Creamy Pumpkin Mac & Cheese

🧂 Ingredients

• 16 oz dry pasta (macaroni, shells, or other short pasta shape)
• 2 oz butter

  4 tbsp or ½ stick
• 2 oz all purpose flour
• 4 cups whole milk
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• 1 tsp yellow mustard powder

  (sift to remove lumps)
• ½ tsp salt (or to taste)
• ½ tsp smoked paprika (or plain paprika)
• ¼ tsp Old Bay, Cajun seasoning, or celery salt
• ¼ tsp garlic powder
• ¼ tsp turmeric
• ¼ tsp white pepper (optional)
• ⅛ tsp nutmeg

  (freshly grated if possible)
• ¾ cup grated cheddar or colby jack cheese

  (use up to a cup of cheese for extra cheesy sauce)

Instructions

• 1 Fill a large pot with salted water to cook the pasta, cover it, and put it on to
  boil over high heat.
• 2 In a smaller pot (at least 2.5 quarts) with a heavy bottom, melt the butter over
  medium-low heat.
• 3 Whisk in the flour all at once, and stir rapidly until there are no lumps.
• 4 The roux will look dry at first, then bubble up as the flour absorbs the oil.
• 5 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.
• 6 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… (use a microwave safe glass or plastic measuring cup to save a dish). Your
  sauce will thicken more quickly without clumping if you start with hot, but not
  boiled, milk.
• 7 Whisk in the milk in a steady stream, stirring vigorously to remove lumps before
  adding all of the rest of the milk.
• 8 Stir in all of the dry seasonings, and simmer over medium-low heat until the
  sauce is beginning to thicken.
• 9 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).
• 10 Cook the pasta in the pot of boiling water.
• 11 Refer to the pasta package for timing. Don’t overcook the pasta- you want it
  somewhat firm (al dente).
• 12 Drain the pasta carefully, reserving about one cup of pasta water to thin the
  sauce if needed.
• 13 Fold the grated cheese into the pumpkin cream sauce.
• 14 Stir the sauce until it’s smooth and the cheese is well incorporated.
• 15 Pour your pumpkin cheese sauce into the hot cooked pasta and fold to mix.
• 16 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.

Nutrition Info