Truffle Macaroni and Cheese

Sautéed mushrooms add a meaty flavor to the ultra creamy-cheesy sauce using Gruyere and cheddar cheeses. Truffle butter adds an umami that takes it to the next-level. This is Ina Garten's recipe with a few tweaks for easy-to-find ingredients, use of less pots and pans, and explanations that will help more novice cooks to get this recipe right. The recipe simple and works well for a special dinner or weeknight meal. Rich enough for the main dish but smaller portions make a nice side especially with rich proteins like steak, prime rib or roasted salmon.

Prep Time20

Cook Time1

Total Time1 20

Course: Meatless Main Dish, Side Dish

Cuisine: American

Servings: people as a side

Calories: 677kcal

Author: Sally Humeniuk

Equipment

1 12-inch saute pan
1 4-quart large pot
1 cheese grater or food processor

Ingredients

2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp butter unsalted
1 pound cremini mushrooms stems removed and caps sliced thin
3 tbsp cream sherry See notes for using dry sherry
1½ tbsp Kosher salt
1 pound pasta cavatappi, penne, or large elbow macaroni
3 ounces white truffle butter See notes for substitution if unable to find
½ cup all-purpose flour
1 quart whole milk scalded, or heated to 170F°
12 ounces Gruyere cheese grated (about 4 cups)
8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar grated (2 ½ - 3 cups) yellow or white
1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
½ tsp ground nutmeg

For crumb topping

2 garlic cloves smashed
2 tbsp fresh parsley rough chopped
3 slices fresh white bread trimmed of crust and torn into large pieces (enough to make about 1 ½ cups bread crumbs)

Instructions

Heat a large saute pan to medium heat and add the olive oil and butter. Once butter is melted, add sliced mushrooms and cook until they release their liquid and most of it has evaporated. Add cream sherry and continue to saute until the sherry is absorbed, about another minute. Remove mushrooms to a plate or bowl. Reserve 15-25 slices of the mushrooms and put into another small bowl or plate; these will be sprinkled on top before baking (optional).
2 tbsp olive oil, 2 tbsp butter, 1 pound cremini mushrooms, 3 tbsp cream sherry
Start a large pot of water to boil and add a splash of olive oil and good pinch of salt. Add the pasta and cook until al dente. If using cavatappi, 6 to 7 minutes is good. Drain well.
1 pound pasta, 1½ tbsp Kosher salt
While the pasta is cooking, in the same saute pan you cooked the mushrooms, melt truffle butter on low heat and whisk in the flour. Cook for one minute; the mixture will clump, this is fine. Slowly whisk in the hot milk and cook, stirring constantly, until it begins to smooth and becomes thick and creamy. If it's quite clumpy, stir until the clumps are small, it will smooth out in the next step.
3 ounces white truffle butter, ½ cup all-purpose flour, 1 quart whole milk
Turn off the heat, add the grated Gruyere cheese and grated cheddar, salt, black pepper and nutmeg. Stir until completely melted. Preheat the oven to 375F°.
12 ounces Gruyere cheese, 8 ounces extra-sharp cheddar, 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, ½ tsp ground nutmeg
In the large pot you cooked the pasta, return the drained pasta, add the cheese sauce and cooked mushrooms, minus what you took out for garnish. Mix until incorporated, then pour into a 10 x 13 by 2-inch baking dish, or other similar size.

Make the crumb topping

Place smashed garlic, fresh parsley, and torn bread into the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until minced. Sprinkle this mixture over the pasta and then arrange the extra mushroom slices on top in a line down the center or scattered as you please (this step is optional, but tells your guests what they're getting).
2 garlic cloves, 2 tbsp fresh parsley, 3 slices fresh white bread
Bake at 375F°, uncovered, for 35 to 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown (if the top seems to be getting too dark, you may lay a sheet of aluminum foil lightly over the top while it finishes baking). Serve hot.
Leftovers stay fresh in the fridge in an airtight container for 3 days. This dish may also be frozen- wait until completely cooled, then wrap in two layers of plastic wrap or press and seal wrap, then wrap that in aluminum foil, sealing edges well. To reheat, place in refrigerator overnight, remove covering and reheat in 375° oven until warmed through. Also may reheat individual portions in the microwave.

Notes

If You Can’t Find Truffle Butter:
White truffle butter is usually available at Italian markets or specialty grocers. If it’s unavailable, try one of these flavorful substitutes:

Truffle Oil Substitute: Use 2 tablespoons truffle oil + 2 tablespoons salted butter to replace 4 oz of truffle butter.
Garlic & Pepper Substitute: Use 4 minced garlic cloves (or 2 tsp garlic paste) + ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper with 4 oz salted butter.

Both options add rich flavor—truffle oil comes closest to the original.

If You Don’t Have Cream Sherry:
Cream sherry adds a touch of sweetness to the mushrooms, but if you only have dry sherry, try this easy substitute:

Use dry sherry + brown sugar: Add 1½ teaspoons brown sugar to the dry sherry before mixing it with the mushrooms.
This simple swap helps replicate the flavor of cream sherry in the recipe.

Nutrition