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Cheesy Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Pumpkin puree gives this creamy, cheesy mac and cheese a rich yet subtle nutty flavor – an easy, cozy recipe you'll love even if you don't like pumpkin.
Ingredients
- 1 lb dry noodles of choice (I prefer shells, lumaconi or cavatappi for mac and cheese, but macaroni is a great option too – about 5-6 cups)
- 2 tbsp butter (salted or unsalted both work)
- 2 tbsp all purpose flour
- 1 tsp ground mustard
- 1 tsp garlic powder
- ½ tsp smoked paprika (regular paprika works too)
- ½ tsp freshly cracked black pepper
- ¼ tsp nutmeg (see Note 1)
- ½ tsp salt, or more to taste
- 1 cup milk (any percentage except skim)
- 1 354ml can evaporated milk
- 1 ½ cups pumpkin puree (see Note 2)
- 3 cups sharp white cheddar cheese, shredded and divided
- 3 cups sharp yellow cheddar cheese, shredded and divided (see Note 3)
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil and season generously with salt
- Add the pasta and cook until past al dente and well cooked through
- Drain the pasta, reserving ½ cup of pasta water, then set aside
- In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-low heat and add the flour
- Toast until golden, about 4-5 minutes, whisking occasionally
- Add the ground mustard, garlic powder, paprika, freshly cracked black pepper, nutmeg and ¼ tsp of salt, then toast for an additional minute
- Slowly whisk in the milk and evaporated milk until smooth, then bring to a simmer over low heat and allow to thicken for 6-8 mins, whisking occasionally (don't let it burn and keep the heat low)
- Whisk in the pumpkin puree until smooth
- Remove from heat and stir in 1 ½ cups of each cheese, ½ cup at a time, stirring until melted before each addition
- Add the pasta and stir to ensure noodles are well coated, then season with salt to taste; if the sauce is a little thick for your liking, slowly add the reserved pasta water until the desired creaminess is reached
- Transfer to a large rectangular broiler-safe baking dish and smooth out, then top with the reserved 3 cups of cheese
- Broil until cheese is bubbling and golden then serve (there's no need to bake it, just broil for a few minutes until the cheese melts to make sure the sauce stays creamy and silky)
Notes
Note 1: If I have it on hand, I prefer to use freshly grated nutmeg. Ground nutmeg works great as well, but freshly grated nutmeg tends to be more flavorful.
Note 2: I use my homemade pumpkin puree for this recipe, but store-bought canned pumpkin puree works great here. Just make sure it’s pure pumpkin puree, not pumpkin pie filling.
Note 3: I always use freshly shredded cheeses because bagged pre-shredded cheese tends to be coated with cornstarch and contains other ingredients. You can use your favorite cheese or any cheese you have in your fridge for this recipe, but sharp, strong cheeses work well to balance out the pumpkin flavors without being overpowered.
Nutrition Facts are calculated automatically and may be inaccurate.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 servingCalories: 864kcalCarbohydrates: 69gProtein: 40gFat: 47gSaturated Fat: 27gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 135mgSodium: 1033mgPotassium: 478mgFiber: 5gSugar: 7gVitamin A: 11542IUVitamin C: 3mgCalcium: 934mgIron: 2mg
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