This cheesy Truffle Mac and Cheese is made in under 30 minutes! It combines white truffle oil, mushrooms and gruyere cheese for a super tasty variation on traditional macaroni and cheese. 

This white truffle mac and cheese is life-changing. ….which I realize is a BOLD statement, but it’s true.

I’ve always loved truffle oil, but I used to only use it on top of popcorn. Turns out, it’s really tasty with pasta, too. This mac and cheese lasted no more than one full day in my house, and though that might sound embarrassing, I’m not ashamed. It’s that incredible!

As much as I love my vegan mac and cheese, cottage cheese mac and cheese and this super quick microwave mac and cheese, this truffle oil macaroni and cheese recipe is the elevated version, but not fancy at all! Think: restaurant quality but at home.

Recipe features

• Made completely on the stove so there’s no need to turn on the oven.
• The truffle oil pairs perfectly with the cheese and mushrooms.
• It’s ready in under 30 minutes!
• A hearty vegetarian meal that even meat-lovers will adore. 

Ingredient notes

Pasta: You can use ANY kind of pasta in this recipe: regular, whole wheat, gluten free-the choice is yours! I used shells and think they work really well for mac and cheese. 

Butter: A must-have for mac and cheese in my opinion. Olive oil works too, though. 

Mushrooms: Cremini mushrooms/Baby bella mushrooms are great with pasta. If you can, buy them sliced to save yourself some prep work.

Flour: All purpose flour (or gluten free all purpose flour) is necessary to help create the sauce and ensure that it thickens properly.

Cheese: The combination of gruyere and shredded white cheddar cheese makes this dish even more flavorful! Need a substitution? Try parmesan cheese instead of cheddar cheese.

Milk: To make this extra creamy, a combination of milk (any kind) and heavy cream (or half and half) is the way to go!

Truffle oil: Truffle oil is usually on the pricier side, but unlike other oils, you don’t and shouldn’t use a lot of it–a little bit goes a LONG way! Buy yourself a bottle and it should last for at least a few months.

Thyme: If there’s one ingredient that’s optional, it’s the thyme. But, I think it adds a little extra flavor to the dish, so I do recommend it, but make sure to use fresh thyme, not dried. 

Instructions

Step 1: Cook the pasta. Bring a large pot of water to a boil, then add the pasta and cook according to the package instructions until it’s al dente; drain and set aside. 

Step 2: Sauté the mushrooms. While the pasta is cooking, heat olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat, then add the mushrooms and sauté for 2-3 minutes. Add the thyme and salt and continue cooking for 2-3 minutes until the mushrooms are soft. 

Step 3: Make the cheese sauce. Add butter to the same skillet, and once it’s melted, sprinkle the flour overtop and stir continuously for 1 minute. Then, slowly pour in the milk and half and half, whisking until there are no more lumps. Sprinkle in the cheese a little at a time, stirring to create the cheese sauce. 

Step 4: Combine. Pour the truffle oil into the cheese sauce and stir to combine, then add in the cooked pasta and toss until the pasta is coated in cheese. Add more salt and pepper to taste (and extra truffle oil if you’d like) and enjoy! 

Tips

• Make sure to add the cheese in slowly so it doesn’t clump up. 
• Use some sort of shaped pasta–shells, penne, macaroni–rather than long noodles for this recipe.
• This recipe is meant to be made on the stove. However, if you prefer baked mac and cheese, simply sprinkle panko breadcrumbs overtop of the whole skillet and place it in under the broiler for 2-4 minutes. 

Can I use black truffle oil?

I wouldn’t. White truffle oil and black truffle oil taste very different — this recipe was created and tested using white truffle oil.

Can I add meat to this dish? 

Sure can! I think shredded chicken would be good, as would mushroom chicken. You could also add chopped bacon by cooking the bacon first, then removing it with a slotted spoon and adding it back in at the end. 

Storage

Refrigerator: Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. 

Freezer: Wait for the mac and cheese to cool, then transfer to a freezer-safe bag of container for up to 3 months. 

Reheat in the microwave or place into a large skillet or pot with a splash of milk and stir until it’s warmed through. 

More vegetarian dinner recipes

• Sweet Potato Gnocchi
• Buffalo Mac and Cheese
• Vegan Baked Ziti 

If you made this recipe, be sure to leave a comment and star rating below. Thanks!

UPDATE NOTE: This post was originally published in December 2015. It was updated with new photos and text in October 2024.