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.
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.
fara
Hello, May I use sweet potatoes instead of butternut squash
Julia
Yes, absolutely, sweet potatoes would work well instead of butternut squash.
farah
Thanks so much. My sis made this on thanksgiving and i'm craving it again. Thank you
Julia
Enjoy! Merry Christmas! 🙂
Desiree H
Possible to substitute the squash for frozen squash?p
Julia
What kind of frozen squash do you have? Frozen cubed uncooked butternut squash? You can certainly use frozen cubed uncooked butternut squash by thawing it completely first and then roasting it according to the recipe.
Desiree
Yes frozen cubed uncooked squash is correct. Thank you. Can't wait to give this a try for Christmas dinner!
Julia
Enjoy! Hope you like it! Make sure to thaw the squash completely, and also make sure the cubed squash is not overcrowded on the baking sheet. Spread it out in a single layer with spaces between butternut squash cubes so that it roasts and caramelized, and doesn't get steamed instead.
MICHEYL BARTHOLOMEW
Can this recipe be made ahead and frozen.
Julia
Yes, you can make this ahead and freeze. I would add pecans right before serving, though, to prevent them from getting soggy.
Angie
Looks great! Can this be made ahead?
Julia
Hi Angie, you can make this ahead. I would add pecans right before serving to prevent them from getting soggy.
Carolyn Wolfe
Nowhere does this recipe say how to cook the cranberries. Just FYI to Julia.
Julia
Hi Carolyn! The recipe uses dried cranberries. There is no need to cook them - just add them as is.
Camila
This recipe is amaaaaazing!
I recommend following it exactly how it’s written.
Couldn't have expected anything better 🙂
Julia
Camila, thank you so much for such a wonderful comment! So glad you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂
Sandra
Amazing dish. Great combo of flavours. Did all in air fryer rather than oven. I look forward to trying other recipes of yours. Merry Christmas
Julia
Sandra, Merry Christmas to you as well! So glad you liked this recipe. Thank you so much for stopping by and sharing such a positive comment! 🙂
Ka Lau
We just finished eating this absolutely better-than-better Fall recipe. Everything about this recipe speaks deliciousness. It will be a dish on my special occasion gatherings for years to come.
Julia
Ka Lau, your comment made my day! I can only agree with you on everything you said. 🙂 It's a perfect Fall recipe.
Colleen
Made this for our dinner tonight-can't wait to taste it. Looks so good
Julia
Colleen, I am so glad you liked this recipe! 🙂
Pjensen
Made this for Thanksgiving and it was a hit. The taste of the two together was wonderful. Recommend the dish. Thank you for the wonderful recipe. My vegan friend loved the dish!
Julia
So glad you tried this recipe and enjoyed it! Thank you so much for such a positive comment. 🙂
Patricia Farano
I made this recipe in 2019 for Thanksgiving and turned some no BS (brussels sprouts) eaters into believers. I've since made it several time and have used it as a springboard for variations. I had some grapes that needed using and added them to the tray in the last 15 minutes of baking. They were delicious. I've used sweet potatoes in place of squash.
I do use a little less maple syrup than the original. It's also excellent with balsamic glaze.
I have made this into my entire dinner more than once...
Very good recipe; so fall-like. Perfect for Thanksgiving.
Julia
Patricia, I am so glad you've enjoyed this recipe many times! Your comment literally made my day. Love your variations: addition of grapes, using balsamic glaze. Thank you so much for stopping by and taking the time to share such positive feedback.
Mark
Delicious! Thank you for your wonderful idea! This was so easy to make, too! For Christmas, I'm planning to try your pumpkin chili. It sounds so good!
Julia
Mark, thank you so much for your comment! Glad you tried this recipe and enjoyed it! Hope you like the pumpkin chili, too! 🙂
Isis Kasandra
I tried this for thanksgiving and it came out super good! Also it was very easy to do, I got lucky and was able to find butternut squash that was already pre-cut at my local Trader Joe's supermarket. Thank you for the recipe, I will be making this again next year due to everyone loving it too.
Julia
So glad you tried this recipe and enjoyed it! 🙂 I also love to buy pre-cut butternut squash (saves so much time) but have a hard time finding it lately.
Sharon
Sounds like a great recipe. Can’t can be made the day before then reheated before serving?
Julia
Yes, you can make this the day before and reheat. I wouldn't add the nuts until you are ready to serve to prevent them from getting soggy.
Susanne
This was a beautiful and delicious dish; however, for my taste it had way too many nuts. I will definitely make it again but would use 1/2 or less of the pecans called for. All in all, a wonderful and colorful addition to our Thanksgiving table!
Julia
Susanne, I am very happy to hear that you enjoyed this recipe! 🙂 You can definitely reduce the number of nuts to your liking.