🥘 Unbeatable Truffle Mac and Cheese
I see people bringing their mac and cheese recipes to cookouts and gatherings a bunch, especially in the South, but can it beat truffle mac and cheese? I don’t think so! In my opinion, the dimensional taste of the truffle in this recipe is just mouthwatering. Serve this at any special occasion, and it’s sure to be the star of the show.
Can’t Get Better Than This!
Creamy, cheesy white cheddar sauce, earthy notes, and delicious breadcrumbs to top it off, what more could you ask for? This recipe reminds me of my youth when I would be stoked to go to family gatherings just for my grandma’s truffle mac and cheese. This has been one of my comfort foods for years, and I know I’m not the only one! I’m in a rush to make this delicious mac and cheese as soon as I feel that first breeze of fall.
What You’ll Need
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- 2% milk or half and half
- Extra sharp white cheddar
- Gruyere cheese
- Salt & pepper for taste
- Ground nutmeg
- White truffle oil
- Elbow macaroni or cavatappi pasta
For topping: - Panko breadcrumbs
- Fresh flat leaf Italian parsley, chopped
- Garlic, minced
- White truffle oil
How to Make Truffle Mac and Cheese
Step One:
- Preheat your oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. While your oven preheats, grease a 9×13 or 8×8 ovenproof baking dish with butter or cooking spray.
Step Two:
- Cook the macaroni to al dente (not too soft), according to the instructions on the package. Drain well and set aside for the time being.
- Shred your cheeses, set aside.
Step Three:
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat. Slowly whisk in the flour. Continue cooking the mixture for two minutes while stirring consistently. Gradually pour in the milk or half and half and keep stirring to ensure your sauce doesn’t burn. Mix until the consistency is smooth and creamy.
Step Four:
- Remove your cheese sauce from heat and add in your shredded cheese, salt, pepper, white truffle oil, and your ground nutmeg, mixing until the cheese has melted.
Step Five:
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta and cheese sauce, toss around until all the macaroni has been thoroughly coated with the sauce. Transfer into your prepared baking tray.
Step Six:
- In a small or medium bowl, combine Panko, garlic, chopped parsley, and white truffle oil, mix completely. Evenly coat the top of the mac and cheese with your Panko mixture. (Note: sprinkling parmesan over top can also add an amazing, crispy texture.)
Step Seven:
- Place into your 325F preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes or until golden. Serve at any occasion and have people lining up!
🪄 Tips and Tricks
- Cheesier, Dreamier! I always look for that thick consistency for my mac and cheese, so I had to work on making the perfect cheese sauce! Replacing 2% with whole milk, half and half, or heavy cream makes the texture and creaminess of the mac and cheese all the better. Add half a block of cream cheese to your cheese sauce to tie things together!
- More truffle! I know black truffles can get super pricey, but what can you do when you want that extra earthy truffle flavor without the cost? The answer is simple: good-quality infused salts, oils, and cheeses! This way, you’re still getting that delicious truffle flavor at a lower price!
- Switch up the pasta shape! Everyone loves the classic elbow macaroni, but by changing up the pasta shape and using penne or cavatappi can add that touch of uniqueness!
🗒 Variations
Getting started in the kitchen can seem a little intimidating at first, but by exploring new ingredients, you can discover what they can do to make your dishes even better. Here are some ideas for this recipe!
- Turn up the heat! You can never go wrong with adding an extra kick to your mac and cheese. Consider adding paprika or red chili flakes to the Panko breadcrumb mixture!
- Add veggies! Being a mom means being creative with veggies! I’m always looking for new ways to sneak greens into my family’s diet. And adding portobello mushrooms, peas, or steamed broccoli really boosts the flavor and nutrition of this irresistible dish!
- Add protein! Adding lean protein like chicken breast or turkey is one of my favorite ways to spice up a dish like this. I’ve found that it gives an amazing contrast of flavor and texture.
🗒 Substitutions
Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit, sed do eiusmod tempor incididunt ut labore et dolore magna aliqua. Ut enim ad minim veniam, quis nostrud exercitation ullamco laboris nisi ut aliquip ex ea commodo consequat. Duis aute irure dolor in reprehenderit in voluptate velit esse cillum dolore eu fugiat nulla pariatur. Excepteur sint occaecat cupidatat non proident, sunt in culpa qui officia deserunt mollit anim id est laborum.
- Option 1
- Option 2
- Option 3
🗒 Try These Favorites Next!
- Easy Mushroom Swiss Burger
- Cranberry Chutney & Prosciutto Grilled Cheese
- Quick Chicken Lettuce Wraps
- Shrimp Gumbo
👝 Keep it Fresh
If you find yourself making too much of a recipe, it’s not a problem! Storing mac and cheese is super simple and easy to do. If you’re looking for more of a short-term option, just store it in an airtight container and refrigerate for 2-3 days! Mac and cheese can also be stored in a sealed container in the freezer for up to 3 months. Make sure you’re labeling your container with the date so you know how long it’s been stored.
🤔 Common Questions
How do I know if my sauce is too thin?
If you think your sauce is too thin, it’s most likely just overheated. As your mac and cheese sauce cools down, it should become a thicker, creamy consistency. However, if you still think your sauce is too thin, I’d suggest adding in more shredded cheese until you reach your desired consistency.
What type of truffle oil works best?
For this recipe, I would recommend using white truffle oil. If you want a more intense truffle flavor, black truffle oil can also work amazing!
Baked Mac and Cheese: Truffle Edition
Ingredients
- ¼ cup unsalted butter (4 tablespoons)
- ¼ cup all purpose flour
- 4 cups milk
- 3 cups extra sharp white cheddar (8 ounces)
- 3 cups Gruyere cheese (8 ounces)
- 1 tablespoon salt
- 1 teaspoon pepper
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- 2 tablespoon truffle oil
- 1 pound cavatappi pasta (or elbow macaroni) , cooked to al dente
Topping:
- 1 cup panko
- 2 tablespoons fresh flat leaf Italian parsley chopped
- 1 tablespoon garlic minced
- 1 tablespoon truffle oil
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F. Grease or butter a 9 x 13 or 8 x 8 ovenproof bakingdish.
- Cook the macaroni to al dente, according to package instructions. Drain well, set aside. Shred cheeses and set aside.
- Melt the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat, whisk in the flour, continue cookingfor 2 minutes stirring constantly. Slowly pour in the milk, continue whisking to prevent the milk from scalding, and mix until smooth and creamy.
- Remove from heat, add in the shredded cheeses, salt, pepper, truffle oil, and thenutmeg, mixing until the cheese has melted.
- In a large bowl, combine the cooked pasta and cheese sauce, and gently toss to coat. Transfer to a prepared baking dish.
- In a medium bowl, combine the panko, minced garlic, chopped parsley and truffle oil, mixwell. Evenly sprinkle the panko topping over the mac and cheese, and if desired, addsome shredded parmesan as well.
- Bake in a preheated 325°F oven for about 30 – 35 minutes or until bubbly and topping isstarting to turn golden, serve hot.
More Uncategorized
(Admin only): it looks like you might be using a generic uncategorized category as the Yoast Primary Category, which is not a best practice.
- NYC Pizza Recipe
- Hello world!(featured image missing! these are necessary, edit the post to assign an image)
Post navigation
Recipe Template
BymikeSeptember 10, 2023
7-DAYS WITH
Unlock a Week of Deliciousness!
Ready to transform your kitchen into a flavor factory? Sign up for our ✨FREE✨ 7-day email course and get a brand-new, incredible recipe delivered straight to your inbox every single day for a week!
At Little Figgy, we believe cooking should be fun, easy, and absolutely delicious. Get inspired, try new ingredients, and discover your next family favorite. What are you waiting for?
