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This super easy One Pot Stove-Top Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is the perfect recipe for sneaking in autumn vegetables. Simply brown some butter and garlic in a large pot and toss in some elbow macaroni and canned pumpkin. Then boil everything together in water with a splash of milk and a few ounces of cream cheese. Together these ingredients create a creamy mac and cheese that’s wholesome and delicious. This simple pumpkin mac and cheese is made all in one pot, in just 30 minutes.
I wasn’t going to make this, but then I made this, and I am so pleased that I did. Sometimes simple recipes really shock me with their ease and deliciousness. And I have to say, this recipe shocked me.
So much flavor in such a simple and quick cooking recipe that only uses one pot. I hesitated to make this for two reasons. I have been baking and cooking with a lot of pumpkin lately. And if it’s not pumpkin, it’s butternut squash. I don’t want us all to get tired of pumpkin recipes before November even starts.
But I got home from New York and this sounded really delicious and simple to make. Which after traveling all day was very, very ideal.
And then, on top of that, I came home to 20-degree temperatures and bitter-cold snow. It’s officially gone from fall to winter here. Most of the leaves have fallen. This first round of snow brought any stragglers down.
This means all the more reason to make a cozy pumpkin mac and cheese recipe. I didn’t question it, and to my surprise, it ended up turning out even more delicious than what I had dreamt up in my head.
Here are the details
This recipe starts out with butter, garlic, thyme, and sage. Cook this mix together and allow the butter to brown. Once you’ve browned the butter, remove the sage from the pot and set aside, but leave everything else.
Add the pasta and toss it in with the butter. Next goes the water to cook the pasta. And then a nice pinch of salt. Stir this until the pasta is al dente.
The rest is quick and easy. Add the milk, some cream cheese to thicken the sauce, canned pumpkin, and a mix of cheddar and gouda cheese. Then add the spices.
Stir the pot and continue cooking until the cheeses have all melted.
When it’s creamy and looking delicious (and delicious smelling), it’s done. I top the mac and cheese with the reserved sage leaves and grated nutmeg. And honestly, it’s perfect.
You can taste the warm sweetness from the pumpkin, but it’s subtle and so yummy when paired with gouda cheese.
Asher ate this up right away and never questioned the addition of pumpkin, so I’d say it’s also kid approved! Happy to now have this recipe as a staple for the fall months.
It really is perfect. Quick to make and very little mess. It’s a wonderful creamy mac and cheese that I think is even more delicious than classic!
Delish!
Looking for other one pot recipes? Here are my favorites:
French Onion Pasta with Crispy Prosciutto
One Skillet White Chicken Chili Bake
Healthier Homemade One Pot Hamburger Helper
Creamy Sun-Dried Tomato Chicken Pasta
Brown Butter Pumpkin Tortellini Alla Vodka
Lastly, if you make this One Pot Stove-Top Pumpkin Mac and Cheese be sure to leave a comment and/or give this recipe a rating! Above all, I love to hear from you guys and always do my best to respond to each and every comment. And of course, if you do make this recipe, don’t forget to tag me on Instagram! Looking through the photos of recipes you all have made is my favorite!
One Pot Stove-Top Pumpkin Mac and Cheese
Servings: 6
Calories Per Serving: 617 kcal
Nutritional information is only an estimate. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons salted butter
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme leaves
- 9 leaves fresh sage
- 1 pound short-cut pasta
- 1 cup canned coconut milk or whole milk
- 3 ounces cream cheese, cubed
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1 1/2 cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- 1 1/2 cups shredded creamy gouda cheese
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon onion powder
- 1 teaspoon paprika
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg
- Kosher salt and black pepper
Instructions
- 1. Melt the butter with the garlic, thyme, and sage in a large pot set over medium heat. Allow the butter to brown around the garlic, 3-5 minutes. Once browned, remove the sage leaves and set aside. 2. To the pot, add the pasta and toss with the butter. Add 4 cups of water and bring to a boil over high heat. Add 1 1/2 teaspoons salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 8 minutes. Do not drain the water. Stir in the milk, cream cheese, and pumpkin, and cook until the cream cheese has melted and the pasta is al dente, about 4-5 minutes more. 4. Pick out the garlic cloves and set aside. Add the cheddar and Gouda, onion powder, paprika, cayenne, and nutmeg, and stir until melted and creamy. Remove from the heat. 5. If desired, chop or mash the garlic and stir in the pasta. Season with salt and pepper. If the sauce feels thick, add ¼ cup milk or water to thin.6. Divide the mac and cheese between bowls. Top with black pepper, the reserved sage, and grated nutmeg.
I can’t find shortcut pasta in any of the stores near me. How do I adjust?
Hi Dee,
Really?! That’s wild!! Just any short cut noodle will work….elbows, macaroni, penne, rigatoni, shells, farfalle are all suggestions:) I hope you love this recipe! xT
When you said shortcut I thought you meant that it cooked faster. You just mean shorter length. Guess I was making it more complicated than it needed to be, lol! I’m making it tomorrow and will let you know how it goes.
HI! Can I make this 2 days prior to Thanksgiving as prep? If so, what is the best way to reheat. I am thinking of making a double batch for thanksgiving
I am wondering the exact same thing!
Hey Michelle,
You could, but I prefer my make ahead dishes to ones that you can bake to reheat, I worry about this dish getting dried out. I think a better option for you would be one of these recipes:
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/baked-mac-and-cheese/
https://www.halfbakedharvest.com/spinach-and-artichoke-mac-and-cheese/
I hope this helps, please let me know if you have any other questions! xT
Made this and it was so good!! Thank you for this recipe!
Hey Rebecca,
Happy Wednesday! I love to hear that this recipe was enjoyed, thanks so much for making it and sharing your feedback! xx
Hi! If I was making this for thanksgiving, could I make it early in the day and then keep it warm in the crock pot? Would I need to add any extra milk or cream to keep it creamy?
Hey Erica,
Sure, that would work well for you! I would just keep an eye on it, and add more milk if needed! I hope you love this recipe! xx
Hi Tieghan,
Where does the 1 tsp of garlic powder come in in the instructions?
Hey Deanna,
You are going to add the garlic powder in step 4. Please let me know if you have any other questions, I hope you love the recipe! xx
Oh my goodness…this mac & cheese is to die for!! My kids (and me too, to be honest!) were skeptical of the pumpkin, but they devoured it and went back for seconds. I used gluten free elbow macaroni so I reduced the cooking time a bit since gf pasta tends to get mushy if overcooked. Thank you for another delicious recipe!
Hey Erica,
Amazing!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review:)
Wow, this was so creamy and amazing. There are so many mac ‘n’ cheese recipes out there, and I’ve got a couple that I like, but this might have jumped to the top of the list. I used coconut milk because that’s what I had on hand and I don’t see any reason to switch to milk! It’s going to be very hard to save any for my husband when he gets off work 😉
Hey Sarah,
Happy Sunday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xT
This was pretty good, I followed the recipe except used chicken broth for half the boiling liquid and I think that helped enhance the flavor. Very rich, but yummy.
Hi Bridget,
Amazing!! Thanks so much for making this recipe and sharing your feedback, I love to hear that it was enjoyed:) xx
I didn’t exactly follow the recipe but I used it as an inspiration. I had gnocchi in fondue in Italy and decided to try to replicate that with this recipe. I made the sauce mostly following the recipe, omitting the steps related to cooking the pasta. I made gnocchi separately, then added to the sauce after boiling it. It turned out so well! I also recommend smoked gouda.
We ate this as a main dish but next time I’d serve with chicken. It’s on my Thanksgiving menu, too!
Hey Molly,
Thanks so much for sharing what worked well for you! So glad to hear the dish was enjoyed! Happy Sunday! xT
This was fabulous and so easy to make! We omitted the cayenne for the sensitive palettes in our family. Cozy, filling, and delicious. Thank you, Tieghan!
Hey Becky,
Happy Sunday!! So glad to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks a lot for giving it a try! xT
Another winner. The pumpkin is subtle and the seasonings give it a pop factor. I doubled recipe since I needed a bit more and was great. Left the garlic bits in…will make this again.
Hey Angie,
Fantastic!! Thanks so much for sharing your feedback and giving this recipe a try, I am so glad it turned out well for you! Have a great weekend:)
So excited to make this! Can you freeze leftovers? Or how long do you recommend keeping in the fridge?
Hey Megan,
I would say this is good in the fridge for 3-4 days! I hope you love the recipe, please let me know if you give it a try! xT
Amazing!
Thanks so much Kristin!!
Hey! I made this and it was really easy, filling, and delicious. Served with a salad. 🙂
Hey there,
Happy Friday!! I am thrilled to hear that this recipe was a winner, thanks so much for making it and sharing your review:)
Has anyone tried making this in a slow cooker?
Hi Daisy,
Sorry, I haven’t tested this, but you could certainly give it a try! Let me know how the recipe turns out, I hope you love it! xT