- High in protein
- High in dietary fibre
- Vegetarian
- No added sugar
- Seafood free
- Shellfish free
- Sesame free
- Peanut free
- Nut free
- Egg free
Silky, savoury and slightly sweet, with a nutty cheesiness from parmesan, this is the best pumpkin mac and cheese recipe out there.
- Serves6
- Cook time45 minutes
- Prep time10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 900g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces, seeds reserved
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 250g mascarpone
- 1 1/4 cups (100g) grated parmesan
- 1/3 cup (25g) Japanese breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup (50g) pepitas (pumpkin seeds), coarsely chopped
- 300g macaroni
Nutritional information
Check ingredient labels to make sure they meet your specific dietary requirements and always consult a health professional before changing your diet. View dietary information here.
Percentage Daily Intake information on our recipes is calculated using the nutrition reference values for an average Australian adult.
Method
Step 1
Prepare a campfire. Heat 2 tbs oil in a heavy-based flameproof frying pan over low embers. Add pumpkin and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until pumpkin starts to colour. Add milk and rosemary. Reduce heat to low. Partially cover and cook for 15 mins or until pumpkin is tender. Remove and discard rosemary sprig. Add mascarpone and use a fork to mash until almost smooth. Stir in 1 cup (80g) parmesan.
Step 2
Meanwhile, rinse and drain the reserved pumpkin seeds. Pat dry with paper towel. Coarsely chop.Step 3
Heat remaining oil in a heavy-based flameproof frying pan over low embers. Add pumpkin seeds. Cook, tossing, for 2 mins or until golden. Add the breadcrumbs and pepitas. Cook until golden.
Step 4
Cook the pasta in a heavy-based flameproof saucepan of boiling water over low embers following packet directions or until al dente. Drain. Add to pumpkin mixture. Stir to combine.Step 5
Sprinkle the pasta mixture with the remaining parmesan and cover with foil. Cook over hot embers for 10 mins or until golden. Sprinkle with pumpkin seed mixture to serve.
Recipe tip
Make it at home: Our recipe is cooked over a campfire. To whip it up at home, cook all the individual elements (pumpkin mixture and pumpkin seed mixture) on the stovetop over medium heat. Combine in an ovenproof baking dish and bake it at 200°C for 10 minutes or until golden.
Waste wise: Keep any leftover dry macaroni in a jar. You can combine different types of short pasta, such as penne or rigatoni, until you have enough for your next family meal.
COOK. STORE. SAVE.
Clever storage: Transfer any leftovers to an airtight container and store them in the fridge for up to 3 days.
Use it up: Japanese breadcrumbs can be frozen and added straight from the freezer to recipes such as crumbed barramundi and Curtis Stone’s roasted tomatoes.
How to cook pumpkin mac and cheese over a campfire
It’s a bold claim, but try this easy pumpkin mac and cheese and you might never go back to making regular mac and cheese again (although to be fair, a basic mac and cheese is pretty amazing). The pumpkin not only adds a vibrant orange colour but also introduces a velvety texture and subtle sweetness to the cheesy sauce. The final dish is so savoury and rich you’re likely to forget you’re even eating an extra serving of veg. Enjoy it as a side dish for a dinner party or as a meat-free weeknight meal. You can make this recipe for pumpkin mac and cheese baked in the oven at home or over a campfire.
Tips for making baked pumpkin mac and cheese
You can use different pasta in this recipe, choose a shape that can hold onto the cheese sauce, such as shells, spirals or elbows. Before cooking the pasta, season the water generously with salt but not oil. Oil makes the pasta too slippery and stops the sauce from clinging to it, which is what we want in mac and cheese. A good hint to stop the pasta from being overcooked in pasta bakes is to boil the pasta for 3 minutes less than the recommended cooking time stated on the packet. It will get cooked further in the oven once it is mixed with the other ingredients. This tip works for any pasta bake recipe, including this pumpkin and tuna pasta bake and chicken and pasta bake.
A campfire that is flaming is great for toasting marshmallows but will be too hot for your mac and cheese. Wait until the fire has burnt down to embers (glowing red coals) to start cooking.
What is the best variety of pumpkins to use in this recipe?
Butternut pumpkin has a sweet and smooth texture, which makes it great for mashing with rich flavours like parmesan and mascarpone. You could use other types of pumpkin, such as Kent or Queensland Blue, but a butternut is much easier to handle. To give the pumpkin a nice roasted, charred taste, we pan-fried it with the garlic for 5 minutes before fully cooking and mashing it in this recipe. Check out these other methods for mashing pumpkins, too.
Can I use different types of cheese in the recipe?
Of course! The best pumpkin mac and cheese recipe is one you can tailor to your tastes. A Swiss cheese such as gruyére is a popular choice, but the traditional baked macaroni and cheese dish typically uses cheddar. Parmesan cheese has a stronger flavour than both of these options so to retain a hint of that, mix 1/3 cup or parmesan in with whatever other cheese you’re using.
How to make creamy pumpkin mac and cheese ahead of time
If you’re making this recipe at home and want to prepare it a few days in advance, put the cooled pumpkin mixture and cooked pasta in separate airtight containers, and store in the fridge for up to 3 days (stir in a tiny splash of oil into the cooked pasta to prevent clumping). On the day of serving, combine the pumpkin mixture and cooked pasta in a baking dish and place in the oven to heat through. Toast the pumpkin seed mix in a pan on the stovetop, then sprinkle the pumpkin seed mix over the top of the cooked pumpkin mac and cheese.
Are you looking for more ways to put this vibrant veggie to good use? Golden, tender and creamy pumpkin is the star in this line-up of wholesome, easy pumpkin recipes.
FAQs
Butternut pumpkin mac and cheese
- Serves6
- Cook time45 minutes
- Prep time10 minutes
Ingredients
- 1/4 cup (60ml) extra virgin olive oil
- 900g butternut pumpkin, peeled, cut into 2cm pieces, seeds reserved
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 1/2 cups (375ml) milk
- 1 rosemary sprig
- 250g mascarpone
- 1 1/4 cups (100g) grated parmesan
- 1/3 cup (25g) Japanese breadcrumbs
- 1/4 cup (50g) pepitas (pumpkin seeds), coarsely chopped
- 300g macaroni
Description
Silky, savoury and slightly sweet, with a nutty cheesiness from parmesan, this is the best pumpkin mac and cheese recipe out there.
Method
Step 1
Prepare a campfire. Heat 2 tbs oil in a heavy-based flameproof frying pan over low embers. Add pumpkin and garlic. Cook, stirring, for 5 mins or until pumpkin starts to colour. Add milk and rosemary. Reduce heat to low. Partially cover and cook for 15 mins or until pumpkin is tender. Remove and discard rosemary sprig. Add mascarpone and use a fork to mash until almost smooth. Stir in 1 cup (80g) parmesan.
Step 2
Meanwhile, rinse and drain the reserved pumpkin seeds. Pat dry with paper towel. Coarsely chop.Step 3
Heat remaining oil in a heavy-based flameproof frying pan over low embers. Add pumpkin seeds. Cook, tossing, for 2 mins or until golden. Add the breadcrumbs and pepitas. Cook until golden.
Step 4
Cook the pasta in a heavy-based flameproof saucepan of boiling water over low embers following packet directions or until al dente. Drain. Add to pumpkin mixture. Stir to combine.Step 5
Sprinkle the pasta mixture with the remaining parmesan and cover with foil. Cook over hot embers for 10 mins or until golden. Sprinkle with pumpkin seed mixture to serve.