Spinach Bacon Pumpkin Mac and Cheese (great for kids!)

OMG. THIS PUMPKIN MAC AND CHEESE literally became one of my favorite new meals in 2020. Both Sidney and I chowed down on it for a few days. Well, Sidney actually shoved it in his mouth in less than 5 minutes, but that’s my son.

It quickly became an AK reader fav, so you know I had to reshare it this fall!

This pumpkin mac and cheese is creamy, cheesy, full of vitamins, and savory with a slight hint of sweetness from pumpkin. I promise you’re going to fall in love with how fabulous it is! The combination of pumpkin, cheddar, and parmesan is simply divine, and it would make the perfect side for your holiday table.

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Ingredients in pumpkin mac and cheese

This recipe has everything you could want in a dinner: sneaky veggies, a pumpkin cheese sauce, and of course, bacon. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:

• Pasta: I like using cavatappi, but feel free to use traditional shells, large elbows, or whatever pasta you have on hand. 
• Bacon: the savory bacon adds such incredible flavor when paired with the pumpkin cheese sauce.
• Spinach: who doesn’t love a sneaky boost of veggies? We’re adding plenty of spinach (but the kids won’t even notice).
• Butter: you’ll add a bit of butter to the pumpkin cheese sauce and to the crumb topping.
• Flour: a little all purpose flour will help thicken the cheese sauce.
• Milk: I like to use unsweetened almond milk in the sauce, but you could also use cashew milk or regular milk.
• Cheese: we’re using both sharp cheddar cheese and grated parmesan cheese because what’s a mac and cheese without multiple kinds of cheese?! I recommend shredding and grating them from a block so that the cheese gets nice and melty.
• Spices: we’re adding salt, garlic powder & freshly ground black pepper to the sauce for the perfect flavor balance.
• Pumpkin puree: the star of the pumpkin cheese sauce! You can use canned pumpkin puree or make your own with this tutorial.
• Panko breadcrumbs: you’ll mix some breadcrumbs with butter to get a deliciously crispy topping. See below for gluten-free swaps.

Customize your pumpkin mac and cheese

This healthy pumpkin macaroni and cheese recipe is easy to customize based on your taste preferences! Here are some easy swaps I can recommend:

• Make it dairy-free: feel free to use vegan butter, a dairy-free milk of choice (like the almond milk listed), and dairy-free parmesan cheese & cheddar cheeses. You can also use my vegan cashew cheese sauce and add in pumpkin puree, which I think would be fabulous.
• Keep it gluten-free: make sure to use gluten-free pasta noodles, a gluten-free all-purpose flour, and gluten-free breadcrumbs. More ideas on this below!
• Go vegetarian: simply omit the bacon and make the rest of the recipe as is.
• Pick your cheese: you can really mix it up with any cheese you like! I think gouda would also be delicious in here.

Looking for more protein options?

Feel free to fold in cooked, crumbled sausage, or cooked, shredded chicken breast!

Jazz up your breadcrumb topping

I love a good traditional breadcrumb topping on mac and cheese, but you could also substitute crushed-up tortilla chips, potato chips, or even buttery crackers!

Using grain or gluten-free chips is a great swap for keeping the recipe gluten-free as well.

How to make pumpkin cheese sauce

Truly the star of this mac and cheese recipe is the incredible pumpkin cheese sauce. It has sweet & savory elements that you’ll fall in love with.

1. Make a roux. In the pan you cooked your bacon & spinach in, add butter. Once it’s melted, whisk in a little bit of the flour and then slowly add in milk, a little bit at a time, alternating with the flour and vigorously whisking away any lumps.
2. Thicken the sauce. Bring the mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and stir every so often, until the sauce thickens up.
3. Stir in cheese & spices. Once the sauce has thickened up a bit, turn off the heat and stir in both cheeses and your seasonings.
4. Add pumpkin. Finally, stir in the pumpkin puree. Your sauce is good to go!

Make ahead healthy pumpkin mac and cheese

1. Prep it ahead of time: feel free to make mac and cheese ahead of time and bake it a day or two later! Simply make the recipe as directed, except do not add the breadcrumbs. Instead, cover with foil and place in the fridge until ready to bake. Once ready to bake, add the breadcrumbs as directed and bake. You may need to add 5-10 minutes of extra baking time.
2. Freezer-friendly option: make the mac and cheese without the breadcrumbs and put it in a freezer-safe container or pan like these, cover, and freeze. Once ready to bake, thaw out the pumpkin pasta bake in the refrigerator overnight. Once thawed, bake as directed!

Storing tips

You can store any leftover pumpkin macaroni and cheese in airtight containers in the refrigerator for up to 4-5 days. Simply reheat in the microwave.

Tools you’ll need

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More pumpkin recipes to try

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I know you’re going to LOVE this healthier pumpkin mac and cheese recipe! Be sure to leave a comment and rate the recipe below if you make it. Thanks for being here — I appreciate you! xo.

Spinach Bacon Pumpkin Mac and Cheese

byby :Monique Volz of AmbitiousKitchen.com

Prep Time 30 minutes minutes

Cook Time 45 minutes minutes

Total Time 1 hour hour 5 minutes minutes

ServesServes 6 servings

Creamy pumpkin mac and cheese with savory bacon and a boost of veggies from spinach. This easy fall-inspired mac and cheese is filled with delicious pumpkin flavor for a sweet and savory dinner the whole family will love!

Ingredients

• 12 ounces dry cavatappi, pipe rigate or shells (or whatever pasta you have on hand, even gluten free!)
• 12 ounces thick-cut bacon
• 6 ounces fresh spinach
• For the pumpkin cheese sauce:
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 3 tablespoons all purpose flour (or whole wheat flour or all purpose gluten free flour)
• 2 cups whole or 2% milk (or sub unsweetened almond or cashew milk)
• 3 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (¾ cup)
• 2 ounces finely grated parmesan cheese (½ cup)
• 1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1 cup pumpkin puree
• For the topping:
• 2 ounces shredded sharp cheddar cheese (½ cup)
• ½ cup panko breadcrumbs, gluten free if desired
• 1 tablespoon butter, melted

Instructions

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Spray a 2-quart baking dish or 9×9 inch or 11×7 inch baking pan with nonstick cooking spray.

• Cook the pasta: Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook the noodles until al dente, according to the directions on the package. Once done cooking, drain and set aside.

• Cook your bacon: Add bacon to a large skillet or pan and place over medium heat, cook bacon on both sides until crispy and golden brown. If the pan starts to smoke at any point, simply lower the heat. Once bacon is done, blot with a paper towel to absorb excess grease, then chop into bite sized pieces and set aside.

• Cook the spinach: Drain the grease from the bacon pan, then place the same pan over low heat and cook your spinach: add spinach to pan and cook until spinach wilts, the spinach will absorb any of the small amount of grease remaining on the bottom of the pan. Remove from heat and transfer to the large bowl with the noodles.

• Make the cheese sauce: In the same pan, add in the butter and place over medium heat. Once butter is melted, whisk in the flour until a thick paste forms and then slowly add in milk, a little bit at a time, vigorously whisking away any lumps. Bring mixture to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and stir every so often, until the sauce thickens up, about 2 minutes.

• Once the sauce has thickened up a bit, reduce the heat to low and stir in garlic powder, the cheddar and parmesan cheese. salt and LOTS of freshly ground black pepper. Finally stir in the pumpkin puree until smooth and well combined. Remove from heat.

• Add the pumpkin cheese sauce to the bowl with the pasta and spinach. Stir well to combine and coat the pasta with the sauce, then taste and season with additional salt and pepper, as necessary. Pour mixture into the prepared baking pan and evenly spread out towards the edges. Top with remaining ½ cup shredded sharp cheddar cheese, then top with the bacon pieces.

• In a small bowl, mix breadcrumbs with melted butter. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over the top of the Mac and cheese and bake for 20 minutes or until breadcrumbs are golden brown. Serves 6.

Recipe Notes

Prep it ahead of time: simply make the recipe as directed, except do not add the breadcrumbs. Instead, cover with foil and place in the fridge until ready to bake. Once ready to bake, add the breadcrumbs as directed and bake. You may need to add an extra splash of milk. Additionally, you may need to add 5-10 minutes of extra baking time.
See the full post for tips, tricks & ways to customize this recipe!

Nutrition

Serving: 1serving (based on 6)Calories: 583calCarbohydrates: 49gProtein: 21gFat: 33gSaturated Fat: 14gFiber: 4gSugar: 4g

Recipe by: Monique Volz // Ambitious Kitchen | Photography by: Eat Love Eats

This post was originally published on October 6th, 2020, republished on October 24th, 2022, and republished on November 1st, 2026.