Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Recipe

There is no debating the inherent comfort of mac and cheese: warm, creamy, cheesy goodness clinging to tender pasta - does it get any better?! This pumpkin mac and cheese is a seasonal twist on an old classic and is loaded with pumpkin and spinach.

📝 Ingredients

• 1 lb macaroni
• 3 cups baby spinach
• ½ lb thick-cut bacon (sliced into ½ inch pieces)
• 2 teaspoons butter
• ¼ cup panko
• 10 sage leaves
• 1 cup pasta cooking water
• 2 tablespoons all-purpose flour
• 2 cups whole milk
• 1 cup pureed pumpkin (see notes)
• 1 teaspoon EACH: garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper
• 1 cup EACH: grated sharp cheddar and grated mozzarella (avoid using pre-grated cheeses)
• ½ cup grated parmesan cheese

👨‍🍳 Instructions

1. 1cook pasta: Put a large pot of salted water on high heat. When it comes to a boil, add the macaroni and cook according to package directions until al dente. Reserve 2 cups of the cooking water from the pot and then drain the pasta. Add the cooked pasta back into the pot. If you're using spinach, add it to the pot.
2. 2While the pasta is cooking, prepare the rest of the recipe. Melt the butter in a small pan over medium heat. Add the panko and let it toast for 2-3 minutes.
3. 3cook bacon: In a large frying pan over medium heat, cook the bacon until it is crispy. Then use a slotted spoon to put the bacon into the pot with the pasta. (You can reserve a few pieces for garnish if you'd like.)
4. 4cook sage: Add the sage leaves to the pan and cook them for 1 minute, until they are crispy. Remove them from the pan.
5. 5make sauce: Remove all but 2 tablespoons of the bacon oil from the pan. (If there is less than 2 tablespoons, add some butter.) Whisk the flour into the oil and let it cook for one minute. Slowly whisk in the milk and cook until it thickens, about 3 minutes.
6. 6add pumpkin: Whisk the pumpkin puree, garlic powder, onion powder, salt, and pepper into the sauce and let it heat through. Remove the pan from the heat and stir in the cheese.
7. 7combine: Pour the sauce over the cooked pasta and stir well. Add as much pasta water as you need to loosen the pasta - we normally add about a cup.
8. 8serve: Sprinkle the top of the pasta with the panko and crispy sage leaves and serve right away.