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
Get a large pot filled with water and 1 tablespoon of salt boiling, cook the pasta until al dente, approximately 8-10 minutes, or according to the package directions.
Drain and rinse the cooked pasta and set it aside.
You will be using this same pot for the cheese sauce, so no need to wash it out.
Build Your Roux with Herbs
In that same pot, melt the butter over medium heat.
Once melted, add the sage, thyme, and minced garlic and cook until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes.
The garlic should start sizzling but not getting brown.
Once the garlic is fragrant, sprinkle in the flour and whisk until mixed well together.
This is your roux.
Add The Milk And The Cheeses
While continuing to whisk constantly, begin pouring in the milk slowly to prevent any lumps of flour.
Next, add both cheeses and gently fold them into the mixture until the cheese has completely melted.
As the cheese melts, the sauce will thicken up.
This process will take approximately 3-4 minutes of constant stirring.
Add The Pumpkin Purée And Other Seasoning
Once the cheese has melted and the sauce is thickened, add in the pumpkin purée, dijon mustard, garlic powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper and continue mixing until the mixture is completely smooth and creamy.
Due to the pumpkin purée, the sauce will appear much lighter orange and be slightly thicker than before.
Final Step, Combine The Pasta And Sauce
Once the sauce is completely finished, pour the cooked pasta into the pot with the sauce and mix thoroughly.
If after mixing the pasta and sauce you feel the mixture is too thick, thin it out with 1/4 cup of milk at a time until you reach the desired consistency.
Please note that the pasta absorbs a good amount of sauce as it sits, therefore I would suggest erring on the side of having a slightly saucy mixture.
When serving the dish, taste the finished product and adjust the salt and pepper to your specific preferences prior to 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.
