Ingredients (~8-10 servings)
- 1 1/2 lbs short cut pasta
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 can (15 oz) pumpkin puree
- 12 oz sharp cheddar cheese, shredded
- 6 oz gruyere cheese, shredded
- 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 10 sage leaves, finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Cook the Pasta Until Al Dente
Bring a large pot of water and 1 Tbsp salt to a boil. Cook the pasta until al dente, ~8-10 minutes or follow package directions.
Drain and rinse the pasta; set aside.
You’ll use this same pot for the cheese sauce so no need to clean it.
Build Your Roux with Herbs
Melt the butter over medium heat in the same pot. Add the sage, thyme, and minced garlic; cook until fragrant, ~1-2 minutes.
The garlic should just start to sizzle but not brown.
Sprinkle in the flour and whisk together until fully incorporated. This creates your roux base.
Add Milk and Cheese for the Base Sauce
Pour in the milk slowly while whisking to prevent lumps. Add both cheeses and fold together until the cheese is fully melted.
The sauce will thicken as the cheese melts – this takes ~3-4 minutes of constant stirring.
Stir in Pumpkin and Seasonings
Add the pumpkin puree, dijon mustard, garlic powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper. Stir until the mixture is smooth and creamy.
The pumpkin will make the sauce look lighter orange and slightly thicker.
Combine Pasta with Sauce
Add the cooked pasta to the sauce mixture and mix until well coated. If the sauce feels too thick, thin it out using 1/4 cup of milk at a time.
The pasta will absorb some sauce as it sits, so err on the side of slightly saucy.
Taste and adjust salt and pepper as needed before serving.
Stovetop Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Ingredients
~8-10 servings
- 1 1/2 lbs short cut pasta
- 3 Tbsp butter
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1 can pumpkin puree 15 oz
- 12 oz sharp cheddar cheese shredded
- 6 oz gruyere cheese shredded
- 4 garlic cloves minced
- 1 1/2 tsp dijon mustard
- 1 Tbsp fresh thyme finely chopped
- 10 sage leaves finely chopped
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic powder
- 1/2 tsp nutmeg
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- Salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta in salted water until al dente, about 8-10 minutes; drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in same pot; add sage, thyme, and garlic, cooking until fragrant.
- Sprinkle flour into butter mixture, whisking to create roux.
- Slowly pour milk while whisking; add cheeses and stir until melted.
- Mix in pumpkin, dijon, garlic powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and pepper.
- Add pasta to sauce, stirring until well coated. Thin with milk if needed.
- Taste and adjust seasonings before serving.
