Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

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This Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is a creamy, melty, salty delicious Fall version of macaroni and cheese. Made with lots of bacon and topped with ruffles chips for good measure, you too will want to make this year-round.

*Heavenly* Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

If you’re looking for a show stopping dinner that takes 30 minutes to make and only in 1 pot, then this recipe for Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is for YOU. Very simple ingredients go into this and it tastes amazing. Anything that involves cheese and/or bacon has my vote. Always.

This new Fall version of Pumpkin Mac and Cheese is RIDICULOUS. Straight from the heavens and filled to the brim with melty, cheesy, bacony goodness that YOU get to shovel into your mouth. Topped with more bacon and crunchy ruffles chips, you will fall head over heels in love with this new addiction.

I could go on and on, but I’m tired {surprise surprise}, so I’ll get to it.

Try these other squash pasta combos: Crockpot Butternut Squash Alfredo, Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta Sauce, Cheesy Butternut Squash Pasta {30-minute meal}, and Butternut Squash Mac and Cheese.

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Main Ingredients Needed

Nothing too crazy or out of the ordinary needed for this pumpkin mac and cheese recipe. Measurements in full are listed in the recipe card below!

• Short Cut Pasta– I love using rotini because it holds the sauce well in those curly ridges but anything you have will work just fine.
• Bacon– because bacon makes everything better. Yes, you can omit, but whyyyy?
• Onion + Garlic– used for lots of flavor!
• Pumpkin Puree- added to our cheese sauce to make it extra special!
• Thyme + Cinnamon + Nutmeg– a weird and wonderful combo!
• Jarred Alfredo Sauce– I love the trader joe’s brand, but any store-bought version will work. You could also use a homemade alfredo sauce if desired.
• Cheddar + Fontina Cheese– I love these two paired together for mac and cheese. The cheddar brings great flavor and the fontina melts beautifully. If you can’t find fontina cheese, mozzarella is a great substitute.

A Note about Cheese

If you’re making a homemade macaroni and cheese, you are typically using a big variety of cheeses and melting them into a homemade bechamel (white) sauce. For this recipe, I only call for two kinds of grated cheese: sharp cheddar for flavor and fontina for that silky, melty, ooey-gooeyness. Because I am using pumpkin in this sauce AND homemade alfredo sauce (which has cream and parmesan cheese already) I didn’t feel it was necessary to add anymore cheese.

Trust me when I say this is a great balance between that savory pumpkin flavor and the really yummy cheesiness you want in a mac and cheese.

How to Make Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

Like I mentioned above, this is a super simple 30 minute meal. If you can cook bacon and boil water, you can totally make this recipe! For exact measurements and instructions, be sure to scroll down to my printable recipe card at the bottom of this post.

Cook Pasta + Prep Ingredients

Start by boiling some salted water and cook your pasta. While that is cooking away, chop up some garlic, bacon and onions.

Once your pasta is al dente, drain and set aside.

Cook Bacon + Make Sauce

Place that hot pot back onto the heat, spray with a little non-stick {if desired} and render out the bacon until crispy. Remove with a slotted spoon and place on paper towel lined plate. Set aside.

Sauté the onions and garlic in the bacon grease. Stir in pumpkin and spices. Then add in the jar of alfredo sauce and milk. Gently stir in all your grated cheeses. After a minute or two, the cheeses should be melty and fabulous.

Stir Together + Top with Chips

Stir in the cooked pasta and half the bacon. Now stand back, take a big whiff and behold your work of art.

Spoon this out into some bowls, top with some broken ruffles chips and the rest of the bacon, and serve immediately. That’s it!

More Mac and Cheese Recipes to Try!

• Camping Mac and Cheese
• Smoked Sausage Mac and Cheese
• Buffalo Chicken Mac and Cheese
• Pimento Mac and Cheese
• Broccoli Mac and Cheese
• Instant Pot Mac and Cheese

So delicious and super easy that this will instantly become a classic at your house this Fall! Give it a whirl today and send me a thank you card tomorrow.

Have a great day, friends!