Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels sprouts with Pecans and Cranberries is one of the best holiday side dishes you'll ever try! It's a perfect recipe for Thanksgiving, Christmas, New Year's Eve, or any time you like! This side dish is packed with vegetables and nuts. It's healthy, gluten-free, vegetarian, and rich in fiber!
Thanksgiving and Christmas are two of my favorite holidays! I love the kinds of food we cook this time of year, bursting with Fall and holiday flavors. While we all love good old regular recipes that we are so accustomed to this time of year (green beans, mashed potatoes, sweet potatoes, stuffing, etc.) I hope you will also give a try to this side dish for your Thanksgiving dinner.
What I love the best about this roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts recipe is that it fits so well with classic Thanksgiving side dishes. It's such a perfect addition to a holiday table. It will look (and taste!) perfect next to traditional Thanksgiving recipes, such as green beans, potatoes, and stuffing.
Thanksgiving Brussels sprouts and Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries
And, I love the combination of ingredients here! Even if you don't like Brussels sprouts, you'll love them here. Roasted Brussels sprouts taste great when combined with all the classic Autumn flavors. Cinnamon butternut squash provides a nice, sweeter contrast to the Brussels Sprouts. And, you get a little bit of crunch from pecans and dried cranberries.
This holiday recipe will bring so many colors and lots of flavors to your holiday menu!
Thanksgiving Main Courses to serve with this side dish:
Pair Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels sprouts with one of these delicious main dishes:
- Roast Duck - an ultimate Thanksgiving main course! This Roast Whole Duck has tender and juicy meat, crispy skin, and it’s glazed with the honey-balsamic glaze to give the duck a beautiful roasted look.
- Roasted Cornish Hen - roasted paprika Cornish hen with root vegetables (carrots, sweet potatoes) and onions.
- Roasted Turkey Breast (Boneless) with Garlic Herb Butter – this is a rolled turkey breast recipe and is a great alternative when you don’t feel like cooking the entire turkey.
Want to try other delicious Thanksgiving Side Dishes?
All the dishes below are simple and easy to make. They make a perfect addition to the Thanksgiving menu.
- Garlic and Bacon Green Beans - crispy and crunchy green beans sautéed with garlic and bacon in olive oil and butter on the stovetop.
- Creamy and Crunchy Salad with Peas, Bacon, and Pecans - easy and beautiful side dish for Thanksgiving!
- Dijon Mustard Brussels Sprouts with Bacon, Apples, and Gorgonzola cheese - Brussels sprouts smothered in heavy cream and mustard with bacon, apples, Gorgonzola cheese, and nutmeg. Cooked on the stovetop. Comforting recipe for those cold Fall and Winter nights.
Looking for a Thanksgiving Salad Recipe?
An autumn salad is always a welcome addition to the holiday table. Check out these Thanksgiving recipes:
- Winter Fruit Salad with Maple Lime Dressing - the holiday ingredient list includes red apples, pears, clementine oranges (or mandarin oranges), kiwi fruit, dried cranberries, and pomegranate seeds.
- Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate - perfect healthy Thanksgiving salad with Poppy Seed Honey-Lime Dressing.
- Honey Mustard Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cranberries and Pecans - this holiday salad is all about crisp, shredded Brussels sprouts tossed with slightly sweet honey mustard vinaigrette, dried cranberries, and chopped pecans. One of the best Fall salads you'll ever make!
Potato Side Dishes for Thanksgiving:
The holiday menu is not complete without a potato dish. Here are my recommendations:
- Scalloped Potatoes - Easy Scalloped Potatoes with Garlic, Thyme, and Parmesan cheese – delicious, super cheesy potatoes made with white cheese only (no Cheddar cheese).
- Cheddar, Thyme and Beer Potatoes Au Gratin - creamy and cheesy thin sliced potatoes that are deliciously seasoned with fresh thyme and baked to perfection with Cheddar cheese and dark beer!
- Buttery Mashed Potato Pie with Herb and Garlic Cream Cheese - a wonderful combination of potatoes, cream cheese, and buttermilk baked in the shape of the sliceable pie.
- Irish Mashed Potatoes with Bacon (Colcannon) - potatoes, cabbage, kale, and bacon all combined with butter and heavy cream. Yum!
This Roasted Butternut Squash and Brussels sprouts recipe makes a beautiful presentation, too. It's a perfect Holiday side dish that will make a great addition to both Thanksgiving and Christmas menus.
How to Make Roasted Brussels sprouts and Cinnamon Butternut Squash:
- Toss Brussels sprouts in olive oil and salt. Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 20 minutes.
- Toss cubed butternut squash in olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Roast in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 20 minutes.
- In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted cinnamon butternut squash, cranberries, and lightly toasted pecans.
- Add a small amount of maple syrup and toss it!
Tips and Tricks
- To save time, roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven.
- Adding maple syrup to the salad at the end is optional. If you do decide to add it, add small amounts. Start with 2 tablespoons of maple syrup, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.
Substitutions
Don't want to use pecans? Try this recipe with pumpkin seeds:
- Roasted Butternut Squash with Pumpkin Seeds, Roasted Brussels Sprouts, and Cranberries - this delicious Autumn salad features all our favorite seasonal ingredients!
How to reheat it:
- First, if you plan to make this a day ahead, don't add nuts. Add nuts only when ready to serve (to make sure they are crunchy).
- Reheat this dish in a shallow pan, such as a sheet pan or a sheet cake pan lined with parchment paper. Spread the ingredients on a parchment paper-lined sheet pan. Reheat for about 15 minutes in the preheated oven at 350 F. Then add toasted pecans, when ready to serve.
- You can also serve this dish cold if you like. Just add toasted pecans right before serving, so that they are crunchy.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Cinnamon Butternut Squash with Pecans and Cranberries
Ingredients
Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
- 3 cups Brussels sprouts ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Salt to taste
Roasted Butternut Squash:
- 1 ½ lb butternut squash peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (Yields about 4 cups of uncooked cubed butternut squash)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Other Ingredients:
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup optional
Instructions
How to roast Brussels Sprouts:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Trim ends of Brussels sprouts and remove yellow leaves.
- Then, slice all Brussels sprouts in half.
- In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine.
- Place onto a foil-lined baking sheet, cut side down, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. During the last 5-10 minutes of roasting, turn them over for even browning, the cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened (see my photos).
How to roast Butternut Squash:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
- Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Bake for 20-25 minutes, turning once half-way through baking, until softened.
- Note: You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets at the same time, on the same rack in the oven – that’s what I did.
How to toast pecans:
- Toast pecans in the preheated oven at 350 F
- Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
- Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color.
- Note: pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterwords.
Assembly:
- In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine.
- (OPTIONAL): For more sweetness, add 2 or 4 tablespoons of maple syrup, if desired – do not add all maple syrup at once, start with 2 tablespoons, then add more, if desired, and toss with the salad ingredients to combine.
Video
Notes
Looking for more Thanksgiving side dishes ?
- I have created a comprehensive recipe collection of 60 Thanksgiving side dishes conveniently categorized by ingredient: Green Beans, Butternut Squash, Sweet Potatoes, Brussels Sprouts, Potatoes, Acorn Squash, Spaghetti Squash, Asparagus, Broccoli, etc. It's a great resource to browse through for a last moment holiday inspiration! This side dishes will also work great for Christmas and New Year's Eve.
Looking for a complete Thanksgiving menu?
- Be sure to check out my 50 Best Thanksgiving Recipes (The Complete Holiday Menu) - it includes everything: Fall-inspired holiday appetizers, side dishes, salads, main courses, pasta recipes, desserts, and even breakfast. This holiday menu features proven, tried, and true Thanksgiving dishes that have been reader favorites for years (I've been publishing recipes since 2012).
Nutrition
Nutrition Disclaimer:
The nutritional information on this website is only an estimate and is provided for convenience and as a courtesy only. The accuracy of the nutritional information for any recipe on this site is not guaranteed. It should not be used as a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
Other Butternut Squash Recipes:
- Creamy Butternut Squash Pasta with Sausage and Spinach
- Creamy Butternut Squash Gnocchi with Sausage, Thyme, and Sage
- Butternut Squash and Spinach Salad with Pecans, Cranberries, Pomegranate Seeds
- Butternut Squash and Spinach Lasagna
The recipe was originally published on October 22, 2015, and republished with cooking tips and updates in November 2018.
This looks so good. Would like to try for .Easter but is it served warm or cold?
Heather, this would be a great Easter side dish! This can be served warm or at room temperature (not refrigerator cold).
This is a wonderful recipe! I added some peppers and onions and actually roasted them all together. Thanks for a great idea.
Glad you loved it, Charity! ❤️ Love the addition of extra veggies!
I have made this recipe every year since trying it. It curbs my sweet and salty cravings in a healthy combination! It is awesome even frozen for awhile and reheated in an oven.
I do like the cranberries somewhat soft. I wonder if you popped everything in the oven together (after roasting the sprouts and squash). if it wouldn't be better?
Misty, I am so glad this recipe is a favorite! ❤️ This is a much healthier way to satisfy sweet cravings. 🙂
You can warm it up in the oven together with the cranberries - it will soften them up a bit.
Another way is to quickly blanch dried cranberries with hot (almost boiling) water and drain them right away. That always plumps them up!
Your recipes are beautiful, delicious, and comforting. This is no exception! Thank you so much.
Jennifer, thank you for appreciating my recipes - it means so much to me! ❤️ Happy Holidays to you and your family!
I wanted to make this dish for Thanksgiving but our adult kids will NOT eat vegetables like this. Let me just say, they are missing out!!! This was the most delicious not to mention beautiful presentation! We will probably eat this many times from now on. And I WILL be making it next Thanksgiving and if they don’t try it, it’s ok- more for us!! Thank you for this delicious recipe!!
Sherri, I am so glad you enjoyed this dish - thank you for your rave review! ❤️
Easy, healthy (mostly), delicious, colorful side dish. I roasted the vegetables a day ahead with some olive oil, salt and pepper. I made glazed pecans by coating them with egg white and then tossing with a cinnamon sugar mixture, toasting them at 175 degrees F for 40 minutes.
Thanksgiving day I reheated the butternut squash and brussel sprouts in the microwave until just warm, then added the pecans, dried cranberries, and maple syrup. So good! Even my guests who said they don't like brussel sprouts loved it.
Barbara, I love your feedback! ❤️❤️ Thank you for providing so many valuable tips about how to make it ahead and how to make glazed pecans. So heplful to me and others!
Great recipe, I made it for Thanksgiving and received many compliments. The only change that I made to the recipe, was to mix all the ingredients together and then warm it up in an 350 degree oven for 5 minutes. After removing it from the oven, I drizzled a balsamic glaze over the top and served it as a warm dish.
Marion, I am so glad this side dish turned out great! 🙂 Thank you for your feedback about warming everything up in the oven at 450 F for 5 minutes. That's very helpful to me and others. ❤️
This is now my 4th or 5th year bringing this recipe to Thanksgiving, and it’s always a hit! Every year my in laws ask me to make it again. Such a great combination of fall flavors to add to the Thanksgiving feast!
Kristin, I am so glad this side dish has become a staple for you! Thank you for taking the time to share that with me - it means a lot to me! ❤️ Happy Thanksgiiving to you and your family! ❤️
So delicious!! This recipe provides a wonderful blend of comforting flavors.
I am so pleased with this recipe to use as a new and different fall recipe.
Judy, thank you for your review! Glad it's a new Fall favorite! 🙂
Love this dish! It's a perfect Thanksgiving dish for my daughter who is a vegetarian, gluten-free, and dairy-free.
Anna, I am so happy this dish is a favorite for you and your daughter! ❤️ Happy Thanksgiving to you both! ❤️
I am giving this a 4 because of the following reasons.
Use White Balsamic Vinegar as the brown turned mine a unpleasant color.
The recipe calls to mix everything together. That made mine a pile of stuff. It looks more appealing when you can differentiate each item as shown on website.
The taste was good. Very balsamic. I used dressing option # 1.
I am glad I tried it.
Rene, thank you for your thoughtful comment. Using white balsamic vinegar is great for preserving the colors of this dish! I would also recommend to cut the butternut squash into bigger chunks and not overcook it (maybe even undercook it a bit). Otherwise, the overcooked and overly small cubed butternut squash can turn into mush.
I’m confused- where does this roasted butternut/brussels sprouts recipe use balsamic vinegar? It looks amazing the way it is. I haven’t tried it to rate it yet, but I would say 5 stars based on how it sounds and ease of prep.
Kristi, you're right - there is no balsamic vinegar in this recipe at all. In this comment thread, this recipe must've gotten confused with my other Brussels sprouts side dish that uses balsamic vinegar as a salad dressing option (I provide the link below if you're interested). This one, like you said, is good as it is.
https://juliasalbum.com/brussels-sprouts-and-bacon/#recipe
Has anyone tried making this ahead and reheating?
I have made this numerous times and reheated in the microwave.
TJ, thank you for your feedback - so helpful!
I would reheat this in the oven - spread it out on a baking sheet and reheat at 350 F for about 15 minutes.
I am wondering same if this can be put together day before and then cooked on thanksgiving day. thanks.
Lisa, yes, you can make this in advance. I would reheat this in the oven - spread it out on a baking sheet and reheat at 350 F for about 15 minutes. Do not add pecans until ready to serve - to preseve their crunch.
Yes! I make this every year for Thanksgiving (I literally just made it this morning). I prepare ahead that morning, bring it with to my in-laws, and then reheat for about 15 minutes in the oven with the other sides. I roast the veggies so they are slightly undercooked on the first cook.
Yes, Kristin, great tip about slightly undercooking the veggies! I do that too if I make this in advance. And, keep pecan separate and add them right before serving to prevent them from getting soggy. Happy Thanksgiving! ❤️
I don’t have dried cranberries, can I use fresh?
Paula, fresh cranberries would be too tart.
I love this recipe! For variety I added some yams and sweet potatoes with the butternut squash.
Love the addition of yams and sweet potatoes!
I had it at a party and couldn't believe how delicious it was. The hostess was more than happy to share the recipe. I will be making it for an Easter pot luck
I am so glad you found this recipe through the hostess at a party. I hope it was a success at Easter potluck. ❤️
is 508 calorie count for the whole recipe or for per person serving size? seems kind of high for an individual portion?
Chris, this recipe makes 6 servings, and the nutritional info is per 1 serving.
Time savers: If you grease the pan instead of using foil, you won't be creating another one-use throwaway; stirring will be easier, and you'd probably have to wash the pan anyway. Don't worry about precise quantities. Sprouts and squash can be cooked in opposite ends of the same pan, especially if you're making a smaller amount. Sprinkle nuts on top for last 10 minutes of cooking.
Janis, I love your tips! Thank you for this helpful feedback!