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Cheesy Pumpkin Pasta with Bacon & Gruyere

November 3, 2021 by Ashley Leave a Comment

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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 served up in a bowl topped with more bacon and sage garnish. The rest of the pasta is in the pan in the background.

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!

Pasta sauce with the cheese being mixed in the pan before the pasta goes in.

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)
Cheese pumpkin pasta sauce with the cheese being mixed in the pan with pasta noodles on top before being mixed in.

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.
Saute pan with onions, garlic and sage cooked together. Pumpkin puree is on top and milk is being slowly added to the pan.
Pumpkin sauce in the pan with gruyere and parmesan cheese on top before being mixed in.
  • 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!
cheesy pumpkin pasta served up in a bowl topped with more bacon and sage garnish. The rest of the pasta is in the pan in the background.

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.
5 from 1 vote
Print Pin Rate
Course: Main Course, Side Dish
Cuisine: American
Keyword: cheesy pasta, easy pasta recipe, pasta, pasta recipe, pumpkin pasta, pumpkin pasta recipe, pumpkin pasta with bacon
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 35 minutes
Total Time: 50 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Author: Ashley Pelaez Walker

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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Filed Under: Comfort Foods, Entertaining, Mains, Recipes, Weeknight Meals Tagged With: autumn recipe, creamy pumpkin pasta, easy pasta, fall recipe, pasta, pasta recipe, pumpkin, pumpkin pasta, pumpkin recipe, weeknight pasta

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Welcome!

Hi, I’m Ashley!

I am the Recipe Developer & Food Photographer behind Millennial Kitchen. I have always had a love for cooking & grew up watching endless hours of the Food Network. This love, paired with my teaching background, gives me the tools to help others gain the confidence they need to feel like a pro in the kitchen! My recipes are simple, but delicious & very approachable for people of any skill level!

 

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