Description
Traditional mac & cheese gets a fall twist with pumpkin and sausage! The perfect entrée or side for your fall supper.
Ingredients
Scale
- 1 pound of a short-cut pasta cooked to al dente (we use g-free)
- 1 pound of Italian sausage (you can use either sweet or spicy)
- Extra Virgin Olive Oil (EVOO)
- salt and pepper
- 1 red onion, chopped
- 3 cloves of garlic, chopped
- 3 tablespoons flour (you can sub with g-free!)
- ¼ cup milk (we use 2%)
- 1 (15 oz) can of pumpkin (I use Libby’s)
- 2½ cups shredded sharp cheddar cheese
- ½ cup of grated Parmesan cheese, to garnish
- ½ cup Italian-style breadcrumbs (we use Aleia’s g-free)
- chopped fresh sage to garnish, optional
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
- Grease (I used Pam) a 9×12 baking dish or several individual baking dishes (this serves 4 to 6). Set aside
- Make sure your pasta is cooked and ready to go!
- In a large skillet over medium-high heat, brown your sausage in a big drizzle of EVOO until browned and crumbly.
- Add in a big pinch of both salt and pepper followed by your chopped onion. Allow your onion to sauté until tender (about 5 minutes) then stir in your chopped garlic and flour. Stir everything for one minute and then quickly whisk in your milk to make a “roux” (a little sauce in the pan). Bring the heat up to a bubble and then reduce it down to a simmer.
- Stir your pumpkin and cheddar cheese right into the sausage mixture. Let everything bubble together about five minutes and then remove from heat. Add your pasta to the sausage mixture, toss everything together and then pour it into your prepared baking dish.
- Once your mac and cheese is in the dish, sprinkle both your Parm and your breadcrumbs on top and then pop this in the oven to brown up (about 15 minutes).
- Once browned and bubbly, remove from oven and garnish with chopped fresh sage before serving.
Notes
We, of course, make this gluten-free using Trader Joe’s g-free pasta as well as g-free flour and breadcrumbs. Easy swaps to create a delicious gluten-free meal!