Quick Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

(from castro15’s recipe box)

Categories: Pasta

Ingredients

  • Salt
  • 1 lb. macaroni, medium pasta shells or elbow pasta
  • 4 tbsp. butter
  • 4 tbsp. flour
  • 2 cups whole milk
  • 14.5 oz. pure pumpkin
  • 1 tsp granulated garlic
  • 1 tsp dry mustard
  • 1/4 tsp cayenne
  • White pepper and grated nutmeg, to taste
  • 3 cups freshly grated yellow cheddar
  • 1 cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano
  • Finely chopped chives, for serving

Directions

  1. Bring a large pot of water to a boil for the pasta. Salt the water and add the pasta. Cook until 1 to 2 minutes shy of the package directions.

  2. Meanwhile, in a large skillet or medium pot, melt the butter over medium to medium-high heat. Whisk in the flour, then slowly whisk in the milk. Bring to a bubble. Cook, whisking often, until thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, about 2 minutes. Reduce heat to medium-low. Whisk in the pumpkin. Add the granulated garlic, dry mustard, cayenne, white pepper, and nutmeg; season with salt. Add the cheeses. Stir in a figure eight motion until the cheese melt into the sauce, a minute or two.

  3. Scoop out 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water. Drain the pasta. Add the pasta to the sauce. Add the cooking water a little at a time if the sauce is too thick. Top with the chives.

Email to a friend | Print this recipe | Back