to a floury paste in order to make a smooth, velvety sauce, you’re already more than halfway there. The only difference is adding the truffle. I add it to the melting butter and then go on to make the cheese sauce as usual. If you’re feeling particularly flush and fancy, why not add a little lobster for stratospheric luxury?! You can use a pre-cooked, defrosted whole lobster. Once you’ve extracted the lobster meat set it aside to be added to the sauce later along with the cheese.
What truffle to use
Truffle in any form is potent and distinctive, but the price, convenience and accessibility of products can vary greatly. Here’s a quick rundown of your options: Truffle pesto is what I’ve used for this recipe. Made from 2% Italian summer black truffles. The truffle content may be low, but I think it works for this macaroni and cheese recipe! Plus, I picked it up at the supermarket for under £4 ($5USD). Bargain! And it was easy to use. Truffle cheese can be high end from a delicatessen or budget-friendly from a supermarket. The more affordable supermarket versions also contain about 2% truffle and can cost from as little as £2.20 ($2.75) for 180g. So, easily accessed, but you’ll need to grate it/crumble it into the sauce. But that’s not so hard, is it? Truffle oil does not always contain actual truffle but flavouring. So, if you’re after the real deal make sure you read the label! Buy online or in a good deli for one containing real truffle. It will cost more than the alternatives mentioned above but will make more of an impact. A bit more leg work, but easy to use and authentic truffle flavour. Truffles preserved in oil are whole truffles, so you can be sure you are getting the genuine article. Costly and fiddly, so in my opinion, better reserved for those extra special date night dishes like truffle risotto.
Storage and leftovers
If your family is anything like mine, you can bet your bottom dollar there won’t be any truffle mac and cheese leftovers. If yours is more restrained though, you can keep the covered leftovers in the fridge for up to 4 days. To reheat, either microwave for 1-2 minutes (per portion), or add a splash of milk and reheat on the hob. I don’t advise reheating in the oven as the sauce tends to dry out.
Other pasta recipes to try
Pasta with Smoked Salmon Sun-Dried Tomato Pasta with Chicken Tomato Cream Cheese Pasta with Chicken and Pancetta Kale Pesto Pasta with Pangrattato
title: “Truffle Mac And Cheese” ShowToc: true date: “2024-10-19” author: “Helen Saxton”
Your guests will love the dimensional, but not overpowering, flavor of the truffles and the cheesy white cheddar and gruyère sauce. You will love that you can set the table and whip up the rest of dinner while the dish bakes and cools. Add truffle oil to the breadcrumb topping for an additional layer of delightful truffle flavor. For more cheesy side dish recipes, check out my classic baked mac and cheese, Duchess potatoes recipe, and potato gratin recipe.
What You Need to Make This Recipe
Truffle Oil – white truffle oil is my favorite pick for this dish, thanks to its refined, rich, and nutty flavor; however, black truffle oil can also be used for bolder, earthier notes. Always choose natural truffle oil, as many other brands contain synthetic flavors. If you are ever in doubt that you have real truffle oil, check the ingredient list for natural white or black truffles versus flavorings. Synthetic oil can be used if absolutely necessary, but the flavors can be more potent, so you will want to reduce the amount to just ½-¾ teaspoon if doing so. Pasta – choose small-shaped pasta, such as elbow macaroni, small shells, cavatappi, orecchiette, fusilli, penne, or your favorite small pasta shape. Milk – opt for whole milk for the creamiest cheese sauce. 2% milk can be substituted if necessary, but do not use 1% or skim, as they do not contain sufficient milk fat to create a luscious sauce. White Sharp Cheddar Cheese – though sharp cheddar cheese can also work, white cheddar has additional nutty and peppery notes that are dreamy complements to the truffle oil. Get the best flavor by shredding a block of cheese; it is more cost-effective and melts better than pre-shredded. Gruyere Cheese – this variety of Swiss cheese is salty, nutty, and melts exceptionally well. If possible, buy a block of gruyère and grate it along with the cheddar. If you cannot find Gruyere at your local supermarket, fontina, emmental, or Jarlsberg cheese can be substituted.
How to Make Truffle Mac and Cheese
- Preheat the oven to 350°F and lightly grease a 9 x 13-inch baking dish with butter. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Cook the pasta according to package directions to al dente. Drain well and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt the unsalted butter over medium heat. Add the all-purpose flour and cook, whisking constantly, until smooth and well combined, about 45 seconds.
- Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce begins to bubble.
- Reduce to low heat. Gradually stir or whisk in the cheddar cheese and Gruyére cheese until melted and smooth.
- Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Dijon mustard, truffle oil, and salt.
- Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. Transfer the macaroni mixture to the prepared baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and melted butter. Stir in an additional ¼ teaspoon truffle oil, if desired.
- Sprinkle the bread crumbs evenly over the pasta. Bake for 20 minutes or until the mac and cheese is bubbly around the sides. Turn the oven to broil and broil until the top is golden brown, 2 to 3 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Pro Tips For Making This Recipe
Don’t overcook the pasta. Cook the pasta according to the package directions and cut the cooking time by about 1 minute so the pasta had a bit of chew left to it, or until it is al dente. The pasta will become perfectly tender and absorb moisture while baking in the oven. Cook the pasta in heavily salted water. For superior flavor, add at least 1 tablespoon of sea salt to the large pot of water before adding the pasta. Grate the cheese yourself. Pre-shredded cheese is more expensive and doesn’t melt as well as block cheese because it is coated in anticaking agents. I recommend purchasing block cheeses and grating them on the large holes of a box or handheld grater. Optional: make a truffled breadcrumb topping. If you are using white truffle oil or prefer additional truffle flavor, stir ¼ teaspoon of truffle oil into the breadcrumb mixture before sprinkling over the macaroni.
If you’ve tried this truffle mac and cheese recipe, then don’t forget to rate the recipe and let me know how you got on in the comments below, I love hearing from you!
