Ina Garten's Truflled Mac and Cheese 🤤

Why It Matters

Elevating a familiar comfort dish with truffle and mushroom flavors meets consumer demand for gourmet home‑cooking, boosting menu creativity for both hosts and the food‑service sector.

Key Takeaways

• Sauté cremini and shiitake mushrooms in butter and olive oil.
• Use white truffle butter and flour to create a rich béchamel.
• Combine Gruyère and sharp cheddar with nutmeg for depth.
• Mix pasta, sauce, mushrooms, then top with herb breadcrumbs.
• Bake at 375°F for 40 minutes for elegant mac and cheese.

Summary

Ina Garten demonstrates how to transform classic mac and cheese into a truffle‑infused centerpiece, suitable for birthdays or upscale gatherings.

She starts by sautéing sliced cremini and shiitake mushrooms in butter and olive oil, then deglazes with a splash of cream cheese. A béchamel is built with white truffle butter, flour, and scalded whole milk, whisked until silky. Four cups of Gruyère and three cups of extra‑sharp cheddar are folded in, along with a pinch of nutmeg, salt and pepper.

Garten notes that white truffle butter is affordable when bought in bulk and frozen. She highlights the subtle impact of nutmeg and the convenience of preparing the dish a day ahead, topping it with homemade herb breadcrumbs for crunch.

The recipe shows home cooks how to elevate comfort food with gourmet ingredients while keeping costs manageable, reflecting the broader trend of upscale casual dining at home.

Original Description

Ina Garten calls this Truffled Mac and Cheese the BEST mac and cheese she's ever made 😲

Catch a NEW #BeMyGuest on Saturday @ 12|11c!

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Get the recipe:

Truffled Mac and Cheese

Recipe courtesy of Ina Garten

Level: Easy

Total: 1 hr 25 min

Prep: 20 min

Cook: 1 hr 5 min

Yield: 6 to 8 servings

Ingredients

Good olive oil

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced 1/2-inch

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1/2 pound cremini mushrooms, stems removed and caps sliced 1/2-inch

3 tablespoons cream sherry

Kosher salt

1 pound pasta such as cavatappi

3 ounces white truffle butter, such as D'Artagnan

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

1 quart whole milk, scalded

12 ounces Gruyere cheese, grated (4 cups)

8 ounces extra-sharp Cheddar, grated (2 1/2 to 3 cups)

1 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg

2 garlic cloves, chopped

3 tablespoons chopped fresh parsley

1 1/2 cups fresh white bread crumbs

Directions

Preheat the oven to 375 degrees.

Heat the butter and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large (12-inch) saute pan, add the mushrooms, and cook over medium heat for 3 to 5 minutes, until they are tender. Add the sherry and continue to saute for a few more minutes, until the sherry is absorbed. Set aside.

Bring a large pot of water to a boil and add a splash of olive oil and a pinch of salt. Add the pasta and cook for 6 to 8 minutes, until al dente. Drain well.

Meanwhile, melt the truffle butter in a large (4-quart) saucepan and whisk in the flour. Cook for 2 minutes over low heat, stirring constantly with a whisk.

Slowly whisk in the hot milk and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, until the white sauce is thickened and creamy. Off the heat, add the Gruyere, Cheddar, 1 1/2 tablespoons salt, the pepper, and nutmeg.

Combine the pasta, sauce, and mushrooms in a large bowl and pour them into a 10 by 13 by 2-inch baking dish.

Place the garlic and parsley in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade and pulse until they're minced. Add the bread crumbs and pulse to combine. Sprinkle the crumbs over the pasta and bake for 35 to 45 minutes, until the sauce is bubbly and the crumbs are golden brown. Serve hot.

Reprinted from Modern Comfort Food, Copyright 2020 by Ina Garten, Clarkson Potter/Publisher. All rights reserved.