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Truffle cheese is a cost-effective way to experience the luxury of truffles without breaking the bank so I used Trader Joe’s truffle cheese to make a rich and creamy truffle mac and cheese. The earthy truffle flavor pairs perfectly with cheese and pasta for a decadent macaroni and cheese dish that feels like fancy comfort food.

Mr. K loves truffle macaroni and cheese. I mean really loves it. He fawns over any macaroni and cheese that is sprinkled with a little truffle oil or uses some truffle cheese, it’s almost embarrassing.

Until now, he’s had to wait until we dine at a restaurant that serves it, but now that I’ve found truffle cheese at Trader Joe’s he’s so excited because we can make truffle mac and cheese at home. I think he’d eat every night if I was willing to make it.

Ingredients

Shell pasta or you can use elbow macaroni
Shredded truffle cheese
Shredded white Monterey jack cheese
Evaporated milk
Salt and pepper

I used my truffle cheese to make an easy macaroni and cheese. Since the cheese is so flavorful you don’t need a lot of extra ingredients. It’s really simple and you don’t have to make a roux with all-purpose flour and butter.

I used a combination of truffle cheese and Monterey jack cheese, but you can use all truffle cheese to make it even easier or try it with white cheddar cheese or fontina.

For the pasta, I recommend using either small shells or elbow macaroni. Both pasta shapes hold the cheese sauce really well. I haven’t tested it with other shapes.

How to Make It

This is an easy stovetop macaroni and cheese. All you do is boil the pasta to al dente following the package instructions, drain it and then add the cheese, evaporated milk, salt, and black pepper. Stir the cooked pasta with the cheese mixture over low heat until it’s melted and you get a creamy truffle mac and cheese

You can serve it as is or garnish it with grated cheese or sprinkle fresh parsley and freshly ground black pepper over top.

When I served up the truffle mac and cheese, I was curious to hear his opinion since he’s had so many restaurant versions, he’s practically an expert. Usually, when I make him something, he takes a bite and then gives me a verdict.

He didn’t say anything after a few minutes, so I was a little worried. I asked him what he thought of it and he said (with his mouth full) “This is so good.” Then I asked him why he didn’t say anything until I asked, and he told me that he hadn’t had a chance because he’d been stuffing his mouth ever since the first bite. I guess that’s a good thing!

What is truffle cheese?

Truffle cheese is cheese flavored with black truffles, which are fungus that grows underground. Raw truffles are a prized ingredient and can be very, very expensive, but products that are infused with truffles are usually much less expensive.

You’ll pay more for a block of truffle cheese at the grocery store than a regular block of cheddar cheese, but it’s still a really cost-effective way to dress up a dish with the nutty and earthy flavor of truffles.

There are all kinds of truffle cheese – basically, any kind of cheese can be a truffle cheese so you might see truffle cheddar cheese, brie cheese with truffles, truffle goat cheese and others.

Italian Truffle Cheese is a seasonal item at Trader Joe’s and when I found it last weekend, I snatched up several blocks to use in recipes like this truffle macaroni and cheese. You can also use truffle cheese in lots of other ways. Here are some ideas:

Use it to top homemade pizza
Stir it into risotto
Make truffle grilled cheese sandwiches
Melt it and serve it as fondue
Use it to make a creamy pasta sauce

I have to admit that this truffle macaroni and cheese is my favorite way to use it. It’s so creamy, rich and easy to make. The taste and aroma of the truffle in the warm cheese sauce is so earthy.

More Macaroni and Cheese Recipes

It’s probably also good that truffle cheese is only available this time of year otherwise I might not make my other mac and cheese recipes anymore. I have several that I love and readers love, too, so if you’re looking for more ideas be sure to check out these recipes…

Garlic Parmesan Macaroni and Cheese | This recipe has been pinned over 600,000 times on Pinterest and is by far my most popular mac and cheese recipe. It’s super easy to make and the parmesan cheese and garlic flavor combo is delicious.
Microwave Macaroni and Cheese in a Mug | Have you seen those single-serving mac and cheese cups at the store? Well, you can skip buying those when you have a craving because it’s really easy to make single-serving macaroni and cheese from scratch with real ingredients. All you need is a mug and a microwave.
Instant Pot Macaroni and Cheese | Yes, you can make mac and cheese in an instant pot! It’s a really easy way to make it without using the stove or oven.
Baked Macaroni and Cheese | If you want to bake mac and cheese this is a great recipe. The sauce stays nice and creamy and it has a crispy breadcrumb topping.