The aroma of garlic paired with herbs, earthly pumpkin, and creamy gouda cheese make this Pumpkin Mac and Cheese crave-able. This recipe will quickly become a crowd request at all your family events!
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Tips:
This recipe makes enough for a large family or as a side to go with a big holiday gathering. The lemon juice sounds like an unnecessary ingredient but it’s needed to cut through the richness of the roux and cheese.
I prefer cutting up the shallots, mincing garlic, chopping herbs, grating cheese, and measuring out the remaining ingredients so I can get this served quickly!
If I choose to make a meal out of this recipe I will cube or shred cooked chicken and add it to the creamy roux mixture to up the protein and serve with a salad for dinner.
FAQ:
Can I substitute the prosciutto for something else?
Yes! Just crisp up some smoky bacon and crumble on top once the Mac and Cheese comes out of the oven.
Can I skip the crumb topping?
Absolutely! This will still taste divine and creamy without the breadcrumb topping. When testing originally, my husband preferred the crunch of the topping. If the topping isn’t you’re thing, save some time and serve it up straight from the stove!
Can I pre-make the Pumpkin Mac and Cheese and reheat later?
You can. I have reheated and while it is still quite delicious, it does lose some of its creaminess reheated. I like to reheat it in the instant pot using the steam function for 8-10 minutes. If using the Instant Pot method to reheat, remove the prosciutto or it will become soggy. I place the leftover prosciutto on a pan at about 300 degrees in the oven while the Mac and Cheese is in the Instant Pot.
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Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
- Total Time: 40
- Yield: 10
Ingredients
- Avocado or olive oil
- 16 ounces of pasta (I like using pipe frigate or fusilli. Basically any pasta that will allow the cheese to cling to the pasta)
- 6 ounces prosciutto
- 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter
- ⅔ cup diced shallots
- 6 medium garlic cloves minced
- 4 Tablespoons flour
- 2 ½ cups of whole milk (you could also use 1 or 2 percent)
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 Tablespoon fresh sage leaves finely chopped
- 1teaspoon fresh thyme leaves finely chopped
- 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley finely chopped (plus more for sprinkling on top if desired)
- ¼-½ teaspoon dried chili flakes (optional)
- 2 ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
- 2 cups gruyere cheese shredded
- 1 cup dry cubed bread
- 1 small clove of garlic minced
- 1 teaspoon olive oil or melted butter
- ¼ teaspoon fresh sage finely minced
- ¼ teaspoon fresh thyme finely minced
- ½ teaspoon fresh parsley finely minced
- 1 pinch fine sea salt
- ¼ cup finely shredded parmesan cheese
Instructions
Pumpkin Mac and Cheese:
Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
First fill a large pot with 5 quarts of water over high heat. Add a few generous pinches of salt to the pot. Once the water is boiling add pasta to the water and boil about 8-10 minutes until it is tender. Drain the pasta in a colander and rinse with cold water to avoid noodles from sticking together. Set aside for use later.
Turn stove to medium heat. Drizzle a little olive oil to coat the bottom of a deep pan or pot (I have a 6.5 quart enameled dutch oven). Any large deep pan will work well. Once the oil is heated a bit, add the prosciutto shaped into small rounds. Crisp on both sides until slightly browned. Set aside on a paper towel lined plate until ready for use later.
Next add 2 tablespoon of butter to the pot and allow it to melt. Add chopped shallots and stir to coat with butter. Sauté until the shallots are soft and translucent. Add garlic and stir for about 15-30 seconds.
Next add Flour and stir continuously until the flour is fully incorporated. Stir for about 30 seconds to 1 minute.
Next add milk starting with approximately 1 tablespoon at a time. Slowly increase the amount of milk with each pour as you continuously stir with the whisk. Allow the mixture to simmer slowly and thicken slightly for several minutes. Stir about every 30 seconds whiling waiting for the roux thickens.
Next add pumpkin puree and stir with whisk until fully incorporated. Add freshly minced herbs (sage, thyme, and 2 teaspoons of parsley) to the pot and stir until incorporated. Then add chili flakes (if using), salt, and pepper. Stir again.
Next add gruyere cheese and stir until melted and fully incorporated. Then add cooked pasta and stir with a large wooden spoon.
Pour mixture into a greased 9x13 baking dish. Next, make bread crumb topping. Serve stove top style or follow instructions for the bread crumb topping below.
Bread Crumb Topping:
First add dry cubed bread (I use homemade sourdough bread I make) to a high powered blender. Next add minced garlic clove, olive oil or butter, sage, thyme, fresh parsley, pinch of salt, and finely shredded parmesan cheese. Blend on low power (start at 2 on a vitamin and slowly increase to 5 until crumbs appear) and slowly increase breaking the bread into crumbs. You could also use premade breadcrumbs from the store and mix all the ingredients in a bowl.
Lastly, sprinkle breadcrumb mixture over the Mac and Cheese. Place in the oven at 375 degrees for 15-20 minutes until the breadcrumbs are golden and crisp. Remove from the oven and add the crispy prosciutto to the top. Serve and enjoy!
Notes
I purchased both the prosciutto and gouda cheese from Costco. Both ingredients can be pricey and the best price I have been able to find is at Costco.
The Gouda cheese if from a company called Beemster. It has been aged 20 months, it’s from grass-fed cows, and affordable. Any gouda cheese will do, this is just what I used.
Costco only has one type of prosciutto and it’s a product of Italy. It comes in a package with two 6 ounce packages. We like to use prosciutto in sandwiches and on family movie nights with our charcuterie boards.
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