Martha Stewart's Solution To Leftover Canned Pumpkin? Make The Ultimate Fall Comfort Meal

Come fall, pumpkin is featured in just about everything. But whether you're making a pumpkin pie or an easy pumpkin spice latte at home, chances are you're going to have some leftover mashed pumpkin. If you're looking for another way to add this squash into your fall meal rotation, Martha Stewart has a recipe for you. To make use out of your unfinished canned pumpkin, add it to a grilled cheese for a delicious and creamy sandwich.

A pumpkin grilled cheese may sound just as unusual as adding Nutella to your grilled cheese sandwich, but pumpkin and cheese are no new pairing. The sweet, spiced flavor of the pumpkin balances well with cheeses like Brie, chèvre, Gouda, and aged cheddar. When pumpkin is cooked, it has a similar taste to a sweet potato, but with a nuttier flavor. Since canned pumpkin is already cooked, it has that nutty taste along with a sweet and bold flavor, which will contrast well with the cheese. The pumpkin grilled cheese is going to become a recipe you'll want year-round.

Martha Stewart's pumpkin version only requires a couple additional steps and ingredients to a typical grilled cheese. The canned pumpkin is added as a spread on the inside of the sandwich, and is jazzed up with Dijon mustard, salt, and pepper. In her recipe, she uses white cheddar cheese, but you can swap and use any cheese of your choice. She does recommend shredding the cheese yourself or slicing it thinly at the very least, as this will allow it to melt better. For an even sweeter flavor, try adding honey or maple syrup to the mixture either with the mustard or on its own.

Whether you're a fan of pumpkin or not, this recipe is undeniably delicious. Sprinkle some flaky salt or sage on top and this is the perfect cozy grilled cheese for a fall day. Additions like salty prosciutto or crisp apple slices would make a great pairing to this grilled cheese for an extra flavor and texture as well. You could even whip up this grilled cheese to use up leftovers from making the pumpkin puree yourself if you plan on going pumpkin-picking in the fall season. Your leftover pumpkin filling will never go to waste again.