8 Types Of Truffles, Explained

Fresh truffles are prized for their rarity and the savory, earthy flavor profiles that are the result of fungi's close — one might say clingy — relationship with trees. Truffles spend their lives buried in soil, where they share nutrition and water with tree roots.

Robert Chang and Alana McGee are truffle experts who pointed out the culinary benefits of fresh truffles over truffle oil. Chang, the founder of the American Truffle Company and the managing director of the Napa Truffle Festival, explained that most truffle oil contains no real truffle. Instead, it uses the petroleum-derived chemical 2,4-dithiapentane. Chang added that truffle oil "desensitizes your palette to the point where ... you have trouble appreciating the more subtle tastes [of real truffle]." A real truffle contains over 300 flavor molecules and should be consumed fresh within five days to appreciate its flavors. McGee, founder of the Truffle Dog Company, recommends you allow truffles "to infuse other ingredients ... in your fridge."

Today, you can have foraged and cultivated truffles shipped to you overnight. According to Natalie Dechiara, the director of operations at Wild Goods, while pigs were once commonly used to find truffles, today it is far less common — and even illegal in Italy — and hunting is mostly done by dogs. Alternatively, some truffles can be cultivated, though this can be a tedious and demanding. If you're ready to learn more about this unique ingredient, our experts shed light on several types of truffles to help you select and enjoy them at home.

Also known as black winter truffles, Perigord truffles originate from Europe but are now cultivated worldwide. In fact, Robert Chang said that the Perigord truffle is the "most popular truffle that is cultivated." This truffle's exterior is dark brown, gray, or black, while the interior is usually dark gray or black, with a typical marbled pattern. When mature, it usually weighs just over an ounce and can measure nearly 4 inches in diameter. 

Alana McGee told us that the "Perigord truffle goes with almost everything, from pasta and meats to ice cream." Expect an earthy truffle with fragrances reminiscent of cocoa, mushrooms, and molasses, sometimes with a tobacco note and a subtle touch of toffee and nuts on the palate. While five days is the standard time frame within which experts recommend consuming fresh truffles, some of the Perigord truffle's aromas dissipate within just two days, so as soon as you get your hands on one, plan to use it right away. You can serve it raw, lightly heat it, or infuse it into oil, butter, various sauces, or honey. If you want to pay homage to its French heritage, use it as a garnish on foie gras. Garlic and parmesan are great flavor partners in any dish with Perigord truffles. Use this classic truffle cream pasta recipe as an inspiration to recreate the pairing. 

Alba white truffle is also called the Italian white truffle to honor its Italian roots, though it can also be found in Croatia. It is regarded as the most valuable truffle on the market, beloved for its unique earthy aromas and flavors that are reminiscent of cheese, garlic, shallots, and nuts. Despite the name, this truffle has more of a beige hue, similar to a Russet potato, and it visually resembles a potato. Most examples are typically around an inch in diameter. This truffle is best suited for Italian-inspired pasta dishes, but it also pairs wonderfully with eggs.

Robert Chang explained that Alba white truffles cannot be commercially cultivated because we haven't figured out the science for the specific conditions they require. Another barrier is maturity, as it can take approximately 10 years for this truffle to fully mature. Chang said that while "people have had sporadic success [cultivating Alba white truffles], those results, so far, have not been reproducible." In the meantime, white truffles must be hunted, and because they are so elusive, they are also expensive. McGee told us that they are "the most highly prized" variety. If this truffle is high on your priority list, consider heading to the International Alba White Truffle Fair in Italy, where you can both purchase white truffles and sample some classic dishes of the Piedmont region.

Oregon white truffle is a variety whose habitat is in the Douglas fir forests of the Pacific Northwest. Natalie Dechiara mentioned that many people don't harvest these truffles correctly and often take them before they are fully matured. She explained that these immature truffles "have little to no culinary value." However, she added that Oregon white truffles are an exceptional delicacy if they come from the right source and are harvested by dogs.

On the outside, an Oregon winter white truffle can be white or off-white, sometimes with yellow, brown, cream, and red hues. On the inside, a mature truffle is brown, with a typical marble pattern. Like Alba white truffles, Oregon winter white truffles are small, but mighty. Mature versions may only be the size of a pea or marble, or they may grow up to the size of a golf ball.

Take a whiff of an Oregon winter white truffle, and you'll likely detect a complex blend of warming spices, woody notes, garlicky aromas, and nutty nuances, sometimes even a whiff of petrol. However, you'll have to wait a few days for this aroma to develop. The scent of the Oregon winter white truffle is stronger than that of a similar variety of truffle known as the Oregon spring white truffle (Tuber gibbosum), though many consider the two comparable. Winter truffle is commonly used as a garnish on fondue, pizza, gratin, and potatoes, but you can also create infusions with butter and oil. Remember that you should never grate white truffles.

Known as the Washington or Oregon black truffle, this variety finds its home in the Pacific Northwest, where it grows in Douglas fir forests. It is a delicate variety due to its thin skin, and it is also more difficult to find than Oregon white truffles. All the more reason to appreciate and handle them gently.

As the name suggests, this variety usually has black skin, possibly with brown and gray shades. Meanwhile, the interior is a marbled fusion of white, black, and gray. While the size of this truffle is variable (commonly ranging from 1 to 5 inches), it sometimes weighs more than an ounce. Therefore, it's larger than other truffle varieties native to the region. The Oregon black truffle boasts a predominantly sweet aroma — featuring scents like flowers, pineapple, bananas, and apples — that becomes more nuanced as it matures, sometimes developing nutty, chocolate-like, and cheesy notes.

Alana McGee told us that this truffle variety "pairs great with seafood or sweet desserts." For instance, it can provide a tasty twist to a chocolate mousse or get incorporated into ice cream. The Oregon black truffle can also be magical with meat and pasta or in salad dressings. It will work especially well in cheese-packed dishes like pizza, but it can also be used for various truffle-infused products.

Natalie Dechiara told us that "the Appalachian truffle, with its vigorous mycelium, holds a lot of promise in the world of truffle cultivation." Indeed, these truffles can be difficult to find in the wild, and foraged specimens are frequently used to inoculate suitable trees. When hunters find these truffles, they tend to be in northeastern Appalachian or Michigan forests. They aren't too picky when it comes to the trees they prefer and can be found in mixed forests containing tree varieties like oak, pine, hazel, hemlock, pecan, spruce, hornbeam, and chestnut. 

Dechiara described the Appalachian truffle as "a striking truffle, with contrasting black and white marbling on the interior (gleba) and brick red outer exterior (perineum)." This distinctive red hue is why the truffle is sometimes called the Michigan red truffle. Its exterior is relatively smooth, and while you can usually fit several in the palm of your hand, the diameter of an exceptionally large truffle can reach nearly 5 inches.

According to Dechiara, this truffle's aroma is "garlicky and pungent and ... reminiscent of the famous European truffles, yet [it] is a native U.S. truffle." This is a variety with a distinctive sweetness and complex aromatics often reminiscent of onions, mushrooms, cocoa, and warming spices like cloves and cinnamon. This variety is great on top of pasta, eggs, meat, soups, and rice dishes and can also be turned into a truffle butter. The Appalachian truffle aroma may also last longer than standard, allowing you more flexibility in your cooking plans.

The Blue Ridge truffle is one of the most common varieties Natalie Dechiara's dogs find in western North Carolina, and it is a variety that is only harvested in the Blue Ridge mountains and Japan. Dechiara told us that the season starts in October and ends in January, adding that the Blue Ridge "can be up to a pound in size, hence its name, the giant Imaia." However, most are about the size of a golf ball when mature.

According to Dechiara, the truffle "has a sensual mossy forest floor aroma" that "isn't quite as mushroomy or garlicky as the European varieties" but has the ability to infuse the whole dish. In terms of flavor, she said it has an "almost cheesy aspect to its flavor profile." She emphasized that a Blue Ridge truffle is very flavorful, especially when partnered with the right food. Expect a symphony when you add it to pasta or a grilled cheese sandwich, but Dechiara also suggests pairing it with bone marrow for an incredible dining experience.

In addition to selling this variety fresh, Dechiara's company, Wild Goods, turns it into more affordable and shelf-stable products like truffle butter, oil, salt, and honey. With these products, culinary options are endless, but we especially recommend giving garlic bread a gourmet touch with truffle butter.

According to Robert Chang, summer truffles and Burgundy truffles are "genetically identical ... but depending on where you grow them, the temperature profiles affect how they turn out." Simply put, Burgundy truffles mature during slightly cooler weather. One of the main differences is that despite having a less intense aroma, summer truffles can better withstand heat. You can identify these truffles by their dark outer hue, beige interior, and thick, bumpy skin. They are generally less than 4 inches wide. These truffle varieties can trace their roots to Europe but are now available worldwide. In 2020, the first examples were successfully cultivated on U.S. soil, so they may soon become even more accessible in North America. They are considered one of the more budget-friendly truffles on the market.

These truffles are nutty and musty, and when you bite into a piece, you may taste sweet elements like honey, as well as rich and earthy nuances similar to garlic. They are ideal for the classic slicing technique with a dedicated truffle shaver. McGee recommended pairing both with cheeses or tucking them under chicken skin before it's cooked. You can also take inspiration from Momofuku's decadent truffle ramen that pairs fresh Burgundy truffles with flavor-packed miso broth, ramen noodles, soft egg yolk, chives, and truffle butter. Short on time? Burgundy and summer truffles are great on top of salads and classic bruschetta.

Though it originated in Europe, the bianchetto truffle is now available worldwide. As Alana McGee explained, besides being foraged, this truffle is now also being cultivated. Unlike most varieties that are incredibly difficult or impossible to cultivate, this seems to be a variety that is more suitable for this method, but the process is still very demanding and challenging.

The color of this truffle may range from a light beige to a darker red, brown, or purple — generally, the darker the color, the riper the truffle. In size, the bianchetto truffle is usually no bigger than a walnut. You may be able to recognize garlic, shallot, spice, and coffee in its powerful aromatic profile. Compared to the legendary Alba white truffle, bianchetto tends to have more potent and quite zesty garlic-like notes.

When cooking with bianchetto truffles — or any white truffle varieties – don't apply heat, as you might lose the distinct aroma. Try shaving them over fish (like smoked salmon), using them as a garnish for asparagus or artichokes, or adding them to other dishes that are commonly paired with truffles, such as eggs, pasta, and risottos. Bianchetto truffles have a natural affinity for cheese and butter. Use this truffle sparingly since it can be particularly pungent.