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A cast-iron skillet filled with pumpkin macaroni and cheese.
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5 / 6 votes

Pumpkin Macaroni and Cheese

This pumpkin macaroni and cheese is easy and creamy and rich. What else would you expect from a skillet full of pasta, Cheddar, pumpkin, bacon, and sage? Comfort food at its most indulgent with a smidgen of conscience-appeasing healthfulness.
Prep Time1 hour
Cook Time30 minutes
Total Time1 hour 30 minutes
Course: Mains
Cuisine: American
Servings: 12 servings
Calories: 553

Ingredients

  • Kosher salt
  • 1 pound cavatappi, elbow macaroni, or small pasta shells
  • 5 tablespoons unsalted butter, plus more if needed
  • 1/2 cup panko or fresh bread crumbs
  • 8 ounces bacon, preferably maple cured, roughly chopped
  • 1 medium onion, halved through the root and then cut into half moons
  • 2 garlic cloves, sliced
  • 15 sage leaves, roughly chopped
  • 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
  • 1 1/2 cups whole milk
  • 2 cups heavy cream
  • 2 1/2 cups shredded sharp Cheddar cheese
  • One (14.5-oz) can solid-packed pumpkin
  • 2 tablespoons (30 milliliters) apple cider vinegar
  • 1 tablespoon thyme leaves
  • 1/8 teaspoon freshly grated nutmeg
  • Freshly ground black pepper
US - Metric

Instructions

  • Preheat the oven to 350°F (177°C) and adjust the oven rack to the middle position.
  • Bring a large pot of water to a boil and toss in 3 tablespoons salt.
  • While the water is coming to a boil, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a 12-inch cast-iron skillet over medium to medium-high heat and stir in the panko. Season with salt and pepper and cook, stirring, until the panko are coated with butter. Scrape the panko into a bowl.
  • In the same skillet over medium heat, fry the bacon until crisp yet still chewy, 5 to 10 minutes. Transfer the bacon to paper towels or a brown paper bag to drain.
  • If there’s enough fat in the skillet to cook the onion, great. If not, add a tablespoon or two of butter to the bacon drippings. Cook the onion over low heat, stirring often, until softened and golden, about 20 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and cook for 3 minutes more. Scrape the mixture into a bowl.
  • Meanwhile, dump the pasta in the boiling water. Give it a stir to prevent it from sticking and cook it for 2 minutes less than specified on the package. (Trust us. The pasta will continue to cook in the oven.)
  • While the pasta cooks, melt the remaining 4 tablespoons butter in the skillet over medium heat, add the sage, and let sizzle for 1 minute.
  • Dump in the flour and whisk constantly for 1 minute. Raise the heat to medium-high and slowly pour in the milk, still whisking continually. Repeat with the cream. Whisk in 2 cups cheese until it melts.
  • Add the reserved bacon, onion, pumpkin, vinegar, thyme, nutmeg, 2 1/2 teaspoons (9 grams) kosher salt,, and freshly ground pepper to taste. Take a taste and add more salt or pepper, if you wish.
  • Drain the pasta and dump it into the skillet and stir to combine. (Alternately, you could dump everything in a 9-by-13-inch baking dish.) Top with the remaining 1/2 cup cheese and then sprinkle with the buttered panko. Bake in the oven until bubbling and the panko is lightly browned, 25 to 30 minutes.
  • Let the pumpkin macaroni and cheese rest for about 10 minutes and then bring it to the table and scoop it straight from the skillet.

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving | Calories: 553kcal | Carbohydrates: 40g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 37g | Saturated Fat: 20g | Monounsaturated Fat: 11g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 107mg | Sodium: 336mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 4g