Stuffed Mini Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
Use your decorative mini pumpkins for a delicious stuffed mac & cheese recipe after Halloween! This is the perfect dish for a cozy autumn day.
Recipe - Save-on-Foods
Stuffed Mini Pumpkin Mac & Cheese
Prep Time5 Minutes
Servings6
Cook Time35 Minutes
Ingredients
6 mini or white snow baby pumpkins
1/4 tsp salt (for pumpkins)
Approx. 2 tbsp olive oil (for drizzling pumpkins)
16 ounces Western Family Macaroni Pasta
2 tbsp Western Family unsalted butter
2 tbsp Western Family all purpose flour
3 1/2 cups half and half
1 cup Western Family pumpkin puree (100% pumpkin, not pumpkin pie filling)
1/2 tsp salt (for mac n cheese)
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
8 ounces cheddar cheese, shredded
4 ounces gouda cheese, shredded
2 tbsp Western Family unsalted butter
1/4 cup Western Family panko breadcrumbs
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut the tops of your mini pumpkins, scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers. Place cut-side up in a 9x13 baking dish. Place the tops of the pumpkins next to the pumpkins. Season the insides of the pumpkins with ¼ tsp salt.
- Drizzle pumpkins with olive oil and roast for 20 to 25 minutes.
- For the mac n cheese: Cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add in flour and stir to combine.
- Allow to cook for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the half and half.
- Add in the pumpkin, salt, nutmeg and cayenne. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened, approximately 5 minutes.
- Once the sauce has thickened, add in the cheeses. Stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
- Add in the cooked pasta and stir to coat with the cheese sauce.
- Remove from heat and stuff the roasted mini pumpkins with the mac n cheese (any leftovers can be served in a small dish).
- Breadcrumb topping: Melt butter, 30 seconds in the microwave. Add panko breadcrumbs and mix until combined into a sand like texture.
- Top stuffed pumpkins with the breadcrumbs, place pumpkins back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are a nice and golden colour (leave the pumpkin tops out).
- Remove from oven, place pumpkin lids partially over the pumpkins and serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
5 minutes
Prep Time
35 minutes
Cook Time
6
Servings
Directions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Cut the tops of your mini pumpkins, scoop out and discard the seeds and fibers. Place cut-side up in a 9x13 baking dish. Place the tops of the pumpkins next to the pumpkins. Season the insides of the pumpkins with ¼ tsp salt.
- Drizzle pumpkins with olive oil and roast for 20 to 25 minutes.
- For the mac n cheese: Cook pasta according to package directions, until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Melt butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once melted, add in flour and stir to combine.
- Allow to cook for 1 minute, then slowly whisk in the half and half.
- Add in the pumpkin, salt, nutmeg and cayenne. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened, approximately 5 minutes.
- Once the sauce has thickened, add in the cheeses. Stir until the cheese has melted into the sauce.
- Add in the cooked pasta and stir to coat with the cheese sauce.
- Remove from heat and stuff the roasted mini pumpkins with the mac n cheese (any leftovers can be served in a small dish).
- Breadcrumb topping: Melt butter, 30 seconds in the microwave. Add panko breadcrumbs and mix until combined into a sand like texture.
- Top stuffed pumpkins with the breadcrumbs, place pumpkins back in the oven for another 10 minutes or until the breadcrumbs are a nice and golden colour (leave the pumpkin tops out).
- Remove from oven, place pumpkin lids partially over the pumpkins and serve immediately.
- Enjoy!
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