If you're serving a crowd this fall, turn to our delicious sheet pan pumpkin mac and cheese recipe. The big-batch dinner makes 12 servings, and is easy to customize with toppings like bacon, fresh veggies, herbs, and more. When making this sheet pan dinner, make sure to use a metal baking pan (many glass baking dishes are not broiler-safe).
How to Make Pumpkin Mac in a 13x9 Pan
Prepare as directed, except preheat oven to 375°F. Spread macaroni mixture in a greased 13×9-inch baking pan. Bake until bubbly, about 20 minutes. Top and broil as directed.
Ingredients
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1 lb. dried elbow macaroni
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5 slices thick cut bacon, chopped
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4 tbsp salted butter, divided
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3 tbsp all-purpose flour
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3 1/2 cups milk, at room temperature
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4 oz. cream cheese, cut up
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1 tbsp Dijon mustard
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1 1/2 tsp salt
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1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
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1/4 tsp black pepper
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4 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (1 lb.), divided
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1/2 cup grated Parmigiano Reggiano cheese (2 oz.), divided
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1 (15-oz.) can pumpkin
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1/2 cup panko
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1 tbsp chopped fresh chives
Directions
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Prep Pan
Preheat oven to 400°F. Grease a 15×10-inch baking pan. Cook macaroni according to package directions; drain.
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Cook Bacon
Meanwhile, in a 4- to 5-qt. pot cook bacon over medium until crisp. Drain on paper towels, reserving drippings in pot.
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Make Cheese Sauce
Add 2 Tbsp. of the butter to pot with bacon drippings; melt over medium. Add flour; cook, whisking constantly, until flour is light brown and smells toasty, about 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in milk. Whisk in next five ingredients (through pepper). Remove from heat; gradually whisk in 21/2 cups of the Gruyère and 1/4 cup of the Parmigiano Reggiano until smooth. Whisk in pumpkin. Add pasta and 1 cup of the Gruyère; stir until combined.
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Bake
Spread mixture in prepared baking pan. Sprinkle with remaining 1/2 cup Gruyère. Bake until cheese is bubbly, about 10 minutes. Remove from oven. Preheat broiler
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Add Topping and Broil
In a bowl microwave remaining 2 Tbsp. butter until melted. Stir in panko and remaining 1/4 cup Parmigiano Reggiano. Sprinkle over macaroni. Broil 4 inches from heat until panko is toasted, 1 to 2 minutes. Sprinkle with bacon and chives.
How to Store Sheet Pan Mac and Cheese
Transfer leftovers to an airtight container. Chill in the fridge for up to 1 day.
How to Make Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Ahead
Prepare as directed through Step 3. Spread mixture in prepared pan. Cover and chill up to 24 hours. Bring to room temperature before baking. Bake as directed, except increase baking time to 15 minutes. Top and broil as directed.
Nutrition Facts (per serving)
| 392 | Calories |
| 24g | Fat |
| 23g | Carbs |
| 20g | Protein |
| Nutrition Facts | |
|---|---|
| Servings Per Recipe 12 | |
| Calories 392 | |
| % Daily Value * | |
| Total Fat 24.3g | 31% |
| Saturated Fat 13.8g | 69% |
| Cholesterol 75.4mg | 25% |
| Sodium 880mg | 38% |
| Total Carbohydrate 23g | 8% |
| Dietary Fiber 1.4g | 5% |
| Total Sugars 5.3g | |
| Protein 20.4g | 41% |
| Vitamin D 1.1mcg | 6% |
| Vitamin C 2mg | 2% |
| Calcium 530.7mg | 41% |
| Iron 1.2mg | 7% |
| Potassium 288.9mg | 6% |
| Fatty acids, total trans 0.3g | |
| Vitamin D 45.6IU | |
| Alanine 0.7g | |
| Arginine 0.7g | |
| Ash 4.2g | |
| Aspartic acid 1.3g | |
| Caffeine 0mg | |
| Carotene, alpha 962.2mcg | |
| Choline, total 31.8mg | |
| Copper, Cu 0.1mg | |
| Cystine 0.2g | |
| Energy 1640.1kJ | |
| Fluoride, F 5.3mcg | |
| Folate, total 48.1mcg | |
| Glutamic acid 4.5g | |
| Glycine 0.5g | |
| Histidine 0.7g | |
| Isoleucine 1g | |
| Leucine 2g | |
| Lysine 1.6g | |
| Methionine 0.5g | |
| Magnesium, Mg 38.6mg | |
| Manganese, Mn 0.2mg | |
| Niacin 1.9mg | |
| Phosphorus, P 393.9mg | |
| Pantothenic acid 0.7mg | |
| Phenylalanine 1.1g | |
| Phytosterols 0.5mg | |
| Proline 2.3g | |
| Retinol 211.7mcg | |
| Selenium, Se 24.4mcg | |
| Serine 1.1g | |
| Starch 12.6g | |
| Theobromine 0mg | |
| Threonine 0.8g | |
| Vitamin E (alpha-tocopherol) 0.7mg | |
| Tryptophan 0.3g | |
| Tyrosine 1g | |
| Valine 1.3g | |
| Vitamin A, IU 2810.1IU | |
| Vitamin A, RAE 316.9mcg | |
| Vitamin B-12 1.1mcg | |
| Vitamin B-6 0.1mg | |
| Vitamin K (phylloquinone) 3mcg | |
| Water 142.4g | |
| Zinc, Zn 2.6mg | |
*The % Daily Value (DV) tells you how much a nutrient in a food serving contributes to a daily diet. 2,000 calories a day is used for general nutrition advice.
