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Prepare to have your senses lulled and exhilarated by my Tagliatelle with Truffle Sauce. Exotically scented, smooth on the tongue, intriguing. In mere minutes you have entered the world of the black truffle…
Complement the soft creaminess of the pasta truffle sauce with a crunchy green side of Lemon Garlic Green Beans with Parmesan Cheese.
Why you’ll love it
A luxurious meal in minutes! A creamy pasta dish is an indulgent treat any day of the week, but when you add a shaving of truffle it becomes an extravagance that sighs hedonism.
And, honestly, this is one of my simplest recipes yet! Easy to use ingredients and straightforward steps mean you’ll be fine dining in your own home in the time it takes to boil the pasta.
What is truffle sauce?
My black truffle sauce is a heady concoction of musky black truffle slices, smooth and velvety double cream, and sharp fresh Parmesan. It is decadence on a plate.
In case it’s your first flirtation with truffles, they are of the mushroom variety but of superior status. They come in black, white or burgundy.
The black being the easiest, and more affordable, to source. In appearance they are eminently missable; small knobbly charcoal-like lumps, with a pale flesh inside.
More of an aroma than a flavour, the truffle scent appeals to the most base of senses which is why they have earned a reputation for having aphrodisiacal properties. It is pungent, earthy, intoxicating. And a little goes a long way. A few paper-thin shavings will suffice.
Paired with cream and Parmesan cheese, this is a beautifully balanced pasta sauce that will have every diner begging for more.
Which truffles to buy
Choosing your truffles is a crucial step. As they are such a valued ingredient, there are some imposter products out there to be aware of and avoid. You don’t want to spoil the integrity of the special dish.
Although the most expensive, bar fresh black truffles, whole truffles preserved in oil are the most reliable option for top quality. These can be bought easily online.
However, if you choose to use truffle butter or This is an affiliate link.truffle oil, it’s important to read the list of ingredients before making your purchase.
Some of these products are artificially created and contain chemicals that assimilate the truffle flavour but leave a synthetic taste. Look for the words ‘real truffle’ or for actual truffle pieces in the oil itself.
Truffle oil will be a more affordable option and if you do choose to go that route, take a look at our Creamy Tagliatelle with Bacon, Mushrooms and Truffle Oil recipe.
Recipe Tips and Notes
- This will not be an inexpensive meal, but it will be memorably exquisite.
- The essence of this dish relies on the quality of its few ingredients. Seek out fresh tagliatelle, or a high end dry one. Choose a decent truffle oil, as mentioned above. Invest in a Parmesan block and grate your own.
- Fresh This is an affiliate link.Parmesan is a fridge staple of mine. It is infinitely more flavoursome than its pre-grated counterpart. If stored correctly once opened, it will last for up to two months and can be added to many a dish to elevate. So it’s well worth the investment!
- I want the purest truffle cream sauce so my recipe will not call for thickeners like flour or cornstarch. It will be silky, fluid and lightly coating the pasta.
- Truffle is a potent ingredient. I adore it so I use 50 grams’ worth of slices in my recipe. However, if you prefer a more subtle truffle, use a little less.
- Finally, even if you don’t usually, you need to add salt to taste. Trust me!
Storage and leftovers
It would be sacrilege to leave a single morsel of this divine dish uneaten! It must be prepared and consumed on the day. I can say no more.
More pasta dishes to try
- Italian Sausage Pasta with Mushroom
- Creamy Mustard Chicken Pasta
- Kale Pesto Pasta with Pangrattato
- Slow Cooker Venetian Chicken Ragu Pasta
Tagliatelle with Truffle Sauce
Ingredients
- 450g / 1lb tagliatelle
- 1 tbsp truffle oil or truffle butter
- 2 cloves garlic
- 500 ml / 2 cups heavy/double cream
- 50g / 1/2 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- 50g / 2 tbsp black truffle slices in olive oil
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook the tagliatelle in a large pot of salted boiling water according to package instructions.
- In a pan heat the truffle oil from the jar, in which the truffles were preserved or truffle butter if using, then add the minced garlic and cook over low heat for 20 seconds without colouring it. Take a ladleful of water from the pasta pot and add to the pan together with the heavy cream and freshly grated Parmesan cheese, bring to a simmer and allow the cheese incorporate into the sauce over low heat. The add the truffle slices and stir.
- Drain the tagliatelle but reserve 1/2 cup of pasta water. Add the pasta to the sauce and toss to coat,add a splash of water if needed. Add salt and pepper to taste.
Notes
- This dish relies on the quality of ingredients. Find a good fresh tagliatelle or high end dry one. The This is an affiliate link.truffle oil also needs to be good, as discussed above.
- And only fresh This is an affiliate link.Parmesan will do, which is why it’s a fridge staple of mine. It’s far more flavoursome than pre-grated cheese. And if stored correctly, it can last for up to 2 months, with only a little needed to really elevate a dish. And investment, but a good one!
- We want a pure truffle cream sauce here, so there’s not need for thickeners like flour or cornstarch. Without them, the sauce will be silky and lightly coat the pasta.
- Trufflehas a strong flavour. I love it so used 50g/2tbsp in this recipe. This can be adjusted if you prefer a more subtle taste.
- Don’t forget the salt! Even if this is not something you normally add, it’s important here.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Made this recipe the other day. I cooked the pasta first, then saved 2 cups of the pasta water and put it aside so I could focus on the sauce as it was my first time making this and I didn’t want to ruin the truffles. I drained the pasta and tossed it with a light amount of olive oil so it wouldn’t stick.
The sauce itself turns out delicious. It looks a little thin when you’re cooking it but it thickens up nicely when you add the pasta. I found that the amount of parmesan it calls for (50 g) did not lend enough parmesan taste, so I went up to about 100 g. It could be that the parmesan I used was not fresh enough, so next time I’ll go with 50 g and increase from there. I also used a little extra at the end to serve on top. I also wonder what a little nutmeg (like 1/8 tsp) might do to this recipe, and it’s something I might try next time.
Overall, I think it’s a great recipe. It’s quick and easy. It uses one 50 g jar of black truffle slices, which is very convenient. The only beef I have, and it’s minor, is that it doesn’t say to mince the garlic in the ingredient list!