Make the perfect fall dish with this vegan pumpkin mac and cheese! This dish is creamy, savory, and cheesy without using any dairy or cashews. Have this on your table in 30 minutes or less!
One of my favorite dishes ever is mac & cheese. It is so easy to transform between seasons and it is so dang good in the fall! Throw some pumpkin and some spices in and you'll have a wonderful vegan mac and cheese.
This dish is perfect all year, but especially during the fall months and the holiday seasons! Make this recipe for a Thanksgiving side dish, a fun Halloween meal, or save it for Christmas-time!
Why you'll love this recipe
- Dairy-free and Nut-free - Unlike my other Vegan Mac and Cheese recipe, this one requires zero nuts and zero blending!
- Perfect Side Dish - Save this recipe for when you're looking for the perfect unique side dish for all of the big fall and winter holidays! Make a vegan holiday spread by pairing this recipe with Dairy-Free Creamed Corn, Butternut Squash Soup, and Instant Pot Pasta Salad!
- EASY Ingredients - This recipe is so approachable because it uses canned pumpkin purée!
What you need for this recipe
Ingredients and Substitutions:
- Short Pasta - Any short pasta shape will work! I used shells but you can use elbows, rotini, rigatoni, or whatever you like.
- Pumpkin Purée - Canned pumpkin purée is the easiest way to use pumpkin.
- Vegan Butter - I like Earth Balance the best, but any butter will work!
- All-Purpose Flour - This is used to create a roux. I don't recommend substituting this.
- Almond Milk - Any non-dairy milk will work as long as it is unsweetened and plain.
- Sage Leaves - This is optional, but I love to sizzle the leaves in butter for some extra fall flavor.
- Spices - Nutmeg, cinnamon, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.
How to make this recipe
Step 1: Cook your Pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water heavily.
Add your pasta of choice and cook according to the box instructions until al dente. Make sure to reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. This will help to adjust the consistency of the pumpkin sauce.
Step 2: Make the Pumpkin Sauce
Add your non-dairy milk to a large measuring cup or bowl. Use a whisk and combine the pumpkin purée with the milk until fully incorporated. Set to the side.
In a large heavy-bottomed pot or pan, such as a dutch oven, melt the vegan butter over medium heat.
Once butter is fully melted, add the 5 or so large sage leaves. Let them sizzle on medium heat until they begin to curl on the edges. Remove them with a fork and set to the side.
Gently sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the butter and whisk until you form a roux with no clumps.
Continue stirring and allow the roux to cook for about 1 minute.
Then, slowly whisk in the pumpkin and milk mixture.
Whisk to thoroughly combine the milk mixture with the roux. Bring to a simmer until thick.
Once the sauce has thickened, add the nutmeg, cinnamon, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.
Step 3: Finishing Touches
When the pasta is done cooking, drain and add it directly to the sauce.
Mix thoroughly to combine.
Taste and adjust seasonings and salt levels accordingly. Use the leftover pasta water to make the sauce thinner if you prefer it that way.
Serve hot and garnish with the sizzled sage leaves.
Expert Tips & Tricks
- Don’t skip out on the cinnamon and nutmeg! It may not seem like an ingredient like cinnamon belongs in mac and cheese, but it has no actual sweetness to it and it makes the dish taste deliciously fall! The nutmeg adds a warmth to this dish that you love in so many other fall recipes!
- Use any type of pasta you like! Short pasta shapes will do the best here. Consider using shells, elbows, rigatoni, penne, or rotini! You can also substitute whole wheat pasta or even gluten-free pastas! Use whatever type of grain or pasta you prefer.
- Be careful to not overcook the flour roux, as it can easily burn! Keep the stove temperature at medium-low and stir continuously. You want the roux to be a light-medium tan color when it is cooked. If it starts to turn darker brown, pull it off of the stove and add the milk immediately to cool it down.
Recipe FAQs
If you happen to have any leftovers, store them in the fridge in an air-tight container for up to 4-5 days. Always closely inspect leftovers for any signs of going bad before consuming.
Adding pumpkin purée to a classic mac and cheese absolutely makes it healthier by adding tons of vitamins and minerals. Since this recipe is vegan, it is also lower in fat than regular mac and cheese, and it has the added B12 vitamins!
This recipe is the perfect side dish or main entree for any holiday or fall-themed meal! Pair this with any protein or just have it as part of the Thanksgiving spread!
Related Recipes
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📖 Recipe
Easy Vegan Pumpkin Mac And Cheese
Equipment
- Large Pot
- Pan or Pot for Sauce
- Colander
Ingredients
- 16 ounces Short pasta
- 1 cup Pumpkin purée
- 3 tbps Vegan Butter
- 3 tablespoon Flour all-purpose
- 1 ½ cups Almond milk
- ¼ teaspoon Nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Garlic powder
- 1 teaspoon Nutritional Yeast
- 2 teaspoon Salt
- 5 leaves Sage
Instructions
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Salt the water heavily.
- Add your pasta of choice and cook according to the box instructions until al dente. Make sure to reserve about ½ cup of the starchy pasta water. This will help to adjust the consistency of the pumpkin sauce
- Add your non-dairy milk to a large measuring cup or bowl. Use a whisk and combine the pumpkin purée with the milk until fully incorporated. Set to the side.
- In a large heavy-bottomed pot or pan, such as a dutch oven, melt the vegan butter over medium heat.
- Once butter is fully melted, add the 5 or so large sage leaves. Let them sizzle on medium heat until they begin to curl on the edges. Remove them with a fork and set to the side.
- Gently sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the butter and whisk until you form a roux with no clumps.
- Continue stirring and allow the roux to cook for about 1 minute.
- Then, slowly whisk in the pumpkin and milk mixture.
- Whisk to thoroughly combine the milk mixture with the roux. Bring to a simmer until thick.
- Once the sauce has thickened, add the nutmeg, cinnamon, garlic powder, nutritional yeast, salt, and pepper.
- When the pasta is done cooking, drain and add it directly to the sauce.
- Mix thoroughly to combine.
- Taste and adjust seasonings and salt levels accordingly. Use the leftover pasta water to make the sauce thinner if you prefer it that way.
- Serve hot and garnish with the sizzled sage leaves.
Notes
- Don’t skip out on the cinnamon and nutmeg! It may not seem like an ingredient like cinnamon belongs in mac and cheese, but it has no actual sweetness to it and it makes the dish taste deliciously fall! The nutmeg adds a warmth to this dish that you love in so many other fall recipes!
- Use any type of pasta you like! Short pasta shapes will do the best here. Consider using shells, elbows, rigatoni, penne, or rotini! You can also substitute whole wheat pasta or even gluten-free pastas! Use whatever type of grain or pasta you prefer.
- Be careful to not overcook the flour roux, as it can easily burn! Keep the stove temperature at medium-low and stir continuously. You want the roux to be a light-medium tan color when it is cooked. If it starts to turn darker brown, pull it off of the stove and add the milk immediately to cool it down.
- Pumpkin Purée - Canned pumpkin purée is the easiest way to use pumpkin.
- All-Purpose Flour - This is used to create a roux. I don't recommend substituting this.
- Almond Milk - Any non-dairy milk will work as long as it is unsweetened and plain.
- Sage Leaves - This is optional, but I love to sizzle the leaves in butter for some extra fall flavor.
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