Easy 30-Minute Stovetop Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese — The pumpkin flavor is subtle compared to the super CHEESY and creamy factor!! The pumpkin boosts the cheesiness to a whole new level everyone loves!!
Stovetop Mac and Cheese … with Pumpkin!
My daughter loves mac and cheese and with fall around the corner, I decided to work in some pumpkin. Yes, the first pumpkin recipe of the season and it’s a total winner. My family adored this macaroni and cheese with pumpkin.
The pumpkin flavor is very subtly present without being overwhelming and what you notice is how cheesy and creamy the macaroni tastes.
I wrote a cookbook with 50+ recipes using pumpkin and in the cookbook there’s a recipe for baked mac and cheese with a breadcrumb topping. However, my daughter likes her mac and cheese more classic, basic, and straightforward.
No breadcrumbs, bacon bits, or truffle oil, which makes my job even faster and easier since there’s nothing to bake and it’s ready in 30 minutes.
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Ingredients
To keep the pumpkin mac and cheese healthier and lighter, I used Silk Unsweetened Cashewmilk and it’s so irresistibly creamy and thick but with fewer calories than skim milk. Eating more plant-based protein is a great goal and Silk Cashewmilk or Silk Almond Milk are my milks of choice for baking, smoothies, and creamy pasta dishes.
They’re so low in calories and fat, they’re vegan and dairy-free, and I always get impressive-tasting results. It’s the perfect match between tasty and guilt-free.
Here’s what else goes into the pumpkin macaroni and cheese:
- Pasta shells
- Unsalted butter
- All-purpose flour
- Silk Unsweetened Cashewmilk
- Salt and pepper
- Garlic powder, ground mustard, ground nutmeg
- Pure pumpkin puree
- Extra sharp cheddar cheese
- Parmesan cheese
How to Make Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
If making mac and cheese with pumpkin sounds strange to you, just stay with me! It’s essentially your classic stovetop mac and cheese sauce plus a little pumpkin puree and warming spices.
Here’s how the pumpkin mac and cheese is made:
- Cook the pasta according to package directions, drain, and set aside.
- To a large skillet, add the butter and heat over medium heat to melt.
- Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown and has bubbled for about 1 minute.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, making sure to smooth out any possible clumps that formed.
- Add the spices and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the cheeses and whisk until melted and smooth.
- Add the pasta and stir to evenly coat.
Can the Recipe Be Doubled?
Yes! The recipe doubles easily in case you want to freeze leftovers in single-serve portions and you can pull them out and re-heat at a moment’s notice.
What to Serve with Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
This mac and cheese with pumpkin can be enjoyed as a main dish or as a side.
Side dishes that go with mac and cheese include:
- Apple Spinach Salad
- Orange Glazed Brussels Sprouts
- Roasted Rainbow Carrots
- Balsamic Roasted Broccoli
- Kale Caesar Salad
Main dishes to serve with the mac and cheese include:
- Slow Cooker Pork Tenderloin
- Stuffed Acorn Squash
- Air Fryer Crispy Chicken Breasts
- Slow Cooker Mississippi Pot Roast
- Skillet Honey Mustard Chicken
In general, pumpkin macaroni and cheese would make an excellent addition to any fall dinner party or your Thanksgiving menu!
Tips for Making Mac and Cheese with Pumpkin
When cooking the flour in the butter, you want to cook it long enough to cook off the raw flour taste, but not so long it gets overly browned.
Depending on your preference, if the pumpkin macaroni and cheese is on the thicker side, add a splash of milk or water to thin out to taste. I haven’t needed to do this, but it’s an option in case!
If you need ideas about what to do with the leftover pumpkin in the can, I’ve got hundreds of pumpkin recipes between my blog and my book.
Pin This Recipe
Easy 30-Minute Stovetop Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese
The pumpkin flavor is subtle compared to the super CHEESY and creamy factor!! The pumpkin boosts the cheesiness to a whole new level everyone loves!!
Ingredients
- 12 ounces medium-sized pasta shells, cooked according to package directions
- 1/4 cup unsalted butter (1/2 of 1 stick)
- scant 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 2 cups Silk Unsweetened Cashewmilk
- 1/2 teaspoon salt, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper, or to taste
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1/2 teaspoon dry ground mustard, optional
- 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg, optional
- 1 cup canned pumpkin puree (not pumpkin pie filling)
- 1 1/2 cups (about 6 ounces) extra-sharp cheddar cheese, grated (grate your own because pre-grated cheese in bags doesn’t melt well)
- 1/2 cup (about 2 ounces) parmesan cheese, finely grated
Instructions
- Cook pasta according to package directions, drain, and set pasta.
- To a large skillet, add the butter and heat over medium heat to melt.
- Add the flour and whisk constantly until the mixture turns light brown and has bubbled for about 1 minute. Cook long enough to cook off the raw flour taste, but not so long it gets overly browned.
- Slowly add the milk, whisking constantly, making sure to smooth out any possible clumps that formed.
- Add the salt, pepper, garlic powder, optional dry mustard, optional nutmeg, and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the pumpkin puree and whisk to incorporate.
- Add the cheddar, parmesan, and whisk until melted and smooth.
- Add the pasta and stir to evenly coat. Depending on preference, if macaroni and cheese is on the thicker side, add a splash of milk or water to thin out to taste. I haven’t needed to do this, but it’s an option in case.
- Serve immediately.
Notes
Storage: Recipe is best warm and fresh, but will keep airtight in the fridge for up to 5 days or in the freezer for 4 months. Reheat very gently prior to serving leftovers so cheese doesn’t separate.
Adapted from Easy 30-Minute Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
4Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 346Total Fat: 17gSaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 44mgSodium: 362mgCarbohydrates: 38gFiber: 4gSugar: 3gProtein: 10g
More Easy Mac and Cheese Recipes:
Easy 30-Minute Stovetop Macaroni and Cheese — Classic mac and cheese the whole family will love! The creamy, cheesy comfort food you crave!! So much better than anything out of a box and just as easy!!
20-Minute Stovetop White Cheddar Mac and Cheese — Almost as FAST and EASY as using a box but tastes a million times BETTER!! So creamy, ridiculously cheesy, and the extra sharp white cheddar cheese gives this mac and cheese so much FLAVOR!!
One-Skillet Tex Mex Mac and Cheese — An EASY recipe that’s made in ONE skillet so you don’t have to cook the pasta separately!! Loaded with ground beef, peppers, tomatoes, cheese, and cilantro! A family FAVORITE that feeds a crowd!!
Instant Pot Chili Mac and Cheese — Hearty chili mac made with ground beef, onions, tomatoes, kidney beans, and two types of melted CHEESE!
Easy 30-Minute Taco Mac and Cheese — Super creamy, ultra cheesy, flavored with taco seasoning, black beans, green onions, tomatoes, and cilantro!! EASY comfort food with a Mexican flair that’s a family FAVORITE!!
Baked Macaroni and Cheese Balls – A perfect use for leftover macaroni! Bread it, bake it, devour it!
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This conversation is sponsored by Silk. The opinions and text are all mine.
How would you alter this recipe for a crock pot recipe that one would take to a potluck where it may be sitting in the crock pot on warm for several hours?
I’m not sure since I haven’t tested the recipe personally in a Crock Pot. Maybe just make it as normal and throw it in the CP afterwards to keep it warm on a very low heat setting.
I’m very excited to use this recipe? But one question: will it taste very good if I use Silk Unsweetened Soy Milk (the green coloured box of Silk)?
I’ve made it with cow’s milk as well as almond and cashew. I’m sure soy will be fine.
This looks so easy and tasty. Love!!!
This looks like a perfect dish for my family. My daughter can’t resist mac and cheese and I love when the pumpkins start to become available in the early fall. Can’t wait to try this!
CHEESE BALLS! That looks awesome and I have all the ingredients already. Yum!
I’ve never tried pumpkin in a savory way before that I can think of! Now I really want to check out your baked version as well. Can’t wait to see what other pumpkin goodies you have in store for fall! :)
There’s 50+ in my pumpkin cookbook :) And about 1/3 are savory per my publisher’s wishes. It was going to be almost all sweets but they wanted some savory and so I learned that pumpkin can be awesome savory-style!
This looks so good! I used to hate pumpkin when I was I kid. Now I can’t get enough of it. I’m ready for it in July. Can’t wait to try this!
Yay for the first pumpkin recipe of the season!! It is seriously my fave, totally craving a pumpkin spice latte right about now haha!
The pumpkin spice lattes are just around the corner :)
This looks to die for! First thing I’m gonna make when I have a stove again! :)
If Sac is anything like San Diego, it’s beyond hot. It was 96F here at the coast yesterday and I ran a race! Probably better you don’t have an oven or a stove right now :)
Oh, wow!! this looks so tasty. I’m wondering if you would recommend making this or the baked mac & cheese balls first?
You’d have to make this first so you have leftover mac & cheese to create the cheese balls.
I still haven’t gotten around to making your original M&C recipe and now you are throwing another one at me! I need to get motivated to cook ….
It’s summer and I think everyone slacks off :)
This looks so good….I’m at my lunch break right now and how I wish I had a bowl of this. Can’t wait to make this and I so agree with you on bagged shredded cheese…theres something weird about it.
It doesn’t melt nearly as well and for things were you need a true cheese sauce, no-go. For things like dips I will use bagged cheese b/c I’m also mixing it with sour cream, cream cheese, etc. and dips are more forgiving but for sauces, no way!
That mac and cheese looks dreamy. Yay for pumpkin.
Pumpkins are here! Yay! The end of summer (sad), beginning of autumn (and perfect recipes like this one!)
http://www.allnnothing.com
This sounds like a really versatile cheese recipe. My niece LOVES mac and cheese (I am also 99% sure she is both lactose and gluten intolerant and she refuses to believe or even entertain that possibility….) but she also really loves chessey broccoli. I bet this would be WONDERFUL on top of a big bowl of steamed broccoli.
Your posts make me hungry. Without fail. ;)
I think that many people with food allergies/intolerances don’t want to believe they have them but as you and I both know, once you stop eating your allergens and start feeling better, you’re a believer :)
My family actually loved this version more than just plain mac & cheese!
Oh wow – I’m with your daughter – if I could have this bowl of cheesy, creamy goodness, I would want it no-frills too!
I have such a huge grin on my face, Averie, you OPENED the pumpkin season with a great recipe, let the pumpkin overload start!
I still have a few summery garden-ey kind of recipes but thought I’d sneak in an early pumpkin one :)
Yum! Totally perfect for the upcoming fall months ahead of us!
Paige
http://thehappyflammily.com
I’ve heard of using squash in mac and cheese, but pumpkin is such a good idea, too. And not using as much dairy means no upset stomach!
I’ve seen recipes too for squash and most canned pumpkin puree is really a blend of pumpkin and squashes (learned that writing a pumpkin cookbook!)
It’s dark now when I get up and the sun is setting a little earlier–a sure sign fall is around the corner. A little pumpkin in the sauce sounds delicious–I think I could eat that alone as soup!
The sauce was so good and would be awesome over some broccoli or veggies as a cheese sauce :)