Macaroni and cheese is truly classic comfort food. For me it may even top the list of all comfort foods and I have some other favorites I love, like chicken pot pie and grilled cheese and tomato soup. During the holiday season where comfort food is king (looking at you mashed potatoes), it makes sense that mac and cheese is on a lot of your Thanksgiving tables! This Swiss chard, bacon, and pumpkin twist on the classic recipe is perfect for fall. The pumpkin flavor is very subtle, so even if you don’t like pumpkin you will still love this! The pumpkin adds a bit of warmth and extra creaminess to the dish.
Adding bacon to mac and cheese is always a great choice, and because this easy side dish uses a whole bunch of chopped Swiss chard, you can convince yourself that it’s healthy too. This combination of flavors may not be something that you put together on your own, but I promise that once you try it you’ll be sold. Garnish with parsley, extra bacon, and crumbled buttery Ritz crackers for a finishing touch. You can serve this mac and cheese straight from the pot, but like many holiday side dishes, it’s also perfect in a baking dish and baked to perfection. If you’re going to bake it, I also recommend an extra handful of cheese on top.
Between adding the Swiss chard to the pasta and the pumpkin that’s in the sauce, I can feel good about the extra nutrients that we are getting while still enjoying the bacon and cheese that’s in this classic comfort food. This recipe makes a nice large batch of pasta and fills a 13 x 9 pan, making it perfect for leftovers on busy weekday nights or a holiday side dish for a large gathering.
- 1 lb. elbow pasta
- 1 lb. bacon. chopped
- 1 large bunch Swiss chard, stems removed, chopped
- 2 tbsp. butter
- 2 tbsp. flour
- 1 c. canned pumpkin
- 2.5 cups milk
- 2 cups shredded cheddar cheese + more for topping
- 1 tsp. salt + more to taste
- 1 tsp. garlic powder
- 1 tsp. poultry seasoning
- ½ tsp. ground black pepper
- Ritz crackers for topping
- Chopped parsley for topping
- Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil and cook pasta according to package directions until al dente. Drain and set aside.
- Cut bacon into bite-sized pieces and cook in a large frying pan. Once cooked, remove bacon from pan and put onto a plate lined with paper towels, leaving bacon grease in the pan.
- Remove all but 2 tbsp. bacon grease from the pan and add Swiss chard. Cook until tender. Remove and set aside.
- Melt butter in pan. Once melted, whisk in flour.
- Add milk and pumpkin and whisk again. Cook until the mixture starts to bubble.
- Add cheese, salt, garlic powder, poultry seasoning, and pepper. Whisk and cook until thickened.
- Return pasta to the pot that it cooked in. Add almost all of the bacon, but reserve some for topping, and all of the Swiss chard. Stir in pumpkin cheese sauce.
- Macaroni and cheese can be eaten at this step. Or you can spread it into a large 13 x 9 baking dish sprayed with non-stick cooking spray. If you're going to bake it, top it with extra bacon, extra cheese, and crumbled Ritz crackers. Bake at 350 degrees Fahrenheit for 30-35 minutes until bubbling. Top with chopped parsley and serve.
- Enjoy!
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