Trader Joe's Truffle Oil Duo

The winter products have landed at Trader Joe's. So if pumpkin isn't your thing, but earthy truffle flavored items are then you are in luck. And if you were a fan of the truffle oil they offered a few years ago, then they've clearly tried to resolve some legal issues regarding labeling with this as well.

And this is priced at $9.99 so this is quite affordable for something that actually contains truffles.

The taste

One of the struggles of truffle oil is how much truffle is really in the product. Most truffle oils taste like truffles but don't actually contain any. In fact, most truffle oils on the market use chemicals to make them taste like truffles. Again, if you didn't read the text of the lawsuit above you'll see what I'm saying.

So some truffle oils taste more natural than others. So here is the catch: the price has a lot to do with how close this will taste to actual truffles. And no we don't know what the natural flavoring is here.

Since real truffle is expensive and these are pretty decent-sized bottles for under $10 I was curious as to how they would be. And for comparison, you can check out the Truffleist which is a local company that specializes in all things truffle. Their gift sized truffle oil is $10 for 2 ounces. However, truffle isn't the last ingredient in their products. And yes, the packaging is also eerily similar as well.

But nonetheless, the oil here is pretty neutral in taste and in color. It tasted reasonably fresh. But the star here needs to be the truffle. The white truffle oil is much lighter in flavor as a white truffle is usually more delicate in flavor. The black truffle oil is more assertive and earthy.

Both are relatively well done for the price. I found myself testing this with some bread, just the oil and a small pinch of salt.

Now, tasting this is just the beginning.

Experimenting with recipes is the next step. But I was pretty happy with the value here along with the flavor. It wasn't the best truffle oil on the market, but at the price point, it is a solid choice. Best of all there is a little tiny truffle shaving at the bottom of each bottle.

So if you are a truffle fan you might be pleasantly surprised by this. Of course, the only question that is left here is what that "natural flavor" really is.

The packaging

These come in a lovely gift box. There isn't much extra packaging other than what is necessary to keep these bottles from breaking inside the box. Each bottle is sealed. There is a small amount of film that needs to be peeled back before these can be opened.

Flavor Pairings

If you've been curious about truffle oil then it pairs well flavorwise with the following items:

• cheese
• eggs
• fish
• mushrooms
• pasta
• risotto
• salads and salad dressings.

Please also note that truffle oil is not used in the cooking process but rather as something to finish a dish at the end.

Also since the taste of white and black truffles are different here are some pairing suggestions on how to use each of the oils.

Black truffles and their flavor pair well with:

• bacon
• beef
• cauliflower
• chicken
• cod
• eggs
• langoustines
• lemon
• mushrooms
• potatoes
• scallops
• shellsfish
• chicken stock
• tarragon

White truffles and their flavor pair well with:

• artichokes
• butter
• cheese
• cream
• eggs
• onions
• pasta
• potatoes
• prosciutto
• risotto
• thyme

Recipe ideas

If you are looking for some recipes ideas here are some suggestions:

• Air Fryer Parmesan Pesto Crusted Salmon
• Creamy Mushroom Risotto with Truffle Oil
• Fillet Mignon with White Truffle Butter Sauce
• Honey and Truffle Burger with Brie
• Parmesan Truffle Fries
• Truffle Aoili
• Truffle Egg Salad
• Truffled Mashed Potatoes
• Truffled Mushroom Naan Pizza
• Truffled Mushroom White Baked Ziti
• Truffled Tater Tots with Garlic Aoili
• Whipped Feta with Truffled Mushroom Appetizer

Overall

The truest to truffle flavored product that I ever had at Trader Joe's was hands down their truffle butter. It was amazing for the price. And yes, that is stock up on the product. The beauty of butter is that it can be stored in the freezer without much impact on the product. Olive oils need to be used within a certain time or they go rancid. So while this product is good, I'll always recommend the truffle butter before this.

Would I buy this again? For me, this would be an annual purchase. One of these should get me through the year. And again, it wasn't my top pick as a truffle product.

Did you try it?  Let me know what you think in the comments section!