There are a lot of cool things out there that make us wonder — do they really work? In our I Tried It series, we set out to use them in the real world and have determined that, in fact, they really do.
On Trial: TRUFF Pasta Sauce
The Tester: Danielle St. Pierre, O.G. TRUFF lover (even before Oprah caught on)
The Brief: By this point, you've likely heard of TRUFF — the insanely popular truffle-infused hot sauce brand that has become the number-one best-selling hot sauce on Amazon. The brand has also unofficially become the hot sauce darling of quarantine kitchens nationwide. TRUFF has been featured in countless media outlets from Food & Wine to The TODAY Show, in addition to appearing on Oprah's Favorite Things list two years in a row.
After releasing several variations on the original hot sauce, from a white truffle hot sauce to itty-bitty TRUFF minis perfect for gifting, TRUFF is now entering a whole new category with their brand-spankin’-new TRUFF Pasta Sauce. We are here for it.
Launched today, TRUFF Pasta Sauce comes in two varieties: Black Truffle Pomodoro and Black Truffle Arrabbiata. After shamelessly licking my plate taste-testing both varieties, I can safely say that TRUFF stepped it up with this launch, adding some much-needed heat and umami to the tired pasta sauce category.
Tasting Notes:
- Black Truffle Pomodoro
Described by the brand as a “perfect blend of ripe tomatoes, delicate herbs, black winter truffle, and red chili peppers,” the pomodoro is fresh, herbaceous, and ... well, addictive. After slathering it on thick, wide-cut ribbons of pasta that really allowed the sauce to cling, the first thing that struck me was the heady truffle aroma. If you’ve tried TRUFF hot sauce before, you’re quite familiar with this smell, but it’s fresher and less intense here in the pasta sauce. It made my entire kitchen smell like I had been simmering a homemade truffle-infused sauce all afternoon.
Don't get me wrong: There is also some subtle yet substantial underlying heat, and the red chili pepper is still very much there in the background. Black pepper is prominent. The Black Truffle Pomodoro is more likely to be your go-to since it's versatile, fresh, and spicy but not overwhelmingly so. This sauce has great depth, and I could see myself using it often to step up my weeknight pasta game.
- Black Truffle Arrabbiata
Inspired more directly by TRUFF's signature hot sauces, the arrabbiata will wake you up. Made with similar ingredients as the pomodoro in terms of its ripe tomato base and classic herbs, there is a much more generous dose of red chili peppers in this recipe.
I expected this arrabbiata, like any other arrabbiata, to be spicy and lively, but TRUFF did not hold back. I think smaller doses of this sauce would be key as to not overpower the taste buds, and I recommend the arrabbiata only for the not-so-faint-of-heart when it comes to spice tolerance. It would taste incredible on bruschetta or alongside crusty bread.
Closing Argument: If you love the umami and depth of truffles and prefer just a bit of heat in your pasta sauce, I recommend you grab several bottles of TRUFF to wake up your next dinner. You can thank us later.
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