This Pumpkin Mac and Cheese recipe features two kinds of cheese, fresh herbs, and a show-stopping parmesan-pecan breadcrumb topping. It’s utterly deelicious!
Few things say “comfort” like a plate piled high with macaroni and cheese. Â And I don’t mean the boxed kind. Â I mean plump noodles drenched in a rich and creamy homemade cheese sauce. Â That’s the kind!
Well, ’tis the season to be pumpkin and so I’ve conjured up a truly delectable Autumn-themed mac and cheese the whole family will love! We had a great pumpkin harvest in our garden this year and this pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is always favorite way to use up this delicious autumn squash.
This macaroni and cheese features a pumpkin-based sauce that’s laced with two kinds of cheese: Aged cheddar and gorgonzola. It’s further seasoned with nutmeg and fresh sage and then topped with a simply irresistible crunchy Parmesan-pecan breadcrumb topping. (For our gluten-free friends, use GF panko breadcrumbs.)
This recipe is a fun way to change up this classic dish and celebrate autumn!  Even our kids love this mac and cheese. (And they never guessed there’s nearly 2 pounds of nutrition-packed pumpkin in it – SCORE!)
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Recipe
Let’s get started!
Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large stock pot (large because we’re stirring in the noodles later) and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Â Add the garlic and cook for another minute.
Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.
Pour in the milk and heavy cream, stirring continually until the flour is dissolved. Â Simmer until the the mixture is thickened.
Add the cheddar cheese and gorgonzola and simmer, stirring frequently, until melted.
Add all remaining ingredients except for the noodles and stir to combine.
Let the mixture simmer for 3-4 minutes. Â Add salt and pepper to taste.
Stir in the noodles. Â I used whole wheat macaroni.
Butter a deep-dish 9×13 baking dish and pour in the pasta mixture. Â You can also use a regular 9×13 baking dish and make a few extra individual servings in ramekins or only make individual servings.
Prepare the breadcrumb topping by combing all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stirring until fully incorporated.
Sprinkle the breadcrumb topping evenly over the mac and cheese.
In an oven preheated to 350 degrees F, bake the Pumpkin Mac and Cheese for 30-35 minutes or until it’s bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Â Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
Enjoy!
For more mac and cheese goodness try our ULTIMATE Cheeseburger Macaroni!
PIN ME!
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
- 16 ounces cooked macaroni pasta , cooked al dente
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1 small yellow onion finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour (for GF use GF flour or thickener of choice)
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups shredded aged cheddar cheese
- 3/4 cup crumbled gorgonzola
- 30 ounces canned or fresh pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped fresh sage
- 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2 1/2 teaspoons salt
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
- For the Breadcrumb Topping:
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- or gluten free panko breadcrumbs (click for link)
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- 1 tablespoon chopped fresh sage
- 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
- 1/3 cup chopped pecans
- 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Butter a deep-dish 9x13 baking dish and pour in the pasta mixture. (You can also use a regular 9x13 baking dish and make a few extra individual servings in ramekins or only make individual servings.)
- Melt the butter over medium-high heat in a large stock pot (large because we're stirring in the noodles later) and cook the onions until soft and translucent, 5-7 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for another minute. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring regularly.Pour in the milk and heavy cream, stirring continually until the flour is dissolved. Simmer until the the mixture is thickened. Add the cheddar cheese and gorgonzola and simmer, stirring frequently, until melted. Add all remaining ingredients except for the noodles and stir to combine. Let the mixture simmer for 3-4 minutes. Add salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the noodles.
- Prepare the breadcrumb topping by combing all ingredients in a medium mixing bowl and stirring until fully incorporated. Sprinkle the breadcrumb topping evenly over the mac and cheese.
- Bake on the middle shelf of the oven for 30-35 minutes or until it's bubbly and the breadcrumbs are golden brown. Remove from oven and let sit for 5 minutes before serving.
First published on The Daring Gourmet Nov 11, 2015
Rose | The Clean Dish says
How neat that you got to carve pumpkins from your own harvest! That’ll hopefully be us next year! And, holy smokes. Pumpkin mac and cheese!! What a terrific recipe idea! I have never tried it but it just moved up to the top of my list!
Angie | Big Bear's Wife says
Pumpkin mac and cheese is so good! I make it a few times a year during fall and it’s always gone super fast. I love that you bake yours!
Nutmeg Nanny says
I LOVE mac and cheese! Adding pumpkin to it makes it even more delicious!
Cookin Canuck says
We grew pumpkin when I was growing up, and I remember how exciting it was carve one of our own for Halloween! That is one gorgeous dish of mac ‘n cheese.
Heather | All Roads Lead to the Kitchen says
So true – homemade mac ‘n cheese is the ultimate in comfort food. I’m dying to try this version, that gorgonzola is screaming my name!
Carolyn says
That looks so incredibly creamy!
Kathy @ Beyond the Chicken Coop says
You are right…perfect comfort food! I haven’t tried a pumpkin mac and cheese….time to give it a try! Yours looks wonderfully yummy!
Erin @ Texanerin Baking says
That’s so cool that you all carved pumpkins from your own harvest! :) And this looks fantastic. I love that you used whole wheat pasta!
Jennifer Stewart says
you had me at gorgonzola and sage Can’t wait to throw this on my Thanksgiving table !
Sara says
I think my kids would eat this too, I’m definitely going to have to give it a try! It looks like the perfect fall comfort food.
Julie @ Texan New Yorker says
OMG, this looks amazing! and so comforting and perfect for cold and rainy weather. Pumpkin and cheese go surprisingly well together, don’t they?!
Adina says
This looks so amazing. And it’s the same with my kids, they eat and like most anything I make with pumpkin as long as it is mashed so they do not recognize it as such. I tell them is carrots, if I mention the word pumpkin,they would not eat it anymore. So weird!
Angie says
I love the addition of pecans and sage. This looks so delicious!
Katie @ Recipe for Perfection says
Love the color and the breadcrumb topping! I actually have a can of pumpkin in the pantry and I’m very tempted to make this… :)
marye says
You know, I haven’t made pumpkin mac and cheese yet, although I’ve seen many recipes. This is the first one that really has me looking in the pantry for the ingredients. Yum!
Johanna Rijkelijkhuizen says
I haven’t tried it. You take about the fresh pumpkins in your garden and then you use a CAN of pumpkin?
Kimberly @ The Daring Gourmet says
Hi Johanna, how many of my readers do you think grow their own pumpkins? Do you? Obviously I’m going to recommend ingredients that most people have access to and homegrown pumpkins isn’t one of them.