White Truffle Mac and Cheese

The time has come my lovelies. My White Truffle Mac and Cheese is finally here. If you’ve been paying close attention, you might’ve noticed that I made this variation over Thanksgiving last year and I had quite a few of you ask me to share the recipe. Fast forward to four months later, you can imagine how good it feels to finally share it with you! I took my time fine tuning it and now I can honestly say it’s perfect and ready to go.

This recipe is very similar to my traditional macaroni and cheese, which is another popular blog recipe. The main differences include cutting back on the water and removing the cornstarch. The results are still thick and creamy, don’t worry! I love what the cornstarch adds to the original texture, but I wanted to try a version without it, and I think it’s just as delicious. I also added a carefully selected group of powerhouse ingredients to really elevate the flavor of this mac and cheese. This version is totally over the top and decadent- perfect for special occasions.

INVESTING IN TRUFFLE OIL

It should come as no surprise that the most important ingredient in this newly revised recipe is white truffle oil. What I’m about to say is very important, so listen up! You do want to invest in some good white truffle oil for this mac and cheese. This specialty oil is expensive and rightfully so. It’s infused with an incredibly expensive, fragrant, and highly desirable mushroom that grows wild and underground. I really think truffles are one of the most exquisite ingredients humans have to work with. So I don’t want any eye rolls when you see the prices for different truffle oils on the market.

Firstly, a bottle truffle oil lasts a long time. You don’t need that much for big results, so a little goes a long way here. Think of it as a finishing oil. Secondly, it’s a special treat. You shouldn’t be dousing everything you eat in truffle oil. Think of it as a nice bottle of wine or an expensive candle. Be conservative and save it for when you want to have a really special experience. (Unless you’re rich and then I guess it doesn’t matter. Show off.)

And one more thing! If you think you can get away with using black truffle oil, think again. White truffles are more flavorful and aromatic. This makes them more expensive and thus, the oil is more expensive. That may make black truffle oil seem like an affordable alternative, but it really won’t taste the same. Don’t worry tough, this recipe only calls for 1 to 2 tablespoons, so even if the bottle you’ve chosen is really nice, it shouldn’t be more than five dollars’ worth, max.

SHOPPING FOR TRUFFLE OIL

There are two white truffle oils I’ve been loving: this one from Truf and this one from La Tourangelle. I prefer the flavor of the Truf brand a bit more, but the second one is more cost-effective.

Another option is to buy it locally. Look for bottles in specialty kitchen stores- they usually have the good stuff. When you’re shopping for white truffle oil, a great tip is to smell it if you can. When you open a bottle of good truffle oil, it should hit your nose intensely and make your eyes roll into the back of your head. Smelling and consuming fragrant white truffle oil is a sensual experience. Do note that this oil isn’t as intense as say, a spoonful of soy sauce or hot sauce. It doesn’t explode on your tongue like that. It’s more of a deeply aromatic and luxurious experience. Take your time and savor it.

THE OTHER STAR OF THIS MAC AND CHEESE

Obviously the white truffle oil is important here, but don’t sleep on the roasted garlic! As for the technique of roasting it, it couldn’t be easier! Please trust me on this, no need to stress if you’ve never done it before. There are literally a dozen ways to do it. The basic idea is to slice the top off of a whole garlic head to reveal a bit of all the cloves. Then you drizzle the exposed tops of the garlic cloves with olive oil and wrap the whole garlic head with foil. Roast it on a baking sheet, in a baking vessel, or even right on the rack of your oven if you’ve wrapped it securely, until the cloves are golden and caramelized. If you want more guidance than that, you can find more specific instructions and variations here.

MAC AND CHEESE MUST-HAVES

Now that we’ve talked about the big flavor enhancers, it’s time to talk about the staples: the pasta and the cheese sauce. For this White Truffle Mac and Cheese, I chose to go with small shells with ridges. Because this recipe uses such an expensive ingredient (white truffle oil), the shape and texture should feel fancy, too. You can use whatever noodles you like, but if you ask me- stick with the small shells.

Once the pasta is ready to go, it’s time to start on the sauce! The base is a home-made cashew cream that gives the dish such a luxurious texture. Once the cashews and water have been blended until smooth, you’ll add vegan provolone or gouda, mozzarella, and cheddar. This is a great combination for this recipe, so try to get these if you can. (Chao and Violife cheeses are my favorite brands for this.)

NUT-FREE OPTIONS

If you’re allergic to nuts, you can use any desired nut-free, plant-based milk instead of blending cashews. (It just has to be vegan or it won’t work 😉 .) This may change the texture of the mac and cheese, likely making it not quite as thick. I haven’t tested it, but my gut tells me it should be just fine. I have used shelled hemp hearts before (instead of cashews) and it was okay. The flavor was sort of grassy from the hearts, which isn’t ideal, but for all you nut-free people, you understand. Sometimes swaps like that can be worth it.

FLAVOR ENHANCERS

Next up are all the secret ingredients that make this white truffle cheese sauce so addicting. That includes vegan butter, miso paste, dry mustard powder, cayenne pepper, and ground nutmeg. The butter adds another layer of richness, the miso adds a wonderfully savory and cheesy flavor (I prefer chickpea, mellow white, or sweet miso here), and the spices are all classic upgrades to traditional mac and cheeses. You might not be able to identify them when you’re eating this dish, but they balance the flavors beautifully. (Whole nutmeg grated with a microplane is really nice here, but pre-ground nutmeg works too!)

TIPS & TRICKS

For this White Truffle Mac and Cheese, I really recommend a Vitamix or other high-powered blender. If yours isn’t very strong, you may need to soak the cashews in boiling water for a few minutes to soften them. Either way, please remember to blend the cashews and water FIRST. If you add everything at the same time, your blender will have a very hard time making everything velvety smooth. In fact, it might not even be able to blend up those cashews to the desired consistency. Follow the recipe as written and make the cashew cream first. Once it’s smooth, you can add the vegan cheese and all the seasonings. I promise you’ll thank me later.

Hot tip! At the very end of the baking, turn your oven’s broiler on and place the baking dish on the top shelf. Watch it closely and it will begin to caramelize and look gorgeous after just a few minutes. Once desired color is achieved, take it out.

Lastly, PLEASE STIR AND KEEP CALM. I know someone who made a recipe video of this mac and cheese and she ate it right out of the dish without mixing or letting it sit. She then mentioned it tasted better after it sat out for a while. HeLLo! That’s what the recipe says to do, booger! After it bakes, pour in the truffle oil, mix it, and let it sit for 10 minutes. The mac and cheese will become thick and creamy, and the truffle flavor will have a chance to really absorb into the warm, cheesy sauce. Believe me, you will be rewarded for your patience!

ENJOY THIS WHITE TRUFFLE MAC AND CHEESE

I hope you all enjoy this recipe! It’s such a show-stopping side dish, and absolutely scrumptious. It’s also a great excuse to treat yourself to some white truffle oil if you haven’t yet. If you make it, please let me know in the comments and/or tag me on Instagram. I love seeing your creations. Happy cooking!

–Timothy

WANT TO TRY SOME OTHER COMFORTING SIDE DISHES?

Skillet Shiitake Bacon

Potato Salad

Crispy Crawtators

Food styling, photography, and recipe by Timothy Pakron
Text by Hannah Kearing and Timothy Pakron