Baked Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
After I had trouble finding a recipe for pumpkin mac and cheese that I loved, I decided to come up with my own and it totally hits, you guys! Creamy pumpkin puree pairs perfectly with the dried sage and dijon mustard and the panko breadcrumbs add just the right amount of crunch on top. Add a helping of our roasted broccolini as a side dish to make this a well rounded meal!
Key Ingredients & Substitutions
Be sure to see the recipe card below for the full listing of ingredients, instructions, & estimated nutritional information.
- canned pumpkin puree: This is usually available year round in the baking aisle. If you want an even fresher flavored puree, trying making our homemade pumpkin puree!
- medium shell noodles: These are our favorite noodles to use as they really scoop up all that yummy cheese sauce, but macaroni or Cavatappi noodles would work! Gluten-free noodles would work here too!
- creamer – We used unsweetened, dairy-free creamer, but half and half would work too.
- reserved pasta water – This is the secret to getting super silky cheese sauce! Scoop some pasta water right out of the pot or put a measuring cup under your colander to ensure you don’t forget.
How To Make Pumpkin Mac And Cheese
Step 1: Melt butter in a large cast iron skillet and add garlic. Move it around the skillet until fragrant and then whisk in the flour.
Step 2: Gradually add in the creamer, whisking continually. Then add in the dijon, dried sage, and salt and pepper and whisk until combined.
Step 3: Add pumpkin and whisk to combine. Add in a few splashes of reserved pasta water to thin the sauce out as needed.
Step 4: Add 2 cups of the shredded cheese and whisk to combine to create a cheesy sauce.
Step 5: Carefully pour in your cooked noodles and mix them in so that they’re all coated with the cheesy pumpkin sauce.
Step 6: Top mac and cheese with the remaining shredded cheese and sprinkle on some bread crumbs. Bake at 350 degrees for 10 minutes.
Recipe FAQs and Tips
Yes! The flavor is almost undetectable and it adds creaminess to the cheese sauce.
Plain pumpkin puree on it’s own has a really mild flavor and pairs well with many flavors. We’ve added it everything from our easy pumpkin chili recipe to a pumpkin pie martini! But generally speaking, pumpkin pairs great with warming spices like cinnamon, nutmeg, and cloves, making it great for both sweet and savory recipes.
Make this recipe dairy-free by using nutpods in place of creamer or half and half as well as diary-free cheddar cheese and dairy free butter.
Store leftovers in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Other Creative Pumpkin Recipes
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Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Recipe
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 10 minutes
- Total Time: 30 minutes
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dinner/Entree
- Method: Stovetop + Oven
- Cuisine: American
Description
Our creamy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese recipe is a fall classic that is perfect comfort food and great for a busy weeknight dinner!
Ingredients
- 1 pound medium shell noodles
- 3 tablespoons butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon garlic, minced
- 2 cups dairy-free, unsweetened creamer or half & half
- 1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 3/4 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 3/4 cups sharp cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 1 cup pumpkin pureé
- 1 teaspoon dried sage
- 1 teaspoon dijon mustard
- 1/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
- garnish: chopped fresh parsley or sage
Instructions
- Prep: preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
- Cook Pasta: bring a large pot of water to a boil over medium-high heat, add noodles, and cook, al dente, according to package directions – reserve approx. 1 cup of pasta water!
- Make Roux: bring a large cast iron skillet to a medium high heat, add butter, and let melt. Add garlic to the hot skillet and move around until fragrant. Whisk in the flour to create a roux. Gradually pour in the creamer, whisking continuously.
- Pumpkin & Spices: Add the sage, dijon mustard, pumpkin, salt and pepper – continue whisking to combine everything together. Add splashes of the pasta water to thin out, as needed (we used approx. 1/4-1/2 cup here).
- Make it Cheesy: Once mixture is combined and you have reached your desired consistency, remove from heat and mix in 2 cups of cheddar cheese to melt.
- Add Noodles: Add the drained noodles in the skillet with the creamy sauce and toss to coat. Add additional splashes of the reserved pasta water to reach your desired consistency and creaminess (remember the pasta will continue to soak up the liquid). Taste, add any additional salt, as desired.
- Bake: Sprinkle the remaining cheddar cheese on top and then the breadcrumbs. Move the entire skillet to the oven to bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown on top.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
Notes
- Creamer: we tested this recipe with NutPods dairy-free, unsweetened creamer and Califia Farms Unsweetened Better Half, both work great! If dairy isn’t a concern for you, feel free to use regular half & half or heavy whipping cream.
- Dairy Free: use a dairy free creamer, dairy free cheese, and plant-based butter.
- Noodles: option to sub the shells for traditional macaroni noodles or any other pasta shape that you prefer.
- Breadcrumbs: highly recommend adding this little bit of crunch on top, use a store-bought version or learn how to make breadcrumbs.
- Gluten-Free: to make this gluten-free use gluten-free flour, gluten-free noodles and gluten-free breadcrumbs.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 4 oz
- Calories: 506
- Sugar: 5.9 g
- Sodium: 517.2 mg
- Fat: 21.4 g
- Carbohydrates: 57 g
- Protein: 20.6 g
- Cholesterol: 59.3 mg
Liz Sipley says
This recipe is so fun! The kids were getting bored with the plain old boxed stuff, so I gave this recipe a try and it was a hit!