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This Baked Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese is a super quick weeknight recipe that comes together in less than 30 minutes. It has an element of creamy richness and spice. Serve it with me endive salad and my zuni-style pollo a la brasa chicken.
I am a macaroni and cheese lover. And cooked macaroni and cheese (you might like my macaroni and cheese cacio e pepe), is one of my favorites because it’s quick, easy, and weekend-friendly.
This Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is a contender. It’s a little spicy and very, very cheesy. You could use another cheese, but I chose raclette, a French cheese that offers a lot of flavor and cheesy flavor.
Ingredients for Baked Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese
- Cheese – Listen, you don’t have to use raclette. it’s expensive
- Jalapenos – A little touch to an otherwise creamy macaroni and cheese.
- Pasta – I used small macaroni because I wanted them to have a lot of that delicious sauce.
- pumpkin puree – This is the perfect recipe for that leftover pumpkin puree from making pumpkin pie (like this one Pumpkin Caramel Pie).
- Milk – A roux is my favorite way to make macaroni and cheese. Creates a soft and silky texture.
For the rest of the ingredients, see the recipe card below.!
How to Make Baked Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese
- Boil the pasta. I used macaroni for this. But feel free to use shells or any other type of pasta.
- Shred the cheese. You always want to use a block of cheese that you have to crumble. You won’t have any coating on top of the cheese and this will result in a cheesier sauce.
- Make the roux. Make this by boiling milk in a combination of butter, flour, and jalapeno. This will thicken the sauce and then add the cheese.
- Pour the macaroni into the sauce.
- Serve it!
Tips and tricks
- Low and steady wins the race when melting cheese: Nobody likes a difficult situation.
- A whisper of nutmeg can bridge the gap between raclette and squash.
- Do you want to introduce some vegetables? Spinach or kale will tango with squash.
- Save some pasta water to loosen the sauce if it thickens too much.
- Let the macaroni and cheese sit for a moment after baking; They are hot and need to catch their breath.
Recipe FAQs
You sure can! If raclette isn’t featured in your local store, Gruyère or a sharp cheddar will also pair great with squash.
Elbows are the old-school option, but shells or cavatappi can grab more of that creamy sauce. Choose whatever makes your taste buds tap dance!
Canned pumpkin is the most versatile here; just make sure it’s pure pumpkin, not spiced pie filling.
Aha! Sprinkle breadcrumbs and a few tablespoons of butter on top before baking; It will be crispy like autumn leaves.
You can make it and reheat it. You may need to add a little more milk or butter to make it silky smooth again.
What to serve with this macaroni and cheese
If you tried this Pumpkin Mac and Cheese or any other recipe on my website, please leave a 🌟 star rating and tell me how it went for you 📝 comments below. Thanks for visiting us!
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Bring a pot of salted water to a boil. Pour in the macaroni and cook until al dente, about 5 to 6 minutes, or according to pasta package directions.
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In a medium saucepan over medium-low heat, add the jalapenos, butter, and flour. Cook the roux until the butter melts and forms a paste. Add the 2 1/2 cups of milk and bring the sauce to a slight boil, whisking the entire time, and cook for about 5 to 6 minutes. Turn off the heat and let the milk mixture cool for about 3 minutes. Add the pumpkin and cheeses. If it is too thick, you can add 1/4 cup to 1/2 cup of milk. Taste and add salt to taste; I added about 2 teaspoons of salt.
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To the pot, add the macaroni and mix with the cheese sauce. Give it another taste and adjust the salt to taste (I added a little more). Serve immediately.
If you don’t have access to raclette cheese, you can substitute it with other melted cheeses, such as:
- gruyere
- Jarlsberg
- county
- morbier
Service: 6gram | Calories: 273calories
Nutrition information is calculated automatically and should only be used as an estimate.
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