Pumpkin Mac Cheese
By Emma
Certified Culinary Professional
•
Recipe tested & approved
Macaroni simmered tender. Pumpkin puree folded into a thickened roux scented with warm pie spice. Cheese melted gradually into the sauce until glossy. Baked in layers with extra cheese to create a bubbly golden crust. Nutty, creamy, with a subtle sweetness. Eight servings. One pot pasta, one sauce pan, one baking dish. Oven heat brings it all together with a toasted cheesy top. Pumpkin substituted for a smoother vegetable puree or sweet potato. Flour and butter create the thickened base essential to trap the sauce. Cheese choice affects melt and taste. A cozy fall-ish twist on a classic comfort dish.
Prep:
20 min
Cook:
55 min
Total:
Servings:
8 servings
#fall recipes
#comfort food
#one pot meals
#baked pasta
#pumpkin recipes
Mac and cheese mid-prep is a symphony of bubbling butter and toasted flour, the base for the creamy embrace that follows. The quiet addition of pumpkin puree flips the script, adding depth and fall aroma without overpowering. Cheese melting in slow increments is crucial — rush and you get clumps not silk. Baking finishes it, the top bubbling and browning reveals the end game. Tried it without layering once: soggy bottom. Layering adds texture contrast, like crunchy edges against soft innards. This style is forgiving, you can swap cheddar for smoked gouda or pepper jack. Pumpkin pie spice isn’t just decoration here, it wakes up the savory. Turns out, this ain’t your childhood mac, but close enough to comfort and far enough to feel grown-up. Time in the oven is flexible; watch for the cheesy crust to tell you when ready. No need for exact timings, trust your nose and eyes.
Ingredients
- 1 pound elbow macaroni or cavatappi
- 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 6 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
- 4 cups whole milk, warmed
- 1 cup pumpkin puree, canned or fresh roasted
- 3 cups sharp cheddar cheese, grated
- Salt to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon smoked paprika, optional twist
About the ingredients
Pumpkin puree—canned works fine but fresh roasted pumpkin puree adds a subtle sweetness and better texture. Whole milk keeps the sauce rich; skim or plant milk results in thinner sauce. Butter and flour ratio critical for roux; don’t skip cooking the flour fully to avoid a raw taste. Cheddar should be freshly grated for best melt; pre-shredded often has anti-caking agents that resist smoothness—if using pre-shredded, add extra cheese and stir longer. Pumpkin pie spice can be replaced with cinnamon and a smidge of nutmeg and ground cloves if unavailable. Smoked paprika optional but adds an earthiness that cuts through creaminess. Salt and pepper adjustments depend on cheese saltiness—taste often halfway through for balance. Pasta choice: elbow macaroni traditional but cavatappi or shells hold sauce better.
Method
- Preheat oven to 360°F; slightly higher heat helps crust brown faster.
- Bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add macaroni and cook till just shy of al dente; check pasta often. Drain and toss with a little butter to keep separated.
- In a large heavy-bottomed pan, melt butter over medium heat until foamy but not browning.
- Add flour and pumpkin pie spice; stir consistently with rubber spatula. Cook until mixture bubbles and just starts to take on a light golden tint, about 2 to 3 minutes. This cooks out raw flour taste.
- Gradually whisk in warmed milk in small increments. Keep whisking as sauce thickens, silky and clinging to spoon. Avoid lumps by slow incorporation.
- When sauce is thick enough to coat back of spoon, whisk in pumpkin puree. Sauce will thin but rich flavor spreads.
- Add half the grated cheese in small handfuls, whisking constantly until each batch melts smooth and glossy before next addition.
- Remove from heat; season with salt, pepper, and optionally smoked paprika for depth. Warm sauce makes seasoning shine.
- Prepare a greased 9x13 glass baking dish. Sprinkle a layer of remaining cheese evenly on bottom to create a molten cheese barrier preventing sticking.
- Layer half macaroni, half pumpkin cheese sauce, then half remaining cheese. Repeat layering for a firm structure holding the creaminess inside.
- Cover loosely with aluminum foil; bake 30 to 35 minutes. Remove foil last 5 minutes to coax golden brown, bubbling top.
- Look for bubbly edges around dish and firm center when touched lightly. Cheese will crisp slightly but stay luscious beneath.
- Serve immediately for best texture. Leftovers tend to firm up—warm gently with splash of milk if reheating.
Cooking tips
Cook pasta just before al dente for finish in oven. Tossing with butter prevents it sticking in waiting. For roux, melt butter until foamy but not browned or butter flavor scorches. Stir flour continuously; spots of flour lumps mean uneven cooking, whisk vigorously or beat through sieve if needed. Gradual cold milk addition leads to clumpy sauce; use warm milk and add slow for velvety consistency. Whisk pumpkin puree in off the heat or low temp to prevent curdling. Cheese in batches melts evenly; dump all at once and a greasy split sauce is likely. Layering layers cheese between pasta and sauce forms magical gooey layers. Greasing the dish and placing cheese on bottom keeps the mac from sticking and adds that crunchy base element. Oven rack placement matters; middle rack preferred to avoid uneven top browning. Loosely cover with foil so steam doesn’t dry out sauce but prevents skin forming. Remove foil for last few minutes to get browned crust. Visual clues like bubbling sides and crisp cheese patches signal doneness more reliably than strict timers.
Chef's notes
- 💡 Cook pasta just shy al dente. Toss with butter immediately. Stops pasta sticking, keeps separate bites not mush. Pasta will finish cooking in oven; texture depends on initial firmness. Drain well but no drying out, moisture helps creaminess.
- 💡 Roux stage critical: melt butter slow medium heat but watch. Foamy, no brown or flavor scorched. Stir flour constantly; lumps mean uneven cooking. Take extra minute or two if needed. Raw flour taste ruins smooth sauce finish. Smell changes from powdery to faintly nutty.
- 💡 Warm milk ahead; cold milk crashes sauce, lumps everywhere. Add in small increments while whisking nonstop. Thickening happens gradually; patience avoids grainy sauce. Coats spoon back like velvet, not runny or gloopy is goal here.
- 💡 Pumpkin puree off heat fold in carefully. Sauce thins a bit but delivers earthy sweet depth. Use canned for convenience but fresh roasted gives texture boost and subtle sweetness. Swap with butternut or sweet potato puree if pumpkin not handy.
- 💡 Cheese is everything: add half grated in batches while whisking off heat. Rushing gives greasy split sauce. Use freshly grated cheddar – anti-caking powders in pre-shred resist melt. If pre-shredded, add more cheese plus stir longer, watch texture to adjust.
Common questions
Pasta texture question?
Cook just before al dente. Toss with butter right away. Finish in oven. Avoid mush or dry spots. Pasta type matters too; tight curls hold sauce better than straight tubes.
Can I swap pumpkin puree?
Yes. Roasted butternut or sweet potato work well. Pumpkin pie spice optional; cinnamon nutmeg make good substitutes. Smoked paprika adds earthiness but skip if not preferred.
Sauce clumped or grainy?
Usually cold milk or rushed flour cooking. Warm milk slow pour, constant whisk. Roux must bubble lightly, no raw flour bitterness. Cheese added slow off heat prevents breaking sauce.
Leftovers storage tips?
Cool quickly, fridge in airtight. Reheat gently with splash milk to soften. Freezing doable but texture shifts. Avoid microwave overheating, stir often for even heat.
