Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seeds, and Cranberries - perfect Autumn salad, bursting with colors and flavors! Holiday side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year's Eve. Healthy, delicious, gluten-free recipe packed with veggies.
I love this Brussels sprout salad so much - to me, it looks so much like Autumn on a plate. Last year, I made a very similar recipe: butternut squash salad with pecans. This year my tastes have changed a little, and I now prefer to eat more seeds vs. nuts, so I just switched pecans for pumpkin seeds, and the result is delicious!
Why make this Brussels Sprouts Salad?
- If you're looking to add a beautiful and colorful holiday side dish to your Thanksgiving or Christmas menu, make this salad!
- It's a healthy holiday side dish, packed with nutrients and rich in anti-oxidants. This is a vegetarian and gluten-free recipe.
- This amazing Brussels sprouts salad not only makes a great Thanksgiving side dish, it is also a wonderful lunch.
Other delicious Brussels Sprouts Salads:
- Warm Quinoa and Brussels Sprout Salad in Honey Mustard Vinaigrette is loaded with pecans and cranberries. This Autumn salad is packed with nutrients, high in fiber and antioxidant properties.
- Shredded Brussels Sprouts Salad with Cranberries and Pecans - tossed with slightly sweet honey mustard vinaigrette. Perfect salad to make in the Fall and in the Winter.
- Honey Mustard Brussels Sprout Salad with Apples and Pecans with the homemade dressing made with honey, Dijon mustard and apple cider vinegar!
Thanksgiving Brussels Sprouts Side Dishes:
- Creamy Dijon Mustard Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Apples - smothered in heavy cream, Dijon mustard and Gorgonzola cheese. One of the best Thanksgiving side dishes!
- Asiago Roasted Brussels Sprouts - crunchy, delicious little bites covered in melted Asiago cheese goodness.
- Creamy Mozzarella Brussels Sprouts and Bacon - easy 30-minute recipe for Thanksgiving!
Thanksgiving Main Courses to serve with this salad:
- 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.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts Salad with Maple Butternut Squash, Pumpkin Seeds, and Cranberries
Ingredients
Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
- 3 cups Brussels sprouts , ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 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:
- ½ cups pumpkin seeds
- 1 cup dried cranberries
- 2-4 tablespoons maple syrup optional
Instructions
Roasted Brussels sprouts:
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Lightly grease the foil-lined baking sheet with 1 tablespoon of olive oil.
- Make sure Brussels sprouts have trimmed ends and yellow leaves are removed. 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).
Roasted 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.
Assembly:
- In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, pumpkin seeds, 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.
- Tip: You can add a small amount of apricot jelly or jam (1 or 2 tablespoons) to the maple syrup (stir it together) prior to mixing the maple syrup with the veggies. This will thicken up the maple syrup and get it to stick to the veggies!
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.
Dionne
Can the veggies be roasted at the same time? If so, should the trays be rotated midway through?
Julia
Yes, the veggies should be roasted at the same time. I don't rotate the trays. Just make sure the veggies are not crowded so that they come out crispy.
Karen
My husband and I both loved this dish! I substituted sweet potatoes for the squash because my husband doesn’t care for butternut squash and I didn’t have any petites, so I left them out. There were no leftovers, we ate it all! I will definitely be making this for our pandemic Thanksgiving dinner for two
Julia
Karen, I am so happy to hear you and your husband enjoyed this recipe and that it will go on your Thanksgiving menu!
Julie
This is one of my new favorite salads! The flavor and texture combinations are delectable. I had leftovers and it was even better the next day when the cranberries had plumped a bit.
Julia
Thank you, Julie, for such a wonderful comment! So happy you enjoy the flavors of this dish. I have to agree - this dish keeps well refrigerated and tastes good the next day, too!
Maryrose
Can you roast the veggies the day before and warm in the microwave to serve on Thanksgiving
Julia
Yes, you can! The vegetables might lose its crispiness, especially the Brussels sprouts, but the salad will still taste great!
D
My favorite Thanksgiving dish!
Julia
Thank you! 🙂
Deborah Smothers
Can you use frozen veggies?
Julia
I would recommend using fresh veggies. However, if the frozen butternut squash and Brussels sprouts are frozen and UNCOOKED, you could use those. Just make sure they are completely thawed and use paper towels to remove any moisture before roasting them.
Linda
Just made this today and it is amazing! Used acorn squash instead of butternut squash
Julia
Thank you, Linda! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! Thank you for stopping by and sharing your feedback!
Brenda
This was rated "insanely delicious" by my husband and 3 teenage boys! To simplify prep, I just tossed the squash and brussels sprouts with the oil and spices on the pans, and added a little black pepper to the sprouts as well. I also roasted the butternut squash seeds in a separate pan at the same time, instead of pumpkin seeds (they're basically identical!)
Julie
I added wild rice to mine and it gave it more substance. I wish I cooked the squash a bit longer- but the flavors were great! And it’s beautiful!
Sabrina
I just made this but I subbed sweet potato for the butternut squash and it turned out lovely! I made it all on the same sheet but quartered the Brussels and made the sweet potatoes cm sized instead of 1 inch cubes. Flipped every half way and found everything was perfectly tender in 20 minutes
Judy
This looks delicious. How much is a serving size?
Julia
Thank you! The whole recipe makes about 8 servings.
Gloria
This looks great! I am planning on adding this to my Thanksgiving meal this year, but was curious it could be made ahead of time and reheated?
Julia
Thank you, Gloria, for stopping by! Yes, this can be made a day in advance, refrigerated, and reheated the next day.
Kyra
Fabulous recipe, I loved it! Since I used it in my meal prep, I followed the recipe and put everything into tupperware. When I was ready to eat it, I additionally sauted everything in a frying pan and also added the pumpkin seeds in at that point. This definitely gave it a whole new level of delisciousness! Defs a keeper! Thanks a lot! 🙂
Julia
You are very welcome! Thank you for stopping by and sharing your comment!
Dawn
I see this is called a “salad”, but I can’t see if this is supposed to be served warm or cold. To me a salad is cold, but this seems like it could be good freshly roasted, as well. How do YOU serve it?
Thanks,
Dawn
Julia
I serve this warm. I prepare this as written and serve this immediately. So, it's not hot but it's not cold either.
Erika
Started a “plant based diet” 18 days ago. This is by far the BEST meal I’ve had since. It is freeking delicious. I’m obsessed!! I didn’t feel the need to use maple syrup and it was amazing without. I did add feta and asparagus tips. And instead of just dried cranberries, I used a dried blueberry/cranberry mix. Also, I roasted the pumpkin seeds. What an amazing meal and very filling!!!
Julia
I am so glad you tried this recipe and enjoyed it! Your additions sound delicious. Asparagus, feta cheese, dried blueberries. Thank you for stopping by and sharing such a wonderful comment!
Vanessa
Thanks for sharing! Does it keep long?
Julia
You can keep it refrigerated in an air-tight container for about 4 days.