Description
This Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is creamy, cheesy, and made with a simple roux-based sauce blended with pure pumpkin puree. It’s an easy, family-friendly fall dinner or holiday side dish ready in about 50 minutes.
Ingredients
1 pound elbow macaroni or shells
Salt, for pasta water
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/4 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups whole or 2% milk
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon black pepper
1 cup pure pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese, divided
Salt, to taste
Instructions
1. Preheat oven to 375°F. Butter a 9×13-inch baking dish.
2. Boil salted water and cook pasta until just shy of al dente. Drain.
3. Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Whisk in flour and cook 2 minutes until golden and fragrant.
4. Slowly whisk in milk until smooth. Cook, whisking, until thickened, about 5 minutes.
5. Reduce heat to low. Stir in Dijon mustard, nutmeg, pepper, and salt.
6. Whisk in pumpkin puree until smooth. Stir in most of the cheddar cheese until melted.
7. Fold cooked pasta into the sauce until coated.
8. Pour into prepared baking dish. Top with remaining cheese.
9. Bake uncovered 25-30 minutes until bubbly and golden. Rest 5 minutes before serving.
Notes
Use freshly grated cheese for the smoothest sauce.
Undercook the pasta slightly since it continues cooking in the oven.
Store leftovers refrigerated up to 4 days or freeze up to 2 months.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 38 minutes
- Category: Side Dish, Main Dish
- Method: Baked
- Cuisine: American
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 480 kcal
- Sugar: 5g
- Sodium: 520mg
- Fat: 19g
- Saturated Fat: 11g
- Unsaturated Fat: 7g
- Trans Fat: 0.3g
- Carbohydrates: 56g
- Fiber: 3g
- Protein: 19g
- Cholesterol: 52mg