Cheesy Pumpkin Pasta is everything you love about macaroni and cheese, but with a fall twist! The sauce combines pumpkin, fresh sage and gruyere cheese for a luxuriously cheesy finish. The pasta is then finished with chopped bacon for a smoky kick.
Cheesy pumpkin pasta is the perfect fall meal when you’re craving something warm and comforting, but don’t want to spend all day in the kitchen. The sauce comes together in the time it takes to boil your pasta, so this creamy and soul warming dinner can be on the table in under 40 minutes!
What You Need To Make Cheesy Pumpkin Pasta
- Medium Shells (or another short noodle)
- Bacon
- Yellow Onion
- Garlic
- Fresh Sage
- Pumpkin Puree
- Whole Milk
- Kosher Salt
- Black Pepper
- Parmesan Cheese
- Gruyere Cheese (this is my favorite brand)
How to Make Pumpkin Pasta
- Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil. Most of the salt will stay in the pasta water so don’t be afraid to use a hefty amount of salt. This is your only chance to flavor the pasta noodles before then go into the sauce.
- Next, start cooking your bacon by adding it to a cold pan and slowly cooking it over low heat so it can render the fat out gently, without burning.
- Once crispy, remove the bacon from the pan and drain on a paper towel. Drain the bacon grease from the pan, leaving about 3 tablespoons of bacon grease in the pan. Add your pasta to the boiling water and give it a stir. Cook the pasta according to package instructions.
- Add the chopped onions to the pan and cook for about 5 minutes, until translucent and soft. Once soft, add the garlic and sage and cook for another minute.
- Next, add the pumpkin puree and milk to the pan with the onions and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper then raise the heat to medium high.
- Allow the sauce to bubble up and thicken for a few minutes before adding the cheese. Once the cheese is melted, add the cooked pasta and stir to combine.
- Add the bacon back to the pan and stir to combine. Finish with an extra sprinkle of parmesan cheese and enjoy!
If you love pasta, check out my Spaghetti Carbonara or Creamy Chicken Pasta!
Cheesy Pumpkin Pasta with Bacon & Gruyere
Cheesy Pumpkin Pasta is everything you love about macaroni and cheese, but with a fall twist! The sauce combines pumpkin, fresh sage and gruyere cheese for a luxuriously cheesy finish. The pasta is then finished with chopped bacon for a smoky kick.
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Servings: 4 servings
Ingredients
- 1 lb Medium Shells
- 12 oz Bacon cut into small pieces
- ½ Yellow Onion small diced
- 4 cloves Garlic minced or grated
- 16 leaves Fresh Sage thinly sliced, about 2 tablespoons
- 1 cup Pumpkin Puree
- 1 cup Whole Milk
- 1 teaspoon Kosher Salt
- ½ teaspoon Black Pepper
- ¼ cup grated Parmesan Cheese
- 6 oz Gruyere Cheese grated
Instructions
- Begin by bringing a large pot of salted water to a boil while you cook the bacon.
- In a large, cold, skillet with high sides, add the bacon then turn the heat to medium low. Slowly cook the bacon until it has rendered all of its fat and becomes crispy, about 10-15 minutes.
- Remove the bacon and drain on a paper towel while you add the pasta to the water and cook according to package instructions. Remove all but 3 tablespoons of bacon grease from the pan.
- Add onions to the skillet with the bacon grease and cook for 5 minutes, until translucent and soft. Once soft, add garlic and sage and cook for an additional minute.
- Next, add the pumpkin puree and milk and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, then raise the heat to medium high. Add both cheeses and stir until melted.
- Let the sauce bubble up and cook for 3-5 minutes, until thickened. Add the cooked pasta straight from the pot to allow a little pasta water to get into the sauce. Stir to combine and add more pasta water if needed. Add the bacon back to the pot and stir one more time.
- Serve, topped with more parmesan cheese.
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