Description
Indulge in the rich flavors of fall with this creamy pumpkin mac & cheese, combining velvety cheese sauce with pumpkin puree for a delicious twist on a classic comfort food.
Ingredients
Scale
- 16 ounces pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons all purpose flour
- 2 cups half and half
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 8 ounces cheddar cheese
- 4 ounces gouda cheese
- 2 teaspoons fresh sage
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- ¼ cup panko breadcrumbs
Instructions
- Cook the pasta according to package instructions until al dente, then drain and set aside.
- In a large saucepan, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat. Stir in the flour and cook for 1-2 minutes until golden.
- Gradually whisk in the half and half, and cook until the mixture thickens, about 5 minutes.
- Add the pumpkin puree, kosher salt, nutmeg, and cayenne pepper into the sauce, stirring until well combined.
- Remove from heat and mix in the cheddar and gouda cheeses until melted and creamy.
- Stir the cooked pasta into the cheese sauce and mix well.
- Transfer the mac and cheese to a baking dish.
- In a small skillet, melt 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and add the panko breadcrumbs, cooking until golden brown.
- Sprinkle the toasted breadcrumbs over the mac and cheese and bake in a preheated oven at 350°F for 20 minutes.
- Garnish with fresh sage before serving and enjoy!
Notes
For a spicier version, adjust the cayenne pepper to taste. Make sure to use pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 25 minutes
- Category: Main Course, Dinner, Pasta
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1/6 of the recipe
- Calories: 590 kcal
- Sugar: 7 g
- Sodium: 650 mg
- Fat: 30 g
- Saturated Fat: 18 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 10 g
- Trans Fat: 0.5 g
- Carbohydrates: 59 g
- Fiber: 3 g
- Protein: 23 g
- Cholesterol: 95 mg
Keywords: Creamy Pumpkin Mac & Cheese, pumpkin macaroni and cheese, fall recipes, comfort food, baking