Baked Jalapeno Mac and Cheese with Pumpkin recipe is a easy to make creamy pasta dish that’s sweet and savory. It’s pure comfort food, perfect to enjoy during Fall!
Pumpkin Jalapeno Mac and Cheese Recipe
This Mac and Cheese recipe is one of my favorites to make during the Fall because it combines late Summer jalapeno peppers and early Fall pumpkins to make a classic comfort food meal.
It tastes like traditional macaroni and cheese, but it’s extra creamy due to the pumpkin puree, and the jalapeno peppers add a kick of spice. The jalapeno pepper taste is not overpowering at all, it’s just a little spice added in, so you don’t have to worry about burning your mouth!
Ingredients
Here’s all the ingredients you need:
- elbow macaraoni noodles
- butter
- all purpose flour
- ground mustard
- salt
- nutmeg
- pumpkin puree
- jalapeno peppers (1-2)
- cheddar cheese
This unique mac and cheese recipe is packed with pumpkin and cheese for a extra creamy meal. The pumpkin is rich and has a touch of sweetness. The cheese is savory and melts beautifully. We also add in jalapeno peppers for a slight kick of heat. It’s the perfect combo.
How to Make
Cook your elbow noodles or medium shells according to box. Drain and put noodles in a 11×8 baking dish.
As you can see I was having a “empty my pantry out” kinda night, so I used half elbow noodles and half shells!
In a saucepan, you’re going to make the cheese sauce. Melt butter, and then stir in flour and mix until smooth. Add milk and simmer, mixing until thickened.
Remove from heat and add in mustard, salt and nutmeg. Mix. Finally, add in pumpkin puree, jalapeno peppers and 1 1/2 cups of cheddar cheese. You can use 1 or 2 jalapeno peppers depending how spicy you want it.
Tip: Want to make homemade pumpkin puree? It’s a fun project to try if you’ve never made it before!
Pumpkin Tip!
You can use canned pumpkin from the store or take the extra step and make your own fresh pumpkin purée. I do this with all of our garden pumpkins, but if you don’t grow pumpkins, buy some pumpkins at the farmers market and then roast them up! Pumpkin puree freezes great too!
Pour cheese mixture over elbow macaraoni in baking dish and mix. Top with the 1/2 cup remaining cheddar cheese.
Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving. Enjoy!
I hope you love this macaraoni and cheese as much as I do!
What can you serve with mac and cheese?
Here’s some recipes you can serve with this Pumpkin Jalapeno Mac and Cheese!
Stewed Tomatoes
Diced Tomatoes
Easy Garlic Knots
Fluffy Dinner Rolls
Pumpkin Dinner Rolls
Sourdough Crockpot Bread
Pin for later:
Pumpkin Jalapeno Mac and Cheese
PrintIngredients
- 2 cups elbow macaroni or medium shells
- 1/4 cup butter
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 2 cups milk
- 1 teaspoon ground mustard
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- dash of nutmeg
- 1 cup pumpkin puree
- 1-2 jalapeno peppers (depending on how spicy you want it) seeds removed, chopped
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese
Instructions
- Heat oven to 350 degrees F. Make elbow macaroni according to box. Drain, set aside in a 11×8 baking dish.
- In a medium size saucepan melt your butter over medium heat. Stir in flour and continue to stir until smooth. Stir in milk and bring to a simmer. Continue to stir for 1 minute until it's thickened. Remove from heat. Stir in mustard, salt and nutmeg. Add in pumpkin puree, jalapeno peppers and 1 1/2 cups of shredded cheese, stirring until cheese is completely melted.
- Add cheese mixture to pasta in baking dish and stir until it's all coated. Top with 1/2 cup remaining shredded cheese.
- Bake for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool for 10 minutes before serving.
Melissa says
This looks so delicious – I want to march upstairs and make this right now. And its 10:30pm. That would be a little crazy. Maybe tomorrow.
Pamela says
Live wild Melissa! 😉 Enjoy!
Maureen says
I would have never dreamed up this combination of flavors, so I am so glad I found this post. This sounds DIVINE and I will be making it the next time I make macaroni and cheese.
Christine @ Cooking with Cakes says
girrrl…. YES. just so much yes right here, obsessed!