This homemade pumpkin mac & cheese recipe has it all… a rich, creamy, cheddar cheese sauce, a subtle blend of spices, and brightly-colored pumpkin puree. This is ultimate-comfort food, but with an extra superpowered veggie-boost!

You know that joke about how in Southern kitchens, mac & cheese is a vegetable? Well, if you use our pumpkin mac & cheese recipe, now it really is!

The pumpkin puree adds vitamin A and fiber to this mac & cheese recipe. It’s a great way to sneak some extra vegetables onto the plates of your picky eaters (whether they are five, or fifty!). So when your kids ask for mac and cheese, for dinner, again? Sure, why not!

It all comes together in two pots (one for the pasta, one for the sauce) and can be ready in thirty minutes or less. Serve up big bowls of it for a simple weeknight main course, or a hearty side dish for your “meat and three” homestyle meals.

Check out our suggestions below for savory mix-in’s to the basic recipe (like smoky bacon, or chunks of cooked turkey). Or, learn how to make your creamy mac into a baked casserole-style macaroni & cheese dish! The latter is especially great for holiday celebrations like Thanksgiving, or buffet-style party food, and can be prepped in advance for extra convenience.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese Ingredients

labeled ingredient photo for creamy pumpkin mac & cheese recipe.

Pasta:

Use a short cut of dried pasta in this mac & cheese recipe. Elbow macaroni is perfect, of course, but there are plenty of other good choices.

Medium or small shells, wheels, rotini, penne, gemelli, and lumache are some of the better shapes to pair with a creamy cheese sauce like this one. You could even try it on fettucine for a different spin on fettucine alfredo!

Milk:

I use whole milk for the creamiest sauce, but you could substitute 2% or even skim in a pinch, though your sauce will lack body. Or, use a blend of regular milk and either evaporated milk or cream for an extra-creamy and rich pumpkin cheese sauce.

I have not tested this recipe with non-dairy milk, but you could try unsweetened soy, almond, or oat milk.

Pumpkin Puree:

I use canned pumpkin puree for convenience, and to get a creamy smooth sauce without a lot of extra work. If you would like to substitute fresh pumpkin, you’d need to roast, puree, and run it through a food mill or fine mesh sieve to get a smooth puree, or you’ll have a chunky sauce. You can also use roasted butternut puree (fun fact- most canned pumpkin is actually squash!).

Cheese:

Grated medium to sharp cheddar is my favorite for this pumpkin mac & cheese sauce, but you can also use colby jack, monteray jack, or any melting cheese that you prefer here.

For an extra smooth and mild sauce, you can use block American cheese or even Velveeta for a portion of the cheese if you’d like, which will help prevent the cheese from clumping as it melts.

Butter:

Use fresh unsalted or salted butter to make the roux that thickens the cheese sauce. You can also use ghee or clarified butter if you like. Adjust salt levels to taste as needed if you are using salted butter.

Flour:

All-purpose white or unbleached flour, cooked with the butter to make a roux, gives this cheese sauce richness and thickens the milk. Do not substitute whole wheat flour or your roux and sauce will be grainy.

Seasoning:

You can adjust the seasonings to taste if you like… I use a blend of dry mustard powder, garlic powder or minced fresh garlic, Old Bay or Cajun seasoning, and sweet or smoked paprika.

I like to use a bit of white pepper, but you can leave it out or substitute black pepper if you don’t have it. You’ll see the flecks in the sauce, and the flavor is a little different, which is why white pepper is preferred for bechamel sauces, but if you’re already using other seasoning that’s not as much of a concern here.

A pinch of powdered turmeric adds a depth to the color (and a tiny bit of healthy antioxidants), but it’s optional, as is the whisper of grated nutmeg, but I recommend both!

Kitchen Equipment Needed

pasta pot and strainer:

You’ll want a large pot that can hold at least 1.5 quarts of salted water to cook the pasta, and an integrated or separate strainer to drain the pasta. Alternately, you can carefully drain using the pot lid and a hot-pad if you don’t have a strainer (or don’t want to wash another dish).

heavy bottomed pot:

You’ll need a second pot that holds at least two quarts to make the pumpkin cheese sauce. A heavy-bottomed pot will help keep your sauce from scorching.

whisk:

You’ll want a stiff wire whisk to make the roux and to stir the pumpkin cheese sauce. I like a narrow sauce whisk for this, which can get into the corners of the pan so your sauce doesn’t burn.

You can make the sauce without a whisk, but it makes it much simpler to incorporate the ingredients and get rid of any possible lumps in your sauce.

How to Make Creamy Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

Numbered 4 photo collage showing whisking the bechamel sauce, stirring in the pumpkin and cheese, adding the sauce to the cooked pasta, then folding in the optional cooked crumbled bacon.

cook roux and prep pasta water:

Fill a large pot with salted water to cook the pasta, cover it, and put it on to boil over high heat.
In a smaller pot (at least 2.5 quarts) with a heavy bottom, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
Whisk in the flour all at once, and stir rapidly until there are no lumps.
The roux will look dry at first, then bubble up as the flour absorbs the oil.
Continue to stir for a few minutes but do not let the roux brown. This cooks the flour, and develops the thickening power of the starch in the flour.

make pumpkin bechamel sauce:

Whisk in the milk in a steady stream, stirring vigorously to remove lumps before adding all of the rest of the milk.
The milk can be added cold, but it’s more likely to clump if you are lax in your stirring. Preheat the milk slightly (in the microwave or on the stove-top) if you like… This adds an extra dish (or use a microwave safe glass or plastic measuring cup) but your sauce will thicken more quickly without clumping.
Whisk in all of the dry seasonings, and simmer over medium-low heat until the sauce is beginning to thicken.
Add the pumpkin puree, whisk again, and simmer until thickened while you cook the pasta, stirring regularly.
Taste and adjust seasoning as needed (the cheese will add salt, so be sparing at this point).

cook & drain pasta:

Cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water.
Refer to the pasta package for timing. Don’t overcook the pasta- you want it somewhat firm (al dente).
Drain the pasta carefully, reserving about one cup of pasta water to thin the sauce if needed.
Pasta cooking water is also a great starting base for homemade soups and broths, as the seasoned starchy water adds body and flavor, so it’s a good thing to save stash in the fridge if you have room whenever you cook pasta… treat it like stock/broth and chill it quickly and use or discard after a few days.

add cheese to sauce:

Fold the grated cheese into the pumpkin cream sauce.
Stir the sauce until it’s smooth and the cheese is well incorporated.
Pour your pumpkin cheese sauce into the hot cooked pasta and fold to mix.
Add a splash of the pasta water if the mac and cheese is too thick, a tablespoon or two at a time until the consistency is velvety and smooth.
Fold in any of the recommended additions, like cooked bacon… see below for some suggested variations to the basic recipe!

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese Recipe Variations

Creamy Pumpkin Mac & Cheese with Bacon:

Cook 4-6 slices of crispy bacon and crumble or chop roughly.
Set aside ⅓ for garnish, and fold in the rest after mixing the sauce and pasta.
Top the finished dish or individual servings with the rest.
For extra bacon flavor, substitute the rendered bacon fat for all or part of the butter in the roux when you make the sauce!

Truffled or Herbed Pumpkin Mac & Cheese:

Replace the salt with truffle-infused or herbed salt, and replace the Old Bay or Cajun seasoning with thyme or crumbled sage.
Swap the cheddar cheese for grated Gruyere, Emmenthal, Jarlsberg, Swiss, or Fontina.
Drizzle the finished dish lightly with truffle oil or grated fresh truffle before serving, or herb-infused flavored oil (chive oil is especially nice).

Roasted Vegetable & Creamy Pumpkin Mac & Cheese:

Fold roasted diced vegetables into the pumpkin mac and cheese just before serving.
Roasted chunks of pie pumpkin or butternut squash are particularly nice, as are sweet red peppers, summer squash, roasted broccoli, or even frozen chopped spinach or kale.

Pumpkin Mac & Cheese with Turkey or Chicken:

Make it a main dish or boost the protein by folding in 1-2 cups of chopped cooked turkey or chicken.
Great way to use up leftovers, or to use canned turkey or chicken meat.
Works especially well with the baked casserole variation below!

Baked Pumpkin Mac & Cheese Casserole:

Pour the mac & cheese from the pot into a buttered casserole dish.
Top with more grated cheese or buttered bread crumbs (use one to two cups of grated cheese, and up to a cup of bread crumbs, or a combination of a grated cheese layer followed by a sprinkle of bread crumbs for crunch).
Bake in a 375F oven until the cheese sauce is bubbly and the cheese topping is melted or the bread crumbs are golden brown and toasted, about 20 minutes if the mac & cheese is hot, longer if it was made ahead.

Storage & Make-ahead Tips

This pumpkin mac and cheese is creamiest served hot and freshly made, but you can make it ahead if you need to meal prep or if you end up with leftovers. Refrigerate leftovers right away, and use within 3-4 days or freeze individual portions in airtight containers.

To make the whole dish in advance, it’s best to do the baked casserole version, which can be assembled ahead of time and warmed when needed. It will take longer to heat than one that is baked while the cheesy pasta is still hot.

I recommend covering it with foil for at least the first half of baking. Tent the foil by creasing it down the center so that it doesn’t touch the top, so your melted cheese topping doesn’t stick to the foil (breadcrumbs will help prevent this if you’re using them). Remove the foil so the top can brown towards the end of the baking time after the center is hot.

A bowl of pumpkin mac & cheese with a glass of red wine on a table with fall-themed decor. A laptop computer with the opening scene of Jennifer's Body is on the table. — Spooky Halloween dinner & a movie – a heaping bowl of pumpkin mac & cheese, Jennifer’s Body, and a glass of full-bodied blood-red wine. “I am scrumptious!” – Jennifer, sure, but also, this dish. No one will call you “lime jello” if you show up to the pot-luck party with this, I promise!

Creamy Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

Alewyfe

This homemade pumpkin mac & cheese recipe has it all… a rich, creamy, cheddar cheese sauce, a subtle blend of spices, and brightly-colored pumpkin puree.

This is ultimate-comfort food, but with an extra superpowered veggie-boost!

5 from 1 vote

Print Recipe Pin Recipe

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 25

Course Dinner, Lunch, Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine American, Contemporary, Vegetarian

YIELD servings

Calories 416 kcal