Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

It’s officially pumpkin season! I love all things pumpkin!  So today I made this pumpkin mac and cheese for lunch.

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

To be honest I wasn’t quite sure how this was going to turn out. Well I sure did surprise myself… All I can say is WOW! It was soooo good!

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

The pumpkin puree made the sauce so rich and creamy you really don’t need to add much cheese. I used extra sharp cheddar and gorgonzola, but you could easily change the cheese to any of your favorites.

Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

Ingredients

  • 10 ounces pasta (I like penne)
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 garlic cloves, pressed
  • 2 tablespoons whole wheat flour
  • Pinch of nutmeg
  • 1 1/2  cups milk (I used almond)
  • 1/2 cup canned pumpkin
  • Salt and pepper
  • 3/4 cup shredded extra sharp cheddar cheese
  • 3/4 cup gorgonzola cheese
  • 2 tablespoons sage, sliced thinly
  • 1/4 cup whole wheat panko bread crumbs

Directions

  1. Pre heat oven to 350 degrees.
  2. Cook pasta according to package directions and set aside.
  3. In a large frying pan heat olive oil over medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté for 1 minute. Add flour and nutmeg. Mix until flour turns a golden brown. I like to use a whisk.
  4. Slowly add milk and bring to a slight boil. Add pumpkin, salt, pepper, shredded cheddar, gorgonzola, and sage. Simmer for a few minutes and the cheese is melted. Stir in the cooked pasta.
  5. Lightly spray a baking dish with cooking spray and pour pasta into dish and top with panko. Bake for about 20 minutes or until nice and bubbly and brown.

Enjoy!

3 thoughts on “Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *