How to Use Truffle Oil Like a Pro

Fine Italian truffles don’t show up on the supermarket shelf, well, ever. But that doesn’t mean you can’t capture the flavor in a home cooked dish that could rival the best restaurants! Fortunately for home chefs, truffle oil has become a popular and more accessible way to bring truffle into your kitchen. We’ve got a list of our favorite ways to use the aromatic oil in everyday cooking, plus the tips chefs use to get the most out of every drop.

The short answer: truffle oil is a finishing oil. Drizzle a few drops, about ¼ to ½ teaspoon per serving, over warm food right before you serve it. It’s best on pasta, potatoes, eggs, pizza, popcorn and anything creamy or cheesy. Don’t cook with it over high heat, because heat fades the truffle aroma. Start small; a little goes a long way.

Top 10 ways to use truffle oil

1. Drizzle truffle oil on top of popcorn

Class up a favorite movie snack by drizzling a little bit of the oil on top. Make sure to use it after your popcorn is finished popping, then toss with a pinch of fine salt and grated Parmesan. Remember, a little goes a long way.

2. Use it on pasta dishes

This is one of the most popular ways to use truffle oil. Incorporate fresh mushrooms into your pasta for a well-rounded dish. Again, add the truffle oil to your plated dish, not to the pan. Check out our white truffle and mushroom tagliatelle recipe, the most classic of Italian white truffle dishes! Make sure to use lots of freshly grated Parmesan cheese.

3. Mac n’ cheese

Yes, mac n’ cheese is pasta too, but truffle mac is so good that we had to give it its own number. Add truffle oil to your gourmet mac n’ cheese for an out of this world remake of a childhood favorite!

4. Mix into mashed potatoes

You can add truffle oil to potatoes cooked any way, but we love a good truffle mash. After you’ve finished mashing your potatoes, stir in some of the truffle oil and Parmesan cheese. Then top with freshly chopped chives. Here’s our white truffle mashed potatoes recipe.

5. Use as a finishing oil on pizza

What can’t you add to pizza anyway? Truffle oil goes well over most pizza, but we especially like a wild mushroom pizza with mozzarella cheese and a light cream sauce instead of tomato. Or a tri-colored version with lots of arugula! Drizzle on the truffle oil right when the pizza comes out of the oven.

6. Over eggs

You heard us, truffle oil is delicious for breakfast too. We like topping off a soft scramble or drizzling it over easy eggs and spinach. Cook the eggs in plain grapeseed oil or butter, then add the truffle oil on the plate.

7. Truffle hummus

Add flair to your hummus by adding a bit of truffle oil. You can make homemade hummus and add the truffle oil into your food processor toward the end. Or, simply mix it into plain store-bought hummus. It’s always fun to class up the original.

8. Over veggies

Veggies tasting a little bland? Add the oil to blanched, steamed, or grilled vegetables for an explosion of flavor. Asparagus, green beans and roasted mushrooms are especially good. Don’t forget the salt!

9. Over garlic bread or bruschetta

Try a little truffle oil on this delicious garlic bread or on any bruschetta.

10. Truffle aioli

This list wouldn’t be complete without a good truffle aioli. Stir a teaspoon or two of truffle oil into a cup of garlicky mayonnaise. Great for dipping fries or spreading on a juicy burger (especially with bacon and gorgonzola cheese).

Bonus! Toss fries in truffle oil for a gourmet snack

Toss hot fries with a little truffle oil, salt and grated Parmesan. They’re even tastier if you add garlic and herbs.

White vs. black truffle oil: which should you use?

Both are used the same way, as a finishing drizzle, but they taste different. White truffle is lighter and more floral; black truffle is deeper and richer. Here’s how we choose:

	White truffle oil	Black truffle oil
Flavor	Light, floral and aromatic	Deep and earthy, with hints of black cherry and cacao
Best on	Pasta, risotto, potatoes, eggs, popcorn, burrata and other mild, creamy dishes	Steak and other meats, mushroom dishes, sauces, risotto and pizza
Try it first on	Mashed potatoes or buttered pasta	A seared steak or mushroom pizza

Can’t decide? Our Black & White Truffle Duo lets you try both, and it makes a great gift for the cook in your life.

How to choose a great truffle oil

How do you pick a great truffle oil you ask? Start by looking at the ingredients. The better the ingredients, the better the truffle oil will be. Many truffle oils on the market are flavored with a lab-made aroma compound (2,4-dithiapentane) instead of actual truffles. They smell strong in the bottle but can taste harsh or “gassy” on food. Oils that start with real truffles taste more like the real thing.

At Salute Santé!, we start with real white and black truffles fresh from the Italian truffle harvest to fully capture the best flavor in our white truffle grapeseed oil and black truffle grapeseed oil.

Also, consider the oil used when choosing a truffle oil. Strong-tasting oils compete with the truffle. We prefer delicious light, nutty grapeseed oil, which carries the beautiful floral flavor of the white truffle better than any other oil. Our black truffle grapeseed oil, with hints of black cherry and cacao, will warm your taste buds, and the exquisite aromas of black truffle add a touch of elegance to the simplest dish. Our grapeseed oil is made from grape seeds left over from winemaking, and Salute Santé! has been honored for taste since 1996.

Tips for cooking with truffle oil like a pro

• Add it last. Drizzle truffle oil on the finished dish, off the heat. Cooking with it fades the aroma you paid for.
• Start with a few drops. About ¼ to ½ teaspoon per serving is plenty. You can always add more.
• Pair it with fat and salt. Truffle loves butter, cream, cheese, eggs and potatoes. A pinch of flaky salt makes the flavor pop.
• Keep the rest of the dish simple. Truffle shines with mild flavors. Skip strong spices and acidic sauces that compete with it.
• Use warm food. The gentle heat of a just-plated dish releases the truffle aroma. On cold foods, like hummus or aioli, mix it in well.

How to store truffle oil and how long it lasts

Store truffle oil tightly capped in a cool, dark cupboard, away from the stove. Light and heat dull the aroma. Look for the Best By date stamped on the back of our label, on the side with the barcode. We guarantee our truffle oils for 24 months from the production date, unopened. Once opened, use it within a few months for the best flavor.

Truffle oil FAQ

Can you cook with truffle oil?

You can, but you’ll lose most of the truffle aroma. Cook with plain grapeseed oil, which handles high heat well, then finish the dish with a drizzle of truffle oil.

Is black truffle oil used the same way as white truffle oil?

Yes. Both are finishing oils. Black truffle oil has a deeper, earthier flavor, so it stands up well to meats, mushrooms and sauces, while white truffle oil is lighter and shines on pasta, potatoes and eggs.

Can I use truffle oil on seafood or rice?

Absolutely, as long as the flavors work together. Try a drizzle over mushroom risotto or seafood rice. For lighter seafood dishes, our infused lemon grapeseed oil is another favorite.

How much truffle oil should I use?

Start with about ¼ to ½ teaspoon per serving and taste. Truffle oil is strong, and too much can overpower a dish.

How long does truffle oil last?

Unopened, our truffle oils are guaranteed for 24 months from the production date. Check the Best By date on the back of the label. Once opened, enjoy it within a few months for the best aroma.

What else can I put truffle oil on?

Our readers love it on avocado toast, in chicken tacos and on burrata. If it’s rich, creamy or cheesy, truffle oil probably makes it better.