The Best Macaroni and Cheese I’ve Ever Had

Ina Garten’s Truffled Mac and Cheese is pure comfort with a gourmet twist. The recipe combines Gruyère and sharp cheddar with sautéed mushrooms for deep, savory flavor. A touch of truffle butter adds rich umami, while a crispy garlic breadcrumb topping gives the perfect finish.

I’ve made some truly delicious macaroni and cheese recipes over the years—like my Grandma Phyllis’s Famous Mac and Cheese and a flavorful Vegetable Mac and Cheese. While I don’t usually declare any one version “the best” (everyone’s tastes are unique), this truffled mac and cheese genuinely stands out as the best I’ve ever had. And my taste testers agree—it’s rich, creamy, and packed with bold flavor.

This is Ina Garten’s Truffled Mac and Cheese recipe, and it’s every bit as rich and flavorful as you’d expect. While I wouldn’t dare change her incredible recipe, I’ve simplified the process for home cooks—especially those just starting out in the kitchen. I’ve also streamlined a few steps to cut down on extra pans and bowls, making cleanup easier.  I’ve also tested, easy-to-find ingredient substitutions for harder-to-source items like truffle butter, so you can still enjoy this beauty.

Important ingredients in Ina Garten’s Truffled Macaroni and Cheese-

Cremini mushrooms- Ina recommends half cremini and half shiitake. Several tasters found the shiitake mushrooms too chewy, so I’ve since been using only cremini and we love it.

Cream sherry- Sherry is added to the mushrooms after they’re cooked for a nice sweetness. If you only have regular sherry, I provide options for how to make dry sherry mimic the cream sherry.

Pasta- Cavatappi is recommended but any favorite pasta shape will do.

Scalded milk- Scalded milk or milk heated to the desired temperature in the microwave, provides the same outcome.

Nutmeg- A small amount of nutmeg is added so it’s not forward-tasting, but a classic addition to many macaroni recipes.

Bread crumb topping- The topping is made using white bread, fresh garlic, and fresh parsley. Perfect for a subtle crunch in most every bite.

Key ingredients for Ina’s Truffled Mac and Cheese

Cremini Mushrooms:
Ina calls for a mix of cremini and shiitake mushrooms, but many of my testers found shiitakes to be kind of chewy. I use all cremini mushrooms for a tender texture and deep, earthy flavor—and we love the result.

Cream Sherry:
Cream sherry adds a touch of sweetness to the sautéed mushrooms. If you only have dry sherry on hand, I include an easy method to how to make dry sherry mimic cream sherry’s flavor.

Pasta:
Cavatappi is Ina’s go-to, thanks to its twisty shape and ability to hold onto the creamy sauce. However, any short pasta, like elbow macaroni, shells, or fusilli, works beautifully.

Scalded Milk:
Warming the milk (either on the stove or in the microwave) helps create a smooth, creamy béchamel base. No need to scald it, just heat until hot, not boiling.

Nutmeg:
Just a pinch goes into the cheese sauce. It’s not overpowering, but it adds a warm, subtle depth that’s a signature in many classic mac and cheese recipes.

Garlic Bread Crumb Topping:
Fresh white bread, garlic, and parsley are blended into coarse crumbs and toasted on top for a buttery, crunchy finish in every bite. It’s the perfect contrast to the creamy pasta below.

The Two Must-Have Ingredients for the Best Truffle Mac and Cheese

To capture the rich, indulgent flavor of Ina Garten’s Truffled Mac and Cheese, these two ingredients are essential:

White Truffle Butter:
This luxurious ingredient adds a deep, earthy, and slightly musky flavor that sets this dish apart from any other mac and cheese. While white truffle butter can be tricky to find, it’s worth seeking out if you’re able.

Gruyère and Extra-Sharp Cheddar:
The cheese blend is key to the creamy, bold flavor of this dish. Gruyère brings a nutty, slightly sweet richness, while extra-sharp cheddar adds the perfect bite and tang. Together, they create an ultra-smooth and flavorful cheese sauce that coats every piece of pasta.

How to make Truffled Macaroni and Cheese-

Saute the mushrooms- Mushrooms get sautéed before being added to the Truffle Macaroni and Cheese. Ina says to cook until “tender” but we like our mushrooms browned pretty well. The mushrooms don’t really cook much further while baking in the oven so I’d saute them to your liking.

I cooked my mushrooms until they’re dark around the edges plus a good many of them are caramelized. You can leave out the mushrooms if anyone in your family doesn’t like them. They add a nice complexity to the texture of the dish.

Cook your pasta- Ina recommends cavatappi pasta and I’ve used it every time I make this mac and cheese because it’s substantial and ridged so it holds the creamy cheese very well. Plus, it’s a cool shape. But any ridged pasta will work well if you can’t find cavatappi- Ziti, penne, rigatoni, large elbow (though not ridged, this is classic mac and cheese pasta), or twisty fusilli.

White truffle butter adds an incredible musky and earthy undertone to this recipe and contributes to this being “the best macaroni and cheese I’ve ever had”. However, it can be hard to find so I’ve done some research for other options that can give you similar results; like how to utilize truffle oil instead (pretty easy to find), or how to incorporate garlic and black pepper instead which won’t exactly taste the same, but will elevate the flavor pretty closely to what you get when using truffle butter. Note: white truffle butter is more mild than black truffle butter and if you try to use black truffle butter or oil instead, the flavor will be brighter. Either type of truffle may be used.

White Truffle Butter Substitutes for Truffled Mac and Cheese

White truffle butter is a key ingredient in truffle mac and cheese, but it’s not always easy to find outside of Italian markets or specialty grocery stores. If you can’t get your hands on it, here are two excellent truffle butter substitutes that still deliver incredible flavor:

1. Truffle Oil + Salted Butter:
Truffle oil is more widely available and can be found in most major supermarkets. To replace the 4 ounces of white truffle butter in the recipe, use:

• 2 tablespoons truffle oil

• 2 tablespoons salted butter
  This combo gives you that earthy truffle flavor with a creamy base that melts beautifully into the sauce.

2. Garlic and Black Pepper:
If truffle products aren’t available, mimic the flavor with common pantry staples. Truffle has notes similar to garlic and pepper, so try:

• 4 minced garlic cloves (or 2 teaspoons garlic paste)

• ½ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

• 4 ounces salted butter
  While not an exact match, this blend adds a rich, savory depth that works wonderfully in the recipe.

Making the truffle cheese sauce-

The truffle butter is melted before adding the other ingredients for the cheese sauce.

All-purpose flour is then sprinkled onto the melted butter and cooked to remove the raw flour taste. I’m showing this picture where the flour has clumped quite a bit which may happen as you stir it. Not to worry, this will eventually smooth out when mixed with the hot milk. If you can’t completely smooth it out at this point, it will come out of the oven perfectly creamy so don’t fret about it.

Hot or scalded milk is added to the flour and stirred until the mixture becomes thick and creamy.

Gruyere and extra sharp cheddar are Ida’s recommendation in the Truffle Mac and Cheese and I definitely use them. Gruyere can be pricey but it’s so full of flavor and melts incredibly well that it’s worth paying for. The high water to fat content in this cheese helps the cheese to melt without separating. It can seem a bit “stinky” before melting but stick with it. Extra sharp cheddar pairs well with the Gruyere and the sharp tang it provides is uncompromised and just right when baked and incorporated in this recipe.

Stir the cheese sauce until all the cheese is melted before combining the other ingredients.

Prepare the macaroni and cheese for the oven-

In the pot you cooked the pasta, add the cheese sauce, mushrooms, and pasta, stirring until fully incorporated. Then transfer to the baking dish for the oven.

White bread, fresh garlic cloves, and fresh parsley make the perfect topping for this macaroni and cheese.

After the breadcrumb topping is added, placing some reserved mushrooms on top makes a nice presentation.

The dish is baked, uncovered, until the top is golden brown and the sides are nice and bubbly.

Ina’s Truffled Mac and Cheese is special and rich enough to be the main dish and that’s how I like it. However, the flavors here pair well with steak, prime rib, or roasted fish. You can’t go wrong.

I hope you love this recipe as much as I did. And for other meatless main dishes, I have several Risotto recipes sure to please, plus Polenta in the Instant Pot is an Italian favorite.