Truffle risotto is a luxurious way to use a fresh black truffle. The silky, saucy rice is filled with the earthy flavor of truffles and parmesan. You can also use truffle oil, truffle butter, or preserved truffles if you don’t have a black fresh truffle!
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Why I love it:
The smell of this black truffle risotto is out of this world—the earthy perfume of fresh truffle, sharp parmesan, sweet onions, and a touch of garlic makes your kitchen feel like the coziest Italian enoteca. The rice is silky and saucy, each bite carrying the truffly flavor and the richness of good butter and cheese.
In case you’ve never experienced it, fresh truffles are a different world from synthetic truffle oil. They’re savory, earthy, garlicky, with layers and layers of flavors you can’t quite pin down.
And it’s a flavor that sticks with you! For me, I’m instantly transported to Florence—a lunch with my mom and the smell of fresh truffles wafting over and over again from different tables.
They are so much more captivating than anything from a bottle
I’ll admit it though, I waited way too long to buy my first black truffle. I just didn’t want to spend the money. But if you love food, why wait? Buy one, invite over your food-loving friends, and make this risotto for the sheer joy of it all.
Then use the leftover bits on scrambled eggs, folded into truffle butter, shaved over mushroom pizza, or swirled into a truffle cream sauce. You’ll find ways to make every scrap count.
how to make truffle risotto:
a few recipe tips:
- Fresh truffles vs. truffle oil
Truffles are like wine—where they’re grown, the climate, and the soil all change the flavor. Fresh ones are complex and nuanced, while most truffle oils are built from just one or two of the hundreds of compounds in a real truffle. That’s why they often taste flat—or, to me, like canned corn.
If you can get fresh truffles, you’ll experience something far richer and more layered than any synthetic oil. - If fresh truffles aren’t available
Go for truffle butter, truffle pâté, preserved truffles, dried truffles, or truffle salt. All are made from real truffles and bring more authenticity than oil alone. If you do use truffle oil, choose a high-quality brand (this is one is great https://amzn.to/4fsdIHg) and finish the risotto with a light drizzle—start with 1 teaspoon per serving. - Storing truffles
Wrap them in paper towels, seal in an airtight container, and refrigerate. Use within a week while the flavor is still vibrant. I like to turn the scraps into truffle butter—it locks in the aroma and makes it easy to add truffle flavor to anything. - No special shaver needed
A sharp mandoline works beautifully. A vegetable peeler will do in a pinch, or use a microplane for fine, feathery shavings that release maximum aroma.
black truffle risotto
Truffle risotto is a luxurious way to use a fresh black truffle. The silky, saucy rice is filled with earthy truffles and parmesan. You can also use truffle oil, truffle butter, or preserved truffles if you don’t have a fresh black truffle!
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 40 minutes
- Total Time: 45 minutes
- Yield: 4
- Category: Rice
- Method: Stirred
- Cuisine: Italian
- Diet: Vegetarian
Ingredients
- 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock
- 1 oz fresh black truffle (1 small truffle), divided
- 6 tbsp cold butter, divided
- 1 small onion, finely diced
- kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- 1 garlic clove, minced
- 1 ½ cup risotto rice (arborio, carnaroli, vialone nano)
- 1 cup dry white wine
- ¾ cup finely grated parmesan
Instructions
- Heat chicken stock in a small saucepan over medium-low heat; keep it hot but not simmering.
- Use a mandoline to thinly shave ½ oz of black truffle, then mince the shavings. You should have 2 tablespoons. Alternatively, use a microplane to grate ½ oz and set aside.
- Melt 4 tablespoons butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook until soft and translucent, 8- 10 minutes. Add garlic and minced truffle and cook for about 30 seconds, then add ¼ cup water. Continue to cook until water has evaporated and onion is very soft, but not browned, about 5 more minutes.
- Add rice and stir to coat in butter. Cook until rice turns slightly translucent but not toasted, 2- 3 minutes. Add wine and stir until liquid is fully absorbed and the rice is mostly dry.
- Add a ladleful of hot stock and a big pinch of salt and black pepper. Reduce heat to a gentle simmer and stir every so often to incorporate the liquid and keep the rice from scorching (over stirring can make it gluey). When the rice looks almost dry, add another cup of hot stock. Repeat the process, stirring often and maintaining a gentle simmer, until rice is tender but al dente and liquid is mostly absorbed (you may not need all of the stock), about 20 minutes.
- Stir in remaining 2 tbsp cold butter and parmesan; season to taste with salt and black pepper.
- Divide risotto into serving bowls. Shave the remaining ½ oz of black truffle over the top of the risotto and serve immediately.
Notes
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1
- Calories: 380
- Sugar: 1.3g
- Sodium: 637mg
- Fat: 23g
- Saturated Fat: 14g
- Unsaturated Fat: 6.9g
- Trans Fat: 0.9g
- Carbohydrates: 26g
- Fiber: 0.4g
- Protein: 7.7g
- Cholesterol: 62mg
Recipe originally posted 9/26/22. Updated 8/10/25.
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