If you have yet to try it, adding pumpkin puree to macaroni and cheese makes everything creamier and even more delicious. I was amazed when I first tried it. Pumpkin really makes mac and cheese taste incredible! Use homemade pumpkin puree, or consider this recipe the perfect excuse for using leftover canned pumpkin during the Fall. I usually break out this recipe after making a batch of pumpkin scones or pumpkin spice lattes.
Key Ingredients
Pasta: I use pasta with nooks and crannies since they do a great job holding onto our creamy pumpkin sauce. Elbow macaroni and shells are great options. Pumpkin: Use pure pumpkin for this (not pumpkin mix, which has some spices added to it). Libby’s or Whole Foods 365 are reliable store-bought options. Or make your own. Here’s our pumpkin puree recipe. Butter and Flour: The combination of butter and flour thickens our creamy cheese sauce. You’ll cook them together on the stove and then add the milk. The mixture thickens, and you can add your cheese. Easy! Milk: I use whole or reduced-fat milk for the cheese sauce. Cheese: I love cheddar cheese for macaroni and cheese. It’s flavorful and melts beautifully. I also prefer to grate the cheese myself. It melts so much better than the bags of pre-shredded cheese. Extras: To make this pumpkin mac and cheese taste incredible, I stir in a little mustard, black pepper, and nutmeg.
How to Make Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Our favorite savory way to use pumpkin is to stir it into a cheesy, velvety sauce and make pumpkin mac and cheese. Just like our baked mac and cheese and this creamy mac and cheese, this pumpkin sauce is easy to make on the stove. To make it, melt butter in a large pan, then whisk in flour until light brown and nutty. Pour in some milk and whisk until the sauce thickens. Once you have a creamy sauce, it’s all about the seasonings. We add salt, pepper, nutmeg, mustard for some zing, and pumpkin puree. For the cheese, we use extra sharp cheddar. It just tastes better that way. We also grate the cheese ourselves. After making many batches of mac and cheese, we’ve found that home-grated cheese melts more easily than the cheese sold pre-grated in bags. When the cheese melts, the sauce is ready for the pasta. For stovetop mac and cheese, you can stop at this point, grab a bowl, and dig in. Or, for an extra cheesy crust, you can bake it. And that’s it! Simple pumpkin mac and cheese! You’re going to love it. Salt, as needed 4 tablespoons (55g) unsalted butter 1/4 cup (30g) all-purpose flour 2 cups (470ml) milk, whole or 2% are best 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard 1/2 teaspoon fresh ground black pepper 1/4 teaspoon finely grated nutmeg 1 cup (227g) pure pumpkin puree, try homemade pumpkin puree 2 cups (226g) grated sharp cheddar cheese, 8 ounces 2Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Cook pasta as directed on the package. (Usually 7 to 10 minutes). Drain. 3Melt the butter in a large, high-sided pan over medium heat. When it begins to bubble, add the flour. Cook, whisking constantly for 2 to 3 minutes until the butter smells fragrant and nutty. The color of the butter-flour mixture will turn light brown. 4While whisking, slowly pour in the milk. Continue to cook, whisking constantly until the sauce bubbles and thickens. 5Reduce the heat to low, and then season the sauce with a 1/2 teaspoon of salt, pepper, nutmeg, and mustard. 6Add the pumpkin puree and three-quarters of the grated cheese. Stir until the cheese has melted and the sauce is smooth. Taste the sauce for seasoning and adjust with more salt or pepper. 7Stir the cooked pasta into the sauce until well coated, then spoon into the prepared baking dish and top with remaining cheese. 8Bake uncovered until golden brown on top, for about 25 minutes. Let stand 5 minutes before serving.
