Comfort meets luxury in this earthy, easy truffle mac and cheese

When the weather starts to shift and the leaves begin to turn, there’s nothing quite as comforting as a bowl of mac and cheese. It’s the kind of dish that feels like a hug from the inside — warm, creamy, familiar. But what if that classic dish could be elevated just a bit, without losing any of its soul?

That’s where truffle mac and cheese comes in. It hits all the nostalgic notes — tender noodles, velvety cheese sauce — but adds just enough luxury to make it feel special. The secret lies in the sauce and a bit of technique.

You start with roux, which is equal parts butter and flour, cooked together. It’s the base for many French sauces, helping to thicken the sauce. When you add warm milk to a roux, you get béchamel, one of the five mother sauces of French cuisine. Rich, creamy, and endlessly versatile, béchamel is used in everything from lasagna to croque monsieur. Once you melt cheese into the béchamel, it becomes a Mornay sauce.

To give it the gourmet twist, we fold in black truffle and a touch of white truffle oil, creating a rich, earthy flavor that complements the sharpness of cheddar beautifully. Finally, a spoonful of crème fraîche stirred in at the end adds brightness and balance.

It’s comfort food, yes — but with a little cheffy flair. Serve it in a big bowl on the couch with a blanket, or pair it with a crisp green salad and a glass of wine to impress dinner guests. This truffle mac is my go-to for an impressive yet comforting dish on all of my holiday tables.

• Grace Carnovale (Goudie) can be found making composed but not complicated recipes on her website gracecarnovale.com or @chefgracecarnovale on Instagram and TikTok.

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Truffle Mac ’n’ Cheese

2 cups macaroni noodles, uncooked

1½ cups milk

½ cup heavy cream

4 tablespoons butter

4 tablespoons flour

2 cups sharp cheddar cheese

1 cup white cheddar cheese

2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream

2 tablespoons black truffle peelings

1 teaspoon white truffle oil

For the mac: In a medium pot, bring salted water to a boil. Pro tip: When cooking pasta, make sure the water is salty like the sea so the noodles are soaking up some seasoning while cooking. Once the water is boiling, cook the macaroni noodles for about 7-8 minutes, until the noodles are al dente. Immediately drain the pasta and set aside.

For the sauce: Start by melting the butter. Once the butter is melted, sprinkle the flour in. Cook this mixture for about 5 minutes at a medium heat. This is called roux. The roux should be pale blonde in color. Once the roux is cooked, put it in a shallow pan and cool it in the freezer. While the roux is cooling, heat the milk and cream in the pot. Once the dairy is simmering, whisk in the roux. (Now you have béchamel!). Once the béchamel is thick, whisk in the cheeses and continuously stir at a medium heat until the cheeses are melted. Once the cheeses are melted, turn the heat off. You now have made Mornay sauce!

For the truffle: Measure out 2 tablespoons of the black truffle peelings. Cut the peelings with your knife until they are minced, almost paste like. Mix the paste with the truffle oil. Stir this mixture into the Mornay sauce.

To assemble: Put the macaroni noodles in a mixing bowl. Fold in the hot truffled Mornay sauce. Once the noodles are evenly coated, stir in the creme fraiche. If needed, stir in some pasta water to loosen up the noodles so they stay very creamy. Serve immediately!

Serves 4.

— Grace Carnovale (Goudie)