Creamy, cheesy, topped with buttery, crispy breadcrumbs, and featuring just the right amount of complex truffle flavor, it is hard to go wrong with truffle mac and cheese! Serve this showstopper of a side dish alongside any main dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas, dinner parties, or any time you want an elevated take on homemade macaroni and cheese.
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
1. 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.
2. 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.
3. Gradually whisk in the milk until smooth. Cook, whisking constantly, until the sauce begins to bubble.
4. Reduce to low heat. Gradually stir or whisk in the cheddar cheese and Gruyére cheese until melted and smooth.
5. Remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the Dijon mustard, truffle oil, and salt.
6. Fold the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce. Transfer the macaroni mixture to the prepared baking dish.
7. In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and melted butter. Stir in an additional ¼ teaspoon truffle oil, if desired.
8. 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.
Frequently Asked Questions
Store leftovers covered in an airtight container in the refrigerator for 4-5 days. They can also be frozen in a freezer-safe container. Reheat the mac and cheese in a saucepan over medium-low heat, adding 1 tablespoon of whole milk for every cup of macaroni you reheat as it can dry up when stored. Additionally, the truffle flavor can soften during storage, so sprinkle with a few drops of oil and a pinch of two of salt if desired before serving.
Serve this elegant white truffle mac and cheese for a special occasion or any time you’d like to elevate your dinner spread. It is an ideal companion to honey baked ham, bacon-wrapped filet mignon, pork tenderloin, or meatloaf. My family also enjoys it with roast turkey at the holidays, served alongside other classic sides such as mashed potatoes, green bean casserole, roasted carrots, and buttermilk biscuits.
Add a savory finish to the dish by substituting all or part of the melted butter with olive oil before tossing with the breadcrumbs. Toss ¼ cup of grated parmesan cheese with the breadcrumbs for an indulgent aged cheese finish. Add deeper flavor to the cheese sauce by stirring ½ teaspoon of garlic powder in with the Dijon and truffle oil. Fold 1 cup of cooked crumbled bacon in with the pasta, or make the sauce extra creamy by replacing ½ cup of the whole milk with heavy cream.
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!
Truffle Mac and Cheese
Equipment
- 9×13″ casserole dish
- Large saucepan
Ingredients
- 1 pound pasta (elbow macaroni, cavatappi, small shells) (454g)
- ½ cup unsalted butter (113g)
- ½ cup all-purpose flour (60g)
- 2½ cups whole milk (600mL)
- 12 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (white preferred) (344g)
- 4 ounces shredded Gruyère cheese (116g)
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 teaspoon natural truffle oil
- ¾ teaspoon salt
- ¾ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs (70g)
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter melted
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350°F. 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; set aside.
- Lightly grease a 9×13-inch baking dish with butter.
- In a large saucepan, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the 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 heat to low. Gradually stir in the cheddar cheese and Gruyére cheese until melted and smooth. Remove from the heat and stir in the Dijon mustard, truffle oil, and salt. Fold in the pasta. Transfer the mixture to the prepared dish.
- In a medium bowl, stir together the bread crumbs and melted butter. Stir in additional truffle oil (about ¼ teaspoon), 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.
Notes
- 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.
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