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.
Lori Muench
Absolutely PERFECT seasonal recipe!!! Everyone raved and begged for the recipe. Super easy, but tastes like it wasn’t! Even the kids enjoyed it!!!
Julia
Lori, thank you so much for this enthusiastic comment - I so appreciate it! 🙂
Angela
Is this best to serve warm, room temp, or cold?
Julia
Angela, serve this warm or at room temperature. But not refrigerator cold. Happy Holidays! 🙂
Althea
Is everyone using sweetened or unsweetened cranberries? I’m assuming sweetened, but has anyone tried with unsweetened? Have some family members who were doctor advised to limit sugar.
Julia
Althea, this recipe uses sweetened dried cranberries (like craisins). Fresh cranberries are more tart. But, one of the readers just recently posted a photo on my Facebook page of this type of salad with fresh cranberries and said it was really good! I think the salad would be definitely more tart but it could work!
Nancy Hurley
Did she add raw fresh cranberries?
Thanks!
I can’t wait to make this Sunday.
Julia
Nancy, yes, I saw whole fresh cranberries in that photo - it actually made the salad look very pretty! But I still think the fresh raw cranberries would be too tart and too strong. What I would do instead is slightly cook them like this:
I would combine 1 cup of fresh cranberries with 1/4 cup of water (or orange juice or apple juice) and 1/4 cup of sugar in a small, high-sided saucepan. I would then heat this on medium or high heat, carefully stirring a couple of times, until the cranberries start to pop. Remove from heat, drain, and add to the salad.
Lara
Thanks for the instructions! I was going between fresh or dried so did dried this time. Will try fresh next time. Have a feeling I will be making this again.
Julia
Lara, I am glad you enjoyed it! 🙂 I will try it with fresh cranberries next time myself!
Lori Muench
Just dried, unsweetened- they were sweet enough on their own!
Julia
Lori, good to know that unsweetened dried cranberries worked well, too!
Susan Reiley
This is the best recipe/cooking blog I have ever encountered. Every recipe seems so easy and delicious. Made this recipe for a Friendsgiving party last night, also to test it out for our actual Thanksgiving celebration next week, and it was a MAJOR HIT. Thank you Julia.
Hope you get your own cable cooking show one day soon.
Julia
Susan, you're trying to win the contest for the best comment on my site, aren't you? 🙂 Thank you for such a generous comment - I really appreciate it! 🙂
Valerie
Can you substitute something for the cranberries?
Julia
You can use dried figs or dried blueberries. Or, dried cherries.
Shelly
Can this recipe be made ahead and brought to room temp before serving?
Rhonda
Do you serve this warm or cold?
Julia
Rhonda, serve this warm or at room temperature, but not refrigerator cold.
Shelby
Can I use sweet potatoes instead of squash?
Julia
Shelby, yes, you can. Sweet potatoes would work very well instead of butternut squash.
Julia
Yes, you can! This is best served at room temperature. I would add toasted pumpkin seeds right before serving to preserve the crunch. I would also undercook butternut squash slightly so that it doesn't get mushy.
Terry
This recipe was so good. Brought to a potluck. Several asked for the recipe. I didn't add the maple syrup at the end and I did make one change. I used bacon for the crunch instead of pumpkin seeds. Made it a bit more savory. It was a hit!
Julia
Terry, thank you for such a positive comment - I am so glad everyone enjoyed this! Adding bacon sounds really good!
Delana
This sounds amazing but my family are NOT fans of maple. Any suggestions on a substitute?
Julia
Honey? Or, just skip the maple syrup altogether. You can also make this salad dressing that would be REALLY GOOD - freshly squeezed lemon juice, honey, and a very small amount of extra virgin olive oil - pour it over the salad and skip the maple syrup.
Nancy
going to make this for Thanksgiving, looks great!!!
Julia
Nancy, enjoy! It's soo good!
Rich
Julia,
I just tried the recipe. It was fantastic. It ticks all five tastes at one time. Very Satisfying
Julia
Rich, I am so glad you loved this recipe! Thank you for your comment and the 5-stars! 🙂
Patty
This looks great. Can I substitute sweet potatoes or just add them?
Julia
Patty, you can use sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash - they will be delicious! A lot of people who made this recipe did just that!
Joy
I am wondering if there is a hack for peeling and chopping the squash? I have arithritis so bad I have an awful time with the squash it is so hard and awkward.
k
They may have pre-prepped butternut squash in the produce section of your market. The squash is diced into 1"' cubes. I have this at my local supermarket and but this because I also have issues with dicing the squash.
Julia
K, yes, I buy this pre-cut whenever I can. Just bought some precut butternut squash at Safeway. They also sell it at Costco.
Julia
Joy, here are some tips:
➡️ I would microwave it first for 5 or 10 minutes to soften it. Here are some more tips:
➡️ Safety first! Be careful and pay attention at all times as the squash has a hard exterior that can be slippery. Pay attention to safety and keep your fingers away from the knife to avoid injury. Use a sharp knife and a non-slip cutting board.
➡️ Cut the top and the bottom parts of the squash so that you can stand it upright.
➡️ Place the squash standing upright on a cutting board - with a heavier "bulb" shaped end standing on a cutting board. Hold the top of the squash steady with one hand, and use a knife to peel the skin in downwards motions toward the cutting board away from the hand that holds the top of the squash steady.
➡️ Tip: You can also use a vegetable peeler. In this case, purchase a brand new, sharp vegetable peeler to use on a hard butternut squash skin.
➡️ After peeling the squash, carefully slice the squash in half.
➡️ Scrape the seeds out of each squash half with a large spoon.
➡️ Place one squash half cut side down on a cutting board and slice it into about 1 or 2-inch thick strands lengthwise in downwards motions toward the cutting board away from your fingers. Repeat with the other half of the squash.
➡️ Then, simply slice thick strands of squash into cubes.
➡️ Also my mother-in-law has these protection gloves for cutting and slicing things. I've used them last year and really liked them. There are several levels of protection, this is medium. But I think the best advice is to microwave the squash for at least 5 minutes - it doesn't cook them but softens them enough. Here are the protection gloves that I used:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B06XBGR2L9/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&pldnSite=1&th=1&fbclid=IwAR0RyxsaLVAMvOPoK7AiUNfO9GahzHA8tPhZmTPOGUtig4Rp-wI0cpqp5Xw
Heather
I thought this would be a good side dish for Thanksgiving, so decided to give it a trial run. It is delicious. All the flavors meld so well together, and the pumpkin seeds add a nice texture. This will definitely be on my Thanksgiving table.
Kelly
Did you eat it hot or cold?
Julia
Kelly, DC, Barbara,
You can serve this warm or at room temperature but not refrigerator cold. Enjoy! Sorry for the late response! 🙂
Julia
Heather, I am so glad you gave this recipe a try before Thanksgiving and loved it! Thank you for taking the time to share such a positive comment - I really appreciate it! 🙂
DC
Is this to be served warm?
Barbara M.
Is this better served warm or cold? How far in advance can it be made?
Kelly
Barbara I am wondering the same thing! Hoping she will reply! 🙂 it looks great!
Julia
Kelly, DC, Barbara,
You can serve this warm or at room temperature but not refrigerator cold. Enjoy! Sorry for the late response! 🙂 🙂
Julia
Barbara, you can make this up to 2 days in advance for the best results and freshness.
Here are my tips for making this ahead:
1)
Make sure to undercook the butternut squash a little bit (or, at least, definitely DO NOT overcook it) so that it doesn't get mushy when you reheat it!
2)
Do not add the pumpkin seeds if you make this ahead. Add them right before serving so that they remain crunchy.
3)
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 pumpkin seeds (or pecans), only when ready to serve.
4)
Serve this dish at room temperature, warm or hot if you like. Not refrigerator cold.
Colette
This recipe looks so good! Wondering why you use dried cranberries? Are these dried and sweetened? Can I use fresh cranberries? I can't wait to try this!
Julia
Colette, I used dried sweetened cranberries (such as craisins) because they are sweet and have a nice texture. I think fresh cranberries would be way too tart for this kind of salad.
Anna M
Delicious and nutritious! A wonderful accompaniment to an Autumn Sunday dinner.
Julia
Thank you, Anna! It's truly a great Fall salad! 🙂
Meredith
Is this to be eaten hot, warm, or cold?
Julia
Meredith,
You can serve this warm or at room temperature but not refrigerator cold. Enjoy!