Martha Stewart Loathes This 'Hideous' Ingredient

Martha Stewart, our undisputed queen of good taste, has made her distaste widely known for a certain overpriced, and in her opinion over-hyped ingredient: truffle oil. Stewart is certainly no stranger to bougie foods (even when it comes to pizza toppings) but she draws the line at this polarizing pantry item. Although some home cooks and trendy restaurants may still drizzle it over fries, pasta, and even scrambled eggs, she isn't buying into the hype. In a 2018 interview with Today, Stewart didn't hold back. "They've done many studies on truffle oil. It's synthetic, it's fake, it's horrible," the homemaking icon affirmed. "It clings to your tastebuds, it's a hideous thing. Forget truffle oil." And she has good reason for her culinary contempt.

It's worth noting that most truffle oils on the market contain no actual truffles; it's just olive oil infused with synthetic compounds like 2,4-dithiapentane, a lab-created chemical designed to mimic the earthy aroma of real truffles. These compounds create a strong, often overpowering scent that lacks the complexity of a true truffle flavor. In short, truffle oil is basically perfume for food.

Stewart has built her culinary empire on classic cooking techniques, farm-to-table values, and a deep appreciation for seasonal, high-quality ingredients. The domestic diva raises her own chickens, grows organic vegetables, and elegantly entertains like no other. A so-called "luxury" ingredient that's actually full of artificial flavors and gimmicks clashes with everything she stands for. 

In Martha Stewart's view, truffle oil is a shortcut that masks poor technique and low-quality ingredients. The beloved TV personality reiterated her disdain for it during a lively Reddit AMA, confessing, "I think truffle oil is one of the few ingredients that doesn't belong in anyone's kitchen. It is ruinous of most recipes." So, if you're looking to impress the ultimate homemaking maven, skip the truffle oil. Use real ingredients, cooked with care, instead. It's not that Stewart dislikes truffles themselves, however. On the contrary — she's cooked with real white truffles before, praising their subtlety and fragrance. But these luxurious fungi are expensive and seasonal, which is exactly why truffle oil tries so hard to act as a stand-in. Unfortunately, it's a poor imitation. The nuanced, earthy aroma of shaved truffles simply can't be replicated in a bottle of synthetically flavored oil.

Stewart is in good company here, as she's not the only one critiquing truffle oil. Many professional chefs loudly loathe truffle oil chiefly because of how often it's misused. It's rarely subtle, as a single drop too many can overwhelm a dish. Its pungency drowns out more delicate flavors, making even the simplest ingredients taste like they've been dunked in perfume. If you're set on using truffle oil in your cooking and don't mind dropping a big wad of cash, you're better off buying fresh truffles from a reputable source and infusing them in a neutral oil like grapeseed or avocado. Make like Martha and always aim for quality ingredients from scratch, rather than settling for a cheap imitation.