Stovetop Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Total Time
30 mins
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Rating
4.87 out of 5 stars
(15)
Ingredients
8
- 3 tablespoons butter, cut into tablespoon pieces
- 8 sage leaves
- 1 cup panko
- 1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- 16 oz large elbow macaroni
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 4 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1/2 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon garlic powder
- 2 whole cups milk, at room temperature
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 3 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
- Pinch of nutmeg, optional
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Preparation
Step 1
In a medium skillet, heat the butter over medium heat, stirring and swirling the pan occasionally. When the butter starts to foam and smell nutty, add the sage leaves. Stir in the panko until moistened. Cook for about 30 seconds so the panko crumbs can get a little toasty. Remove from the heat. Stir in the Parmesan cheese and season with salt and pepper. Set aside.
Step 2
Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Add the pasta and cook it just until al dente, according to package instructions. Drain the pasta set aside.
Step 3
While the pasta is cooking, melt the butter over medium heat in a large pot. Turn the heat to low and whisk in the flour, ground mustard, and garlic powder to create a paste. Whisk in milk until smooth. Turn the heat to medium and whisk until the sauce starts to thicken, about 2 minutes. Whisk in the pumpkin until smooth. Stir in the shredded cheese until the cheese is melted and the sauce is smooth.
Step 4
Add the drained pasta and stir until well coated with the cheese sauce. Season with salt and black pepper, to taste. Add a pinch of nutmeg, if using.
Step 5
Spoon the mac and cheese into bowls and top with the brown butter panko topping. Serve warm.
Step 6
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Chef's notes
Use fresh sage leaves and not dried sage. If you don’t care for sage, you could add a little fresh rosemary instead.
Shred your own cheese for best results. The pre-shredded cheese at the store has a powdery coating and it doesn’t melt as well.
Feel free to play around with the cheese, such as using sharp cheddar and Gruyere, or sharp cheddar and smoked mozzarella.
If you don’t need the recipe to be vegetarian, you can add crumbled cooked bacon or pancetta to the topping as well.
