This pumpkin mac n cheese recipe is a spin on the classic rich, creamy pasta dish. By adding pumpkin puree, the sauce becomes even silkier and has a subtle pumpkin flavour. Even though there is quite a bit of pumpkin puree in this recipe, it doesn’t steal the show, so all the ingredients shine.
I love a good cheesy, cosy mac and cheese as much as classic pasta dishes like this ragu bolognese or this Venetian crab linguine. Full of flavour, gooey, cheesy sauce and just so belly-satisfyingly rich, it’s also quick and easy to make. Adding pumpkin takes it in a fall direction, making this comforting dish even cosier for the cooler months.
Try this amazing creamy pumpkin pasta with sausage next.
This recipe was first published here on November 9th, 2019 and has been updated with step by step images.
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Ingredients you’ll need
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
- Dried pasta: I use dried pasta here but the fresh variety will work too. Of course, the mac in the name stands for macaroni and you can use that but I prefer something slightly bigger like elbows or the gnocchetti sardi I’ve used here. See more below.
- Butter: I use salted butter here but unsalted butter works fine too.
- Flour: The flour and butter combined make a roux which is what thickens the pumpkin mac and cheese sauce. Just plain flour (aka all purpose flour).
- Garlic: Just a little for some background oomph.
- Milk: This sauce is largely made up of milk to make it extra rich. Stick to whole milk as lighter varieties like 2% may split. You can use half-and-half though you may want to use slightly less and increase the water quantity so it’s not excessively rich.
- Pumpkin puree: You can make your own pumpkin puree or use canned pumpkin puree. They are interchangeable in this recipe. If you make your own, you can either boil your pumpkin until soft, then let it steam in the pan for a minute until dry before mashing it up or you can roast it until soft, blend to a puree, then push it through a fine mesh strainer.
- Spices: Onion powder is one of my favourite spices, adding flavour without the texture when you don’t want or need it. Nutmeg is just a classic cosy spice, perfect with mac and cheese. A little salt and black pepper round out the spices.
- Cheese: The best cheese for macaroni and cheese is a combination of creamy and flavourful – gouda cheese and cheddar cheese are my go-to’s. Gouda is great for adding a mild flavour and creaminess, and melts beautifully. Cheddar cheese adds stacks of flavour. Don’t use a vintage or crumbly cheddar. You can swap the gouda for edam, colby or mozzarella. Always buy a block of cheese and grate it yourself, since pre-shredded cheese often has coatings on it to stop it from sticking together which can also affect its texture when melted.
The best pasta for mac and cheese & What is Macaroni?
The classic pasta is in the name. Macaroni is a tubular pasta that is usually straight; however, a curly variety is often used and is more correctly called elbow macaroni pasta. Macaroni has a hole through the centre and usually ridges along the outside, though sometimes it can be flat. When I do use macaroni in this pumpkin mac n cheese, I always choose the elbow variety with ridges as that shape is perfect for holding onto thick sauce.
You can use other kinds of pasta for mac and cheese very successfully. Try to stick to short style pasta with ridges or grooves. The thickness of the sauce means you don’t need to go all out and get bronze cut pasta but you can use that if it’s what you have. Penne, spirals and rotini work well but even mini shells work great as they act like little cups to catch the sauce.
How to make pumpkin mac n cheese
This pumpkin macaroni and cheese comes together really quite quickly and is such a great comforting cold weather dish. It makes a fantastic side dish too and is great as part of a Thanksgiving dinner.
Jump to the recipe for full ingredients and instructions.
1. Cook the pasta
Put your pasta in a pot of boiling salted water and cook it according to the packet instructions. I like to cook it until it still has a bit of bite.
2. Make the roux
If you aren’t sure what a roux is, it’s defined simply as a equal parts of fat and flour cooked together and used to thicken sauces. Here the fat is butter. Just melt butter, then add the flour and cook stirring over medium heat while it gets all foamy. Add the garlic and cook for another minute or so.
3. Turn it into bechamel
To turn your roux into bechamel sauce (that will later evolve into your cheesy pumpkin sauce), slowly drizzle in the milk as you mix so that it stays smooth. Do this slowly as adding the milk too quickly will just create lumps in your sauce. Let it cook a little until it thickens and coats the spoon.
4. Add the pumpkin
Now, stir in the pumpkin and spices and bring it to a bubble allowing it to thicken up again. Just look at that gorgeous colour.
5. Add the cheese
Over low heat, stir the cheese in until its melted through and your mac and cheese is smooth again. Check the seasoning now.
6. Add the pasta
Finally, add the cooked and drained pasta. It’s useful to reserve some of the pasta water first so that you can use it to adjust the consistency of your sauce at the end. Stir in the pasta then see if you want to add a little of the pasta water.
Tips for making it ahead of time
I find mac and cheese always best served fresh, however, if you want to make it a day ahead, just keep the pasta and sauce separate and reheat when needed.
- Pasta: Cook the pasta, then drain it. Tip it into your serving dish and splash over a little olive all (not too much) and mix it all up. This will stop the pasta from sticking together. Cover with plastic wrap and place it in the fridge.
- Pumpkin Sauce: You can make the pumpkin cheese sauce entirely, then store it in an airtight container in the fridge. When ready to serve, reheat the sauce over low-medium heat until it hot to the touch. Toss in the pasta and heat that through, then serve.
I prefer this method to keep the components separate as the starch in the pasta can thicken the sauce. Once they’re combined and as it cools, it seems to congeal the sauce and it’s never quite as smooth as when you first made it. If you do just store leftovers, with the two components combined, just stir through a little milk to loosen the sauce again before reheating.
Variations
- Cheese: You can swap the gouda for colby, edam or even mozzarella. Swap out part of the cheddar for a little parmesan cheese for a more savoury cheesy hit.
- Mustard: A little mustard is fantastic in this pumpkin mac and cheese. Just add 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard or 1 teaspoon of mustard powder for a little background zing.
- Herbs: I’ve serve this mac and cheese simply with some freshly ground black pepper, however herbs bring some freshness. Use some finely chopped parsley for something simple or to take it to another level, fry some fresh sage leaves in a little butter until crispy and scatter those over the servings.
Can you freeze mac and cheese?
Technically, yes. It thaws ok but for the reasons stated above I prefer to serve mac and cheese fresh. The sauce is never quite as creamy as when it was first made.
So, there you go. Classic comfort food and a delicious Thanksgiving or fall side dish (or anytime dish, to be honest) – this Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is an absolute winner. What could be wrong with pasta wrapped in a silky pumpkin sauce?
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Ingredients
- 450 g short-cut dried pasta like macaroni or elbows (4 cups/1lb)
- 55 g salted butter (¼ cup/2oz)
- ¼ cup plain flour (all purpose flour) (33g/~1 ¼oz)
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 3 cups whole milk (750ml)
- ½ cup water (125ml)
- 1 ½ cup pumpkin puree (375ml) (notes 1)
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- ⅛ teaspoon ground nutmeg optional
- 1 ½ cups packed grated gouda cheese (160g/~5 ½ oz) (notes 4)
- 1 cup packed grated cheddar cheese (105g/~3 ½ oz) (notes 4)
- salt and pepper or to taste
For best results, always weigh ingredients where a weight is provided
Equipment
- Box grater please grate your cheese from blocks
- Dutch oven or large deep frying pan
- Pot for cooking the pasta
Instructions
- Fill a large saucepan about ½ full with water. Salt well and bring to the boil. Add your pasta and cook according to packet instructions until just al dente. Drain and set aside, reserving 1 cup of the pasta water.
- Meanwhile, in a separate large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter then add the flour and stir well. Continue to stir and cook gently for about 1 minute.
- Add the garlic and stir well for 30-60 seconds or until the butter just starts to turn golden.
- Combine the milk and water, then very slowly, and while continuing to stir, drizzle it into the flour mixture. Keep stirring until you have a smooth paste.
- Once the milk mixture begins bubbling and has thickened just slightly, add the pumpkin puree, onion powder and nutmeg (if using). Whisk to combine. Let the mixture come to a simmer and thicken just a little again then turn the heat right down to low.
- Add both cheeses and stir with a spoon continuously until completely melted and you have a thick smooth cheese sauce.
- Taste and season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Add the cooked pasta and mix well. If it’s too thick, add a little of the reserved pasta water to your preferred consistency. Serve immediately.
- Please take a moment to leave a comment & rating. It's appreciated and so helpful.
Notes
- If you can’t find canned pumpkin puree, you can make your own by boiling 500g/~1lb of cubed, peeled pumpkin until soft. Drain, then return to the pan over low heat to steam away excess moisture for a minute, then puree in a blender or mash until pureed.
- You can also roast your pumpkin if you prefer but your sauce may not be quite as smooth at the end, unless you push it through a sieve.
- If making your own puree, you can use any type of pumpkin or even butternut squash. Grate your cheeses from a block using a box grater.
- Pre-shredded cheeses are often coated with ingredients to stop the shreds from sticking together but it can affect the texture when melted giving it a stodgier or floury texture.
- Nutrition details are approximate only – scroll below the recipe to find the full nutritional information.
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2 Comments on “Pumpkin Mac N Cheese”
Thank you Marie for the tip about grated cheese. Handy to know.
Also good to add another use for the pumpkin glut when it happens.
Love growing pumpkins even though I hate roasted pumpkin !
Thanks so much Pamela. It’s difficult not to enjoy pumpkin this way 🙂