Macaroni & Cheese is a favorite in our household. It is loaded with calories though! I had heard of people adding pumpkin or butternut squash puree to dishes like macaroni & cheese to make it a bit healthier. I decided to try something new and the results were fantastic! Hubby and our boys had no clue that there was pumpkin in this dish. It’s creamy and doesn’t taste like pumpkin at all.
Recipe: Pumpkin Macaroni & Cheese
Ingredients
- 1 lb. Elbow Macaroni
- 3 Tablespoons Butter
- 3 Tablespoons Flour
- 1 Cup Pumpkin Puree (homemade or canned, don’t use pumpkin pie mix)
- 2 Cups Milk
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt
- 1/4 teaspoon Black Pepper
- 1 teaspoon Dijon Mustard
- Dash of Nutmeg
- 2 Cups Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese, divided
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees.
- Cook macaroni noodles to al dente as directed on the package. When the macaroni is done, drain.
- While the noodles are cooking, make a rue with the butter and flour. In a saucepan, melt butter over medium heat. Wisk in flour.
- Add in milk, pumpkin, dijon, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Heat until it just starts to simmer.
- Add in 1 3/4 cup cheese and stir until melted.
- Poor cheese sauce over drained pasta and mix together.
- Place in a 13×9 pan and sprinkle the last 1/4 cup of cheese on top.
- Bake until cheese is bubbling – about 20 to 25 minutes.
Tips
- Try butternut squash puree instead of pumpkin.
- Make fruit and vegetable purees ahead of time and store them in the freezer for adding to recipes.
- Use a variety of cheese for a different taste!
Have you ever tired being a little sneaky and adding vegetable purees to your recipes? If you haven’t give it a try and Try Something New tonight!
Make sure you check out my other easy recipes! Plus if you are looking for cooking supplies, check out my Choozon Deal Club- The Kitchen Gadget Habit.
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Renae is a married working mom of two handsome boys. She works as a registered dental hygienist by day and blogs here at How to Have it All by night. She enjoys cooking from scratch, working in her vegetable garden and functional training.
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Love this idea…I have never had much luck with homemade Mac & Cheese but I think I can follow this recipe! Thanks!
I love butternut squash, I bet that’s delicious! My sister even makes brownies with pureed veggies and her picky kids have no clue lol.
Alissa
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Hi Alissa,
I have made zucchini brownies before and they are delicious! Can’t wait for our zucchini to grow in the garden! Have a great day!