Pasta with Black Truffle Cream Sauce (20 Minute Meal!)
Updated May 15, 2025, Published Nov 15, 2022
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This Pasta with Black Truffle Cream Sauce is sensational. The savory truffles are nestled in a velvety cream sauce and wrapped in perfectly al dente pasta, creating a luxurious meal in only 20 minutes. Buon appetito!
You will also love these simple recipes: pappardelle pasta with mushrooms, creamy mushroom pasta, and chicken with creamy mushroom sauce.
Why This Truffle Pasta Is The Best
The flavor of truffles lends the dish an earthy taste, surpassing that of a regular mushroom variety. This creamy truffle pasta adds a whole new level of unique flavor! It’s a restaurant-worthy meal that anyone can make at home —a great pasta dish for special occasions or date nights.
” I never leave comments on anything, but I just had to for this recipe. Seriously the best pasta I’ve ever had in America. Totally simple and amazing.”
– Kyle
Table of Contents
Recipe Ingredients
Since this truffle pasta recipe requires only a handful of simple ingredients, it is crucial to use high-quality products to achieve the best results, particularly with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and black truffles.
- Pasta – Use your favorite dried pasta or homemade pasta recipe.
- Truffle oil or extra virgin olive oil – Adds richness and aromatic flavor.
- Heavy cream – Creates the creamy base of the sauce.
- Garlic clove – Adds savory flavor to balance the richness.
- Parmigiano Cheese (Parmesan cheese) – Adds umami, saltiness, and helps thicken the sauce. Grana Padano or Pecorino Romano also work.
- White Wine – Brightens the sauce with a subtle acidity and depth.
- Black truffles in oil– Provides the signature earthy, luxurious flavor.
Note: For this recipe, I use marinated truffles in olive oil. You may also use fresh truffles and regular extra virgin olive oil in place of the truffle oil. See the recipe card for quantities.
Substitutions and Variations
- Use Gluten-free pasta or homemade potato gnocchi. Try with tagliatelle, fettuccine, or mushroom risotto for a twist.
- Use all olive oil if you don’t have truffle oil. Add a small amount of truffle butter instead for a subtler flavor.
- Substitute the cream with half-and-half or full-fat coconut cream.
- Use garlic powder in a pinch. Roast the garlic first, like in my red skin mashed potatoes (with roasted garlic) recipe for a sweeter, more mellow flavor.
- Add vegetable broth or a splash of lemon juice if avoiding alcohol.
How to Make Pasta with Black Truffle Cream Sauce
You’ll be surprised at how easily this truffle pasta comes together in one pan. Follow these step-by-step photos, and refer to the printable recipe card below for additional instructions.
Step #1: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt).
Place a large sauté pan over medium heat, and add olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add white wine and let it simmer for a few seconds, until the alcohol has evaporated.
Step #2: Add heavy cream and whisk. When bubbles form, reduce the heat to very low and add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Whisk again.
Cook for about 2 minutes, until the sauce has slightly reduced, but remains liquid.
Add 1 cup of parmigiano cheese and the truffles. Stir to combine. Turn the heat off.
Step #3: Add pasta to boiling water. Cook according to al-dente package directions. Read this post for How Long to Boil Spaghetti (pasta)- Perfect Every Time. Once pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid.
Step #4: Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the truffle cream sauce. If the sauce looks dry add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking water (you may not need to).
Add the remaining Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and stir until the pasta is well coated with the creamy truffle sauce. Serve right away, garnished with truffle slices, if desired.
My Pro Tip
Recipe Tips
- Use high-quality ingredients. Since there are only a handful of ingredients in this recipe, it is essential to use high-quality products to achieve the best results, particularly with the Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese and black truffles.
- Grate your cheese. Read more about why this matters in this post TOP 5 Reasons Why You Should Grate Your Own Cheese.
- Don’t overcook. Don’t cook the sauce after adding the truffle and Parmigiano. The heat can ruin the silkiness of the pasta dish.
- Serve HOT. For best results cook the pasta so it finishes when the sauce is ready. Toss the hot pasta in the pan with the black truffle sauce.
FAQ’s
Although black truffles are considered a summer truffle, we enjoy this black truffle pasta recipe in the fall and winter since it is a comfort food meal. In Sardinia (where I am from), you can find different truffle farm areas between Cagliari and Oristano.
In the United States, there are a few dozen farms across the country that cultivate fresh truffles. Many are in predictably forested corners of California, Oregon, Washington, Idaho, and North Carolina.
We use a canned truffle marinated in olive oil for this recipe. You will love the savory flavor the truffle oil adds to the truffle cheese sauce.
When describing truffles, they generally taste like they smell: oaky, nutty, earthy, sweet, and juicy with savory notes, almost like black olives.
They are earthy, musky, and pungent. The best way to describe their taste is by putting them in the umami category.
Yes, you can make the sauce ahead of time and store it until you are ready to use it. Truffle sauce will store for several days in the refrigerator. Keep it in an airtight jar for the next time you want to make creamy truffle pasta.
Truffles are a bit pricey, so this is a splurge meal, but it’s well worth it. The kind of truffles you use is really up to you. Black truffles are the most common variety you will find at a grocery store or specialty Italian food market. You can use white truffles as well. Finding real truffles might be a bit of a challenge, depending on where you live. For this recipe, I use marinated truffles in olive oil. You may also use fresh truffle shavings or even truffle zest.
Serving Suggestions
Complete this truffle pasta recipe as a meal by serving it with a pear and gorgonzola salad, crispy Brussels sprouts, and no-knead ciabatta bread. If you want to add a meat option you can serve it with oven baked chicken breasts, Italian breaded chicken cutlets, or thin pork chops. My baked flounder with butter lemon sauce would make a refreshing entree to pair. Don’t forget dessert! Italian tiramisu recipe and easy pear cake.
How to Store and Reheat Truffle Pasta
I recommend storing the sauce and then reheating it when ready to use. Since pasta only takes about 8-10 minutes to boil, you can do that at the last minute.
Allow the black truffle cream sauce to cool completely before storing. Once the sauce has cooled, pour it into a mason jar or an airtight container. Place the sauce in the refrigerator and consume it within 5 days.
How to reheat the sauce
Refrigerate leftover truffle pasta sauce in a jar or an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat, pour the mixture into a saucepan and gently warm it on the stovetop for a few minutes.
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Pasta with Black Truffle Cream Sauce
Ingredients
- 1 pound long or short pasta variety of choice
- 1 50 g bottle of black truffles slices
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 1 clove garlic, minced
- 1 ½ cups heavy cream
- ½ cup white wine, or chicken broth
- 2 cups Parmigiano cheese, parmesan cheese, plus more for topping
- Salt and Pepper to taste
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil (4 quarts of water and 2 tablespoons of salt).
- Place a large saute pan over medium heat, and add the olive oil. Add garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant. Add white wine and let steam for a few seconds until the alcohol evaporates.
- Add heavy cream, and whisk. When bubbles form reduce the heat to very low heat and add a bit of salt and pepper to taste. Whisk again.
- Cook for about 2 minutes until the sauce has slightly reduced, it should be still liquid. Add 1 cup of parmigiano cheese and the truffles. Stir to combine. Turn the heat off. Cover with lid.
- Add pasta to boiling water. Cook according to al-dente package directions. Follow my how to boil pasta perfect every time guide to cook pasta like an Italian!
- Once pasta is cooked, reserve ½ cup of the cooking liquid. Drain the pasta and add to the pan with the truffle cream sauce. If the sauce looks dry add a bit of the reserved pasta cooking water (you may not need to add any it depends on the type of pasta you use).
- Add the remaining Parmigiano cheese, and stir until the pasta is well covered with the creamy truffle sauce. Serve hot and top with a sprinkle of extra cheese.
- Serve right away, garnished with truffles slices, and Buon Appetito!
Notes
- Truffles. For this recipe, you are using marinated truffles in olive oil. You may also use fresh truffle shavings and use regular extra virgin olive oil in place of the truffle oil.
- Reheat. Refrigerate leftover truffle pasta sauce in an airtight container for up to 5 days. To reheat the sauce, pour it into a saucepan and gently warm it on the stovetop for a few minutes. Boil pasta and toss to combine.
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
i made this recipe last night, it was amazing! So easy to make and so delicious.
Happy you loved it! It is a reader favorite!