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Creamy Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Mac and Cheese Recipe

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★★★★★

5 from 126 reviews

A comforting and creamy twist on traditional mac and cheese, this Creamy Cottage Cheese Pumpkin Mac and Cheese features a smooth pumpkin and cottage cheese sauce blended to perfection and topped with crunchy garlic sage toasted breadcrumbs. Ready in just 30 minutes, it’s a seasonal delight perfect for cozy dinners.

Ingredients

Scale

Sauce Ingredients

  • 1 cup canned pumpkin purée
  • 3/4 cup low-fat cottage cheese (2% recommended)
  • 1/4 cup half & half
  • 1/2 cup grated parmesan cheese
  • 1 teaspoon kosher salt
  • 1/4 teaspoon freshly cracked black pepper
  • 1/8 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1/2 cup reserved pasta water
  • 1 clove garlic, finely chopped (for sauce)
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (for sauce)

Pasta

  • 1 pound short-cut pasta (mezze rigatoni recommended)

Breadcrumb Topping

  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 8 leaves fresh sage
  • 3/4 cup panko breadcrumbs
  • 1/8 teaspoon salt (for breadcrumbs)
  • 1/8 teaspoon black pepper (for breadcrumbs)

Instructions

  1. Prepare the Topping: Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter and brown it for a deeper, nuttier flavor. Once melted or browned with a nutty aroma, add one clove of finely chopped garlic and sauté for 30 seconds to 1 minute until fragrant and lightly golden. Pour this garlic butter mixture into a blender; this will serve as the sauce base.
  2. Toast Breadcrumbs: Return the saucepan to medium heat and add the remaining 2 tablespoons of unsalted butter. Once melted, add fresh sage leaves and sauté for about 30 seconds until fragrant and sizzling. Add panko breadcrumbs, salt, and pepper then toast for 3 minutes, stirring frequently until golden brown and crisp. Transfer to a bowl to cool.
  3. Cook the Pasta: Bring a large pot of generously salted water to a rolling boil. Add the short-cut pasta and cook until al dente—tender but still slightly firm to the bite. Before draining, reserve 1/2 cup of the hot pasta water, then drain the pasta.
  4. Make the Creamy Sauce: In the blender containing the garlic butter, add canned pumpkin purée, low-fat cottage cheese, half & half, grated parmesan, kosher salt, cracked black pepper, ground nutmeg, and the reserved pasta water. Blend until completely smooth and creamy with no cottage cheese texture. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
  5. Combine and Serve: Return the drained pasta to the large pot. Pour the pumpkin sauce over the pasta and gently stir to combine until every piece is coated. Divide into bowls and generously top with the toasted garlic sage breadcrumbs. Serve immediately and enjoy!

Notes

  • For a nuttier flavor, brown the butter when preparing the garlic butter mixture.
  • Reserve pasta water to help achieve the perfect sauce consistency.
  • Use mezze rigatoni or other short-cut pasta to hold the sauce well.
  • Adjust seasoning to taste after blending the sauce.
  • Serve immediately to maintain crispiness of the breadcrumb topping.

Keywords: pumpkin mac and cheese, creamy pumpkin pasta, cottage cheese mac and cheese, fall pasta recipe, sage breadcrumb topping

Find it online: https://foodbylina.com/creamy-cottage-cheese-pumpkin-mac-and-cheese-recipe/