This delicious truffle mac and cheese recipe is a classic dinner idea with only four simple steps to follow. The end result will be a delightful classic that will have everyone wanting more.
Why Choose Truffle Mac and Cheese?
Truffle mac and cheese is an elegant twist on a simple and classic meal. The rich combination of flavors, the gooey goodness of cheese, the creamy layers, and the crunchy top make this recipe a perfect dinner idea.
By following four simple steps, you can have a heartwarming dinner ready for your family. You can even ask your kids to help you prepare this favorite.
They'll sure have a fun time shredding cheese, sprinkling parmesan, passing the ingredients to you, or even stirring if they are old enough.
Ingredients you'll need for truffle mac and cheese
Macaroni
Parmesan cheese
Butter
All-purpose flour
Original Crabby Seasoning
Half and half
Milk
White truffle oil
Extra sharp white cheddar
Gruyere cheese
Topping
Breadcrumbs
Butter
White truffle oil
Ingredient notes for truffle mac and cheese
Macaroni
This recipe suggests elbow macaroni, but you may always use your favorite choice of pasta to add your personal touch to this amazing meal.
Parmesan cheese
That gooey goodness that comes to mind when you think about mac and cheese is thanks to parmesan cheese.
Butter and all-purpose flour
These two ingredients are the starters for what will become the amazing sauce that you use to coat your macaroni. Use a whisk to blend the flour and butter, then add your seasoning, two milks, and cheeses.
Original Crabby Seasoning
The original Crabby seasoning has the perfect blend of herbs and spices to add flavor to any home-cooked meal. If you don't have any in your pantry, you may use salt, black pepper, and powdered garlic according to your taste.
Milk
The rich, creamy, and delightful taste of this truffle mac and cheese recipe is achieved by using a combination of milk and half and half. The best thing about this recipe is that you can grab whichever milk you have handy, or you can choose to use a favorite of yours to add that personal touch.
White truffle oil
This ingredient transforms this recipe from regular mac and cheese and turns it into a delicacy. Truffle oil is used in the sauce and is also infused in the golden brown breadcrumb topping.
Cheese
Blending extra sharp white cheddar and Gruyere cheese gives a nice balanced taste to the cheese sauce.
Topping
The bite and crunch at the top of this delicious truffle mac and cheese is all thanks to a simple topping that is very easy to make. It has three simple ingredients (breadcrumbs, butter, and white truffle oil).
How to cook truffle mac and cheese?
Truffle mac and cheese can be done with just four simple steps, which are cook your macaroni, make your sauce, make your topping, and bake. This section gives a breakdown of the steps. For the detailed recipe instructions, you may scroll to the recipe.
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Cook and drain the macaroni
Before getting started with your macaroni you may go ahead and preheat your oven. Cook your macaroni until they are al denté. If you are not a pro at this, just follow the instructions on your macaroni package.
While the macaroni is cooking, you may go ahead and shred all your cheeses, then set them aside. (Shred the parmesan in a separate container.) When the macaroni is done, remove it from heat, drain it, and set it aside.
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Make the sauce
To make the sauce, melt the butter in a saucepan over medium heat, then whisk in the flour gradually to prevent lumps from forming. Mix in the Original Crabby Seasoning, then cook for about 2 minutes. Add the half-and-half and milk slowly. Stir constantly and allow the sauce to simmer for about a minute.
Remove the sauce from heat and then stir in the truffle oil and the shredded Gruyere and cheddar cheeses until they melt. Combine the macaroni and cheese sauce together.
Pan macaroni
Place half of the macaroni in a greased dish, then cover with half of the parmesan. Place the other half of the macaroni in the baking dish, then sprinkle the remaining shredded cheese on top. Set aside and get started on the topping.
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Make topping
Add the truffle oil, butter, and breadcrumbs to a skillet and cook over medium-low heat. Stir constantly until the breadcrumbs turn to a golden brown color. Turn off the heat, then sprinkle the crumbs on top of the mac and cheese.
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Bake
Place the baking dish in the oven and bake until the mac and cheese looks bubbly. This will take about fifteen to twenty minutes.
Recipe tips for truffle mac and cheese
Macaroni
Cook your macaroni until they are al dente (firm), then immediately remove from heat and drain. This will make sure you end up with a perfect truffle mac and cheese instead of a mushy mess.
If you are in doubt about cooking your macaroni, use the package instructions.
Avoid using too much salt when cooking the macaroni to ensure that when you add the sauce, you end up with the perfect balance of flavor.
Smooth Sauce
To prevent a lumpy sauce, add the flour slowly in small amounts and use a whisk to mix.
Cheese
Remember to separate your parmesan cheese when shredding. If not, you may end up putting it in the sauce, which you don't want.
Fresh cheese is recommended for the best taste and flavor. Pre-shredded packaged cheeses may seem like time savers, but they will not give you the same taste and flavor as freshly shredded cheese.
Add the cheese to the sauce after removing it from the heat. This will prevent the sauce from drying out and allow the cheeses to melt without getting burned.
Time-saving tips
You may use the same container for the shredded cheddar and Gruyere to minimize the number of things you have when wash-up time comes around. You may even use a large enough cutting board to shred the cheeses on and make three separate heaps.
Another tip that will save you some clean-up time is using the same skillet or saucepan for the sauce and the breadcrumb topping.
Serving ideas for truffle mac and cheese
You may serve your truffle mac and cheese with a vegetable salad, a fish or chicken dish, and a refreshing beverage.
If you are looking for more dinner recipe ideas or desserts to try out then you can try out other recipes here.
I hope you enjoy preparing and eating this easy-to-follow classic truffle mac and cheese
