Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Mac and Cheese with Kale (Video Recipe)
on Feb 21, 2017, Updated Jul 04, 2024
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Creamy pumpkin sausage mac and cheese with kale is pure comfort food! It’s a fast, easy dinner recipe when you crave homemade pasta in a bowl.
I’m not kidding when I say that this recipe has been sitting in my head and on my computer for four months now. But it’s one of those things that is so damn hard to photograph. And my food blogger-ness does not allow me to share a recipe when I’m not 100% okay with the pictures. I’ve shot this a total of five times which means it’s been made way more times at home. And every time I’ve tweaked and added and made changes. Because I obviously can’t sit still and let a good recipe be. Which this sooooo is!
Which is why when we shot this video TWO WHOLE MONTHS AGO, there was no kale in the recipe. It was just pumpkin sausage mac and cheese. But how can I let a recipe get on this blog with ZERO veggies ???? So the kale went in.
Also see: Easy Stovetop Jalapeno Mac and Cheese
But I can’t re-shoot the video so when you watch this, please just imagine I’m adding some kale in the end
WATCH HOW TO MAKE CREAMY PUMPKIN SAUSAGE MAC AND CHEESE ON VIDEO
Like all my pasta recipes, this one was also pretty accidental and a fridge cleaning exercise. I have a super bad habit. I love hoarding. So for example, when I see all those cute little pumpkins sitting on the store shelf. I obviously have to buy five instead of one. And then I don’t know what to do with them so I make homemade pumpkin puree. By the jars! And then my fridge is full and umm I start looking for ways to get rid of it. Which brings us to this recipe. And for once am I glad my fridge was full of homemade pumpkin puree jars.
Because this creamy pumpkin sausage mac and cheese is THE BEST! It is what you need when winter is about to get over and you want that last feeling of eating pasta in a bowl in your jammies. Just to hold on to the chilly air a little while longer where there’s soup and creamy pasta and maybe some crusty bread to mop it all up? And you still have an excuse to wear your favorite grey sweater. And eat all the carbs you can.
Before we go any further with our love affair with this mac and cheese, I have to tell you that there’s no other way but to make your own pumpkin puree.
How to make Homemade Pumpkin Puree?
Believe me making pumpkin puree at home is the simplest thing you can do. Everyone has their own methods and here’s a really comprehensive resource that I found. But what I like to do is boil and puree. All you need to do is peel and cut the pumpkin into small 1 inch pieces. Add them to boiling water and boil for 20-25 minutes till the pumpkin is fork tender. Drain and once cool, puree till smooth. You can make a big batch and freeze or can it.
But for some reason if you absolutely can’t make your own, here’s an organic canned pumpkin puree that you can try.
Guys when you want a bowl of comfort food, whether its summer or winter, this mac and cheese is a winner! It really takes all of 30 minutes to cook and you are going to be wishing you made extra for leftovers.
More Recipes With Pumpkin:
Creamy Pumpkin Sausage Mac and Cheese with Kale
Ingredients
- 2 cups Elbow Pasta, or Macaroni Pasta
- 3-4 Spicy Italian Sausage links, casing removed (or Bangalore Pork sausages, casing removed)
- 1 teaspoon Garlic, minced
- 1/4 cup Onions, finely diced
- 1 1/2 cups Pumpkin Puree, homemade
- 1/2 teaspoon Chilli Flakes
- 1/2 cup Milk
- 1/2 cup Cream Cheese
- 1 cup Kale, roughly chopped
- A few sage leaves
- Salt to taste
Instructions
- Boil pasta according to package instructions till al dente, drain and set aside.
- In a pan add sausage meat and cook till brown. Remove the sausage meat on a plate and set aside. Leave the fat in the pan.
- In the same pan, add garlic and onions and cook for 2-3 minutes till the onions are translucent. Add pumpkin puree, milk, chilli flakes, salt and bring it to a quick simmer.
- Add cream cheese and stir to combine till the cheese melts and mixes well. Add the sausage back into the pan along with cooked pasta and stir to coat. Top with kale and cook till the kale is wilted. Add sage leaves, mix and switch off the flame.
Notes
- Elbow pasta and macaroni pasta are the same thing
- You can use any ground sausage meat to make this recipe
I love this recipe idea (pumpkin, sausage mac and cheese)!!
This looks like the best comfort food!
I love savory pumpkin recipes like this!
Hello Richa,
I think this pumpkin Mac and cheese can be prepared during any season. Now I know what to do with my excess cans of organic pumpkin purée.
Awesome idea to add Kale. With Kale being such a healthy leafy green, I pinned this recipe.
I have a blog, and also read your post on six things learned. Plan to get back to posting or start a new one.
Now this looks absolutely delish! I’ve never actually thought to add pumpkin to my mac and cheese but I will definitely be giving it a try come fall.
Shhh, I don’t love kale so I don’t mind at all that you left it out of the video hehehe 😉 This pasta would suit me and Hungry Hubby down to the ground. I love sage and sausage *and* pumpkin so I’m simply going to have to make it asap!
This is like taking my new favorite food of hash and adding pasta and cheese! I’m even more excited to try it after discovering my new and magical love of kale <3
Mac and cheese rules at our house. We’ve tried many renditions but none with pumpkin! Bookmarking this one for next fall; thanks so much for the inspiration!
This looks delicious! I love making my own pumpkin puree at home. I started doing it when we were introducing solids to my little one, and have not looked back. I’ll have to try this recipe next time I make pumpkin puree!
Tried this recipe just now and it was amazing. Thanks again for a simple, easy to follow recipe. My husband said this was on the top of the list of things I’ve tried this pandemic season.
So happy you and your husband liked the recipe Mahisha. Thanks for leaving a comment!
The pasta looks delicious! There is always time for some pumpkin puree any time of the year. I like that you added the sage by the end.
Thanks Carlos. Little late in the year but like you said – always time for pumpkin puree!