Mac and cheese is a classic comfort food that we all know and love. However, if you’re looking to add a unique twist to that childhood favorite, then make sure to try this unique recipe for pumpkin mac and cheese. It calls for ample amounts of our tasty Farmers’ Legacy Cheeses (a combination of Alpine Cheddar and White Oak Cheddar) with an interesting addition of pumpkin, bacon and mustard and paprika. The dish is deliciously creamy, and it features a full-bodied flavor that’s utterly satisfying. It makes up to 12 servings, and it’s a great and easy dish to cook up for the family. Give it a try tonight, and make sure to rate and review it when you’re done!
This pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is fairly simple to make: when preparing this dish, make sure to use exactly 14 ounces of whole grain elbow macaroni, as well as four slices of your favorite center-cut bacon. If you don’t have access to Cabot Alpine Cheddar or Cabot White Oak Cheddar, you can substitute by using Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar or Cabot New York Extra Sharp Cheddar—those latter cheeses should add some extra tangy flavor too. Pumpkin pie spice and paprika are the key spices for this dish—they give this recipe a very unique flavor. Lastly, if you’d like to make the dish a little creamier, you can add a little extra Cabot Plain Greek Yogurt as well as Cabot Unsalted Butter.
Cabot is a cooperative of 800 dairy farms that are family operated—each one of them is committed to producing high-quality dairy products. We’re confident that you’ll enjoy all of our award-winning cheeses, and we’re excited for you to share our recipes and our cheeses with your friends and family. Also, because we’re a family oriented company, we understand just how important it family meals can be. When making this dish for your family, please make sure to let us know how it went—rate and review this recipe, and then share your thoughts on Facebook or Twitter. We can’t wait to hear what everyone has to say about our pumpkin mac and cheese recipe!
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Ingredients
14 ounces whole grain elbow macaroni
4 slices center-cut bacon
1 tablespoons Cabot Unsalted Butter
3 tablespoons King Arthur Whole-Wheat Pastry Flour
3 cups nonfat milk
½ cup 100% pure canned pumpkin
¼ teaspoon ground mustard
¼ teaspoon paprika
¼ teaspoon pumpkin pie spice
6 ounces Cabot Alpine Cheddar, Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, Cabot Sharp Cheddar or Cabot New York Extra Sharp Cheddar,shredded and divided
6 ounces Cabot White Oak Cheddar, Cabot Extra Sharp Cheddar, Cabot Sharp Cheddar or Cabot New York Extra Sharp Cheddar, shredded and divided
½ cup Cabot Plain Greek Yogurt
Directions
PREHEAT oven to 400°F. Coat 13 X 9 inch baking dish with cooking spray.
COOK macaroni to al dente according to package directions. Rinse and drain.
LINE rimmed baking sheet with aluminum foil and arrange bacon. Cook bacon for 10 minutes and blot dry. Crumble and set aside.
MELT butter over medium heat, in a large pot. Whisk in flour and slowly add milk until mixture is smooth and ingredients incorporated.
STIR in canned pumpkin and continue to whisk until mixture is thickened, about 5 minutes. Remove pot from heat and stir in spices, cheese (reserve ½ cup for topping), and yogurt whisking quickly to mix together until cheese is melted.
POUR macaroni into prepared baking dish and coat evenly with pumpkin cheese sauce. Top with remaining cheese and bacon.
BAKE for 20 minutes until cheese is melted and bubbly. Allow to cool for 5-10 minutes before serving.
To see more Legacy Recipes click here.
Calories: 281
% Daily Value
Total Fat: 12.5g
19%
Saturated Fat: 7g
35%
Cholesterol: 40mg
13%
Sodium: 273mg
11%
Carbohydrates: 32g
11%
Dietary Fiber: 3.5g
14%
Protein: 16g
Calcium: 307mg
31%
5 out of 5 stars (based on 2 reviews)
Carla T.
October 17, 2015
I made this the other night (without the bacon, I'm a vegetarian), and it was incredible! I added twice the spices listed and it still could have used more, but I tend to like a lot of spice in my recipes! Loved it! Thanks!
Dennis
September 28, 2015
We love the Farmers Legacy Collection of cheeses, especially the Alpine! Cannot go wrong making this recipe, it was awesome!
