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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.
We couldn’t decide what to make last night and the SO (who rarely knows what he wants for dinner) suggested this recipe out of the blue. Totaly forgot I made it last year but he remembered, and so glad he did. We’re keeping it in the rotation now; It’s like a neon sign for people living in dinner indecision city! It was so delicious and I’m counting down until we are eating dinner tonight.
Hey Tracy,
Happy Wednesday!❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and I’m so glad it turned out well for you! xT
Made this with dried ground sage and dried thyme, added at the beginning and just left in, and accidentally added the nutmeg at the same time as the other spices instead of as a garnish, no issues with either and it was genuinely lovely. I also included 1/2 tsp mustard powder and I think it worked well! Lovely recipe.
Hey Emjay,
Perfect!! Thanks so much for making this recipe, I love to hear that it turned out well for you! xT
Such a great recipe! I’ve made it a few times now.
One revision I’ve made is that I add about 1/2-1 cup more of water – the first time I made it, the sauce was just so thick. The extra water adds a little extra sauciness.
Hey Rachel,
Happy Wednesday!! ❄️ I appreciate you making this recipe and sharing your feedback, so glad to hear it turned out well for you! xT
Really love this recipe! I added chopped crisp bacon to the mix just before serving. Mmmmm! It was great!
Hi Jan,
I am delighted to hear that this recipe turned out well for you and appreciate you giving it a try! Have a great weekend:)
I love this recipe. I made it for dinner, for thanksgiving and now going to bring it to a work Christmas party. An ideas on how to keep warm for a party? Could I do the cheese melting in a crockpot or even transfer to a crock pot and keep on warm? Or ideas on how to reheat?
Hey Anna,
Thanks for making this recipe! I would just transfer to a crockpot to keep on warm:) I hope this helps! xx
Such a great recipe!! I made it exactly as called for, except I used only sharp cheddar and no gouda because it’s what I had on hand. Next time I’ll make sure to do the gouda instead since I found myself missing it. Highly recommend!
Hey Kathryn,
Wonderful!!🎅 I love to hear that this recipe turned out well for you, thanks so much for making it and your comment! xT