creamy baked pumpkin mac and cheese is combined with roasted brussel sprouts for a delicious fall meal the entire family will love!
This weekend my sister and I were craving comfort food with a healthier twist and came up with this!
If the name alone doesn’t sell you on just how delicious this is, I’ll just let you in on this little tidbit: I’ve eaten this for dinner 3 out of the 4 nights since we made it. And for all of you out there thinking pumpkin and brussel sprouts don’t go well together, I’m here to tell you that they definitely do.
In fact, this could be a nice addition to the Thanksgiving table. It combines two classic items into a warm, creamy and delicious single dish. Regardless of when you decide to make it though, it will be fully enjoyed – I can promise you that.
The pumpkin and brussel sprout combination take mac and cheese to the next level and put an perfect autumnal twist on a favorite meal! I also love that it provides an excuse to squeeze a little extra nutrition into a classic comfort food dish. Pumpkins are rich in nutrients like vitamin A and potassium while brussel sprouts are an excellent source of vitamins C, fiber and folate.
We used whole grain pasta to bump up the fiber in the dish as well so you can be sure that this dish will hold you over. Although to be honest, I almost wish it didn’t do such a good job filling you up because it’s so delicious you just want to eat more as soon as your bowl is empty! But that’s another nice thing about this dish – it reheats well and makes at least 6 servings so you can enjoy it all week long!
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creamy baked pumpkin mac and cheese is combined with roasted brussel sprouts for a delicious fall meal the entire family will love!
Ingredients
- 1 box whole wheat pasta
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 tablespoon all-purpose flour
- 3/4 cup milk
- 3/4 cup unsweetened canned pumpkin
- 1/2 cup white cheddar cheese
- 1/2 cup shredded parmesan cheese
- Dash of ground nutmeg
- 1 cup panko breadcrumbs
- 2 cups brussels sprouts, sliced in quarters
- 2 teaspoons olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
Instructions
For the Brussel Sprouts:
- Toss brussels sprouts with olive oil, salt and pepper and roast at
- 400 degrees F for 15 minutes
For the Mac & Cheese:
- Turn oven down to 375 degrees F. Lightly butter a 9×13 baking pan
- Cook pasta according to package directions
- Melt the butter in a medium pot over medium heat. As soon as it begins
- to brown, add the flour and whisk for 1 minute
- Slowly whisk in the milk
- Continue whisking as you add the pumpkin and cheeses. Whisk in nutmeg,
- salt and pepper.
- Drain the pasta and return it to its pot. Add the cheese sauce to the
- pasta and toss to coat.
- Stir in roasted brussels sprouts
- Transfer pasta to prepared pan and top with panko
- Bake for 20-25 minutes or until the cheese is very bubbly and panko is
- lightly browned on top.
Keywords: pumpkin mac and cheese, mac and cheese, pumpkin, dinner, vegetarian
This looks incredible. Hard to tell how big your serving is? 1/2 cup? 1 cup?
Hey Kelly! I don’t measure my food but I would estimate I probably eat 1-1.5 cups at a time if I’m having nothing else with the meal (aka a side salad, etc.). But the serving size that’s right for you might be different from mine so I definitely encourage you to do what’s works best for you! 🙂