Pumpkin Mac and Cheese with Bacon
Pumpkin mac and cheese with bacon is deliciously creamy, has a hint of warm spice and is topped with a buttery breadcrumb mixture and crisp bacon. Perfect for a comforting fall or winter dish!
Yield: 8 servings
Ingredients
- 6-8 slices bacon (I prefer a thick cut bacon)
- 1 (1 lb.) box macaroni or medium shell pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 3 cups milk, divided (2%, skim or an alternate milk like soy are fine)
- 3 cups shredded cheddar cheese, divided (see notes)
- 1 (14.5 oz.) can pumpkin puree
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- ½ teaspoon black pepper
- ¼ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¾ cup plain breadcrumbs
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400.
- Cook your bacon. Cook in the microwave or in the oven or skillet. Place on paper towels to soak up some of the excess grease. Once cooled, crumble the bacon and set aside.
- Meanwhile, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add a small handful of salt and add pasta.
- Cook pasta according to package directions, to the lowest cook time suggested. (For instance, if it says 9-11 minutes, cook for only 9 minutes.) Remove and drain pasta and set aside.
- Meanwhile, in a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter over medium heat. Add flour and cook for 1-2 minutes, whisking constantly.
- Slowly add in 2 cups milk, whisking constantly, until the mixture is smooth.
- Add 1 ½ cups of cheese and stir until melted. Lower heat to low, add pumpkin, salt, pepper, nutmeg and remaining cup of milk. Stir until well combined and the sauce is smooth. Remove from heat and add cooked pasta. Stir well to coat all of the pasta and get everything combined.
- Transfer the pasta and sauce to a greased 2-quart casserole dish. Top with remaining 1 ½ cups of cheese.
- In a small bowl, combine breadcrumbs with the 3 tablespoons of melted butter and stir to combine.
- Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture on top of the casserole. Bake at 400 for 20 minutes, until hot and bubbly. Sprinkle with reserved, crumbled bacon and enjoy!
Notes
Leftovers: Leftovers, once cooled, can be stored, covered, in the refrigerator for up to 5 days or in the freezer for up to 5 months. Reheat in the microwave or in the oven. The breadcrumb topping will lose some of its crunch, but it's still delicious.
Make-ahead notes: You can cook the bacon, cook the pasta, make the sauce, combine them and put it into the casserole ahead of time.
Cover and refrigerate until you are ready to bake. (Store the reserved cooked bacon in a baggie at room temperature.)
Bring the casserole out of the fridge as the oven preheats, to help it come to room temperature.
Make the buttery breadcrumb mixture, spread it over the casserole and bake at 400 for 25-30 minutes (a little longer to help everything get nice and hot).
Top with the reserved bacon and you are set!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 438kcal | Carbohydrates: 26g | Protein: 20g | Fat: 28g | Saturated Fat: 15g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 10g | Cholesterol: 80mg | Sodium: 793mg | Fiber: 2g | Sugar: 2g
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