This easy pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is creamy, cheesy, healthy Fall comfort food!
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Homemade pumpkin mac and cheese
In this healthier take on traditional macaroni and cheese, pumpkin stands in for the heavy cream, adding bold autumn flavor and cutting way back on calories.
The sauce calls for just six ingredients and is delicious for lunch or dinner.
Try it on pasta, cauliflower, spaghetti squash, quinoa, or roasted vegetables.
Over the years, hundreds of readers have written in to say this is the best pumpkin pasta recipe they’ve ever tried, because pumpkin enhances but does not overpower the other mac and cheese ingredients.
Readers also like this Pumpkin Spice Latte
Healthy pumpkin mac and cheese benefits
While the best part of this recipe is its rich and cheesy taste, it also offers numerous health benefits at the same time.
Thanks to the nutrient packed pumpkin and milk, each serving gives you calcium, iron, potassium, and over 200% of the daily requirement for vitamin A.
The healthy dinner recipe can be high protein, high fiber, egg free, vegan, gluten free, cholesterol free, and added sugar free.
Also try this Cauliflower Pizza Crust
Ingredients for the pumpkin pasta
The recipe calls for just a few basic ingredients: cheese, garlic, salt, butter, milk, pasta of choice, and pureed pumpkin.
Pumpkin puree – For a quick and easy time saving dinner option, I like to go with canned pumpkin puree.
You can roast your own pumpkin then blend the flesh until smooth to make homemade pumpkin puree. Or swap out the pumpkin for roasted butternut squash or sweet potato puree.
Garlic – Minced garlic adds flavor to the recipe. If all you have on hand is garlic powder and you wish to save a trip to the grocery store, use half a teaspoon.
Milk – Canned coconut milk, whole milk, or nondairy unsweetened creamer yield the creamiest mac and cheese. However, most other milks (including skim and oat) work.
For the best taste, do not use vanilla flavored milk.
Butter – This ingredient adds richness to the dish. To make a vegan pumpkin mac and cheese, simply use one of the many plant based butters available to buy at the store.
If you prefer, substitute olive oil or coconut oil or omit the fat entirely and double the amount of salt in the recipe.
Cheese – Use one cup American or cheddar shredded cheese or swap it for three fourths cup of nutritional yeast. As a vegan, I use dairy free cheese when making the recipe just for myself.
Salt – The recipe calls for just a half teaspoon of salt. Depending on your own personal tastes, you may wish to add additional salt and a sprinkle of ground pepper.
Optional ingredients – Add a few drops of liquid smoke for a smoky flavor. Or stir in a pinch of cayenne for spicy mac and cheese.
You can also stir in a handful of spinach or bacon bits just before serving.
What type of pasta?
Choose your favorite noodles or mac and cheese pasta shapes.
Try penne, spaghetti, fettuccine, rotini or fusilli, ziti, or elbow pasta.
You can also pour the sauce over cooked ravioli, tortellini, or lasagna.
For a low carb or keto alternative, the creamy pumpkin sauce is great with baked spaghetti squash, steamed asparagus or broccoli, or roasted vegetables.
Honestly, the sauce is so thick and flavorful that you may taste one spoonful and opt to serve it as a pumpkin soup, skipping the pasta altogether.
Pumpkin mac and cheese recipe video
Above, watch the step by step video
How to make pumpkin macaroni and cheese sauce
The first step is to read through the recipe instructions. I recommend gathering all of the ingredients together and measuring everything out before beginning.
If you plan to put the sauce over pasta, bring a pot of salted water to a boil and cook eight ounces of pasta according to the directions on the box.
Meanwhile, start preparing the sauce. Combine all of the pumpkin sauce ingredients except the cheese in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil.
*Note: If you like the flavor of brown butter, feel free to brown the butter on its own in the saucepan first.
As soon as it starts to boil, turn the heat to low. Add the shredded cheese, and stir continuously until it melts fully.
Turn off the heat and taste the pumpkin cheese sauce. If desired, add a sprinkle of ground pepper, a pinch of nutmeg, and additional salt to taste.
Pour the sauce over cooked pasta or vegetables, roasted chicken, shirataki noodles, or rice, or serve it in bowls with spoons as pumpkin soup.
The recipe yields about three cups of sauce.
Baked pumpkin mac and cheese
For those who want to turn this into a cozy pumpkin pasta bake, start by following the recipe below, adding an extra one third cup of milk to the sauce.
Spread the cheesy noodles into a greased eight inch baking pan, or double the recipe to fill a standard nine by thirteen inch casserole pan.
Melt two tablespoons of butter or coconut oil in a skillet, and stir in a cup of breadcrumbs. Heat until lightly toasted.
Spread the toasted breadcrumbs on top of the pumpkin mac and cheese casserole.
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit. Then bake the pan on the center rack of the oven for about twenty five minutes or until hot and bubbly.
Tips for storing leftovers
Let the pasta cool before transferring to a lidded container or portioning it into meal prep containers to enjoy for lunch during the week.
Refrigerate, and reheat in the microwave or in a pot on the stove top before serving. A good tip for leftover creamy pasta is to stir in a little milk before reheating.
When refrigerated in an airtight container, this pumpkin mac and cheese recipe should last up to three or four days.
You can freeze leftovers in an airtight container for about three months. Thaw and reheat before serving. Frozen leftovers will not retain the same creamy texture as fresh pasta, but they are still quite tasty.
This makes a great side dish or main meal for Halloween, Thanksgiving dinner, or any night when you find yourself craving cheesy Kraft style mac and cheese!
The recipe was adapted from my Vegan Mac And Cheese
Pumpkin Mac And Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 1/2 cups pumpkin puree
- 2 tsp minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 2 tbsp salted butter (or see substitution note below)
- 1 1/3 cups milk of choice
- 1 cup shredded cheese or vegan cheese (or substitute 3/4 cup nutritional yeast)
- 8 oz uncooked pasta or grains or vegetables of choice
Instructions
- *Canned coconut milk or whole milk will yield the richest, creamiest mac and cheese. If you prefer to omit the butter or substitute it for oil, double the amount of salt in the recipe.To make pumpkin mac and cheese, heat all ingredients except the cheese and optional pasta in a medium saucepan. Once it starts to boil, turn the heat to low and stir in the cheese until fully melted. Taste, then add additional salt and a sprinkle of ground pepper if desired. If adding pasta, cook the macaroni or noodles according to box directions, then drain. Pour the pumpkin sauce over the cooked pasta or over roasted vegetables or anything else you wish. The recipe yields about three cups of pumpkin cheese sauce.View Nutrition Facts
Video
Notes
The Best Fall Recipes
Looking so yummy!!
Could you please tell us how to make chocolate pasta?
I made this last night and it was way too much sauce for the 8oz dry macaroni that you said you used (I did the same thing. I used brown rice spiral noodles). I ended up making 24oz and it was still way too much sauce! I think 40oz dry macaroni would have been the right ratio. I would describe it as a ‘Creamy, Savory, Pasta’ side dish. We were glad it didn’t taste like pumpkin. I added more cheese. It tasted good, but I think the title had me expecting a taste more akin to Daiya mac n cheese or the frozen dairy-free, gluten-free ones. Very creative!
Ok, just added whole grain Dijon mustard like another reviewer said and WOW—so good! It does add that tang like regular Mac n cheese. I ended up using a 16oz package of Brown Rice Pasta Fusilli in total and that was perfect. I used pumpkin. Thanks for this recipe…it’s a keeper! I would share a pic but it’s gone LOL!
Mac and cheese soup! I use to have my mom add extra milk to Mac and cheese too! Whenever I have an itch to eat something nostalgic I’ll always turn to ‘Mac and cheese soup’ lol. Our variation also had frozen peas. Btw I loved your recipe for pumpkin sauce. So creamy and delicious.
I have made a similar squash-based mac n cheese by cooking and pureeing butternut squash . . . but pumpkin is way easier cause you just open a can! Why didn’t I think of that?
This is so simple and easy. I will say that it’s not super cheesy but it does have less cheese than my usual mac n cheese recipe–maybe I will add more next time. Either way it tastes good! Thanks for the recipe!
Thank you so much for making it!
Just made this for the first time. DELICIOUS. I used a combo of nutritional yeast and cheddar, used almond milk, and Earth Balance buttery spread. I also added some red pepper flakes and peas. It’s on the regular rotation! Thanks Katie!
Made this today! It was awesome 😋 didn’t think I’d like it this much
Finely grated or pureed carrot also works. 🙂
(Instead of pumpkin.)
I use the nutritional yeast version.
Onion powder instead of garlic, (allergy) a little mustard or dry mustard, a large pinch paprika, small pinch nutmeg, and a large pinch no salt chicken or veggie bullion. Whether using pumpkin, carrots, sweet potato, or squash, those spices seem to help create a “cheesy” like flavor. 🙂
So easy and really good🙌
Did I miss something !!!! You said how to cook the cheese sauce but there’s no info about putting this and macaroni and pumpkin together, confused.
I love this recipe and was wondering, can I freeze it in individual servings?
Hmm we have never tried it… most likely you can, just the sauce will be a little less creamy. Be sure to report back if you try it!