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.
What a wonderful side dish! Easy enough for a weekday meal and good enough for company! Thank you!
Kim, thank you for this wonderful 5-star review - I really appreciate it! 🙂
Love the ingredients and combination of spices, but for me it was very under-seasoned. I had to increase the spices and syrup quite a bit to bring it to my tastes.
Next time I’ll try it with sweet potato. Thanks for the recipe!
Reese, I am glad you enjoyed this recipe! Other spices that would go well here would be smoked paprika, garlic powder, or chili powder. Fresh thyme would be tasty, too.
Could this recipe use frozen cubed butternut squash?
Terri, yes, you can use frozen cubed squash. No need to thaw it - roast it in the preheated oven at 400 F for about 20 or 30 minutes. You can even broil it carefully and briefly at the end.
I am going to make this for an early Christmas dinner, and I was wondering if I could make it the day before and how I would reheat it the next day
Lori, yes, you can make this a day before. 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 pecans if you make this ahead. Add them right before serving so that they remain crunchy.
3)
Serve this dish at room temperature, warm or hot if you like. Not refrigerator cold. Reheat it briefly in the microwave or in the oven just to bring it to room temperature.
This was really good. We added sage to the recipe
Barbara, I am glad you loved it! I love fresh herbs!
I made this today, Thanksgiving 2022. I’ve not served it yet but I have to tell you this “sweet” story. I live in Fla so my house was open with a sliding front door screen. When I started cooking the balsamic glaze i suddenly noticed honey bees all over the screen! They wanted IN! It was amazing!
Christine, that's such a sweet story (literally, LOL!). The honey bees smelled the honey - so beautiful!
Thinking about adding chopped applewood smoked bacon to this. I could partially cook it to render some of the fat and then add it to the sheet pan with the squash. What do you think?
Joan, chopped cooked bacon would be delicious with these ingredients! Great idea to cook it to render some of the fat and then caramelize it in the oven.
Can honey be a substitute for maple syrup
Definitely! Honey would work! I would add a small amount of freshly squeezed lime juice (not bottled kind) to the honey as well to cut too much sweetness.
Hey, do you mix the ingredients when they are hot or cold?
I mixed them when they were warm. The key here is how to serve it - serve it hot, warm, or at room temperature. Just not refrigerator-cold.
I always make this dish as a side on thanksgiving as well as throughout the year. It’s a winner with all ages! Thank you Julia.
Ayesha, your comment really made my day! 🙂 Glad you enjoy this recipe year-round! 🙂
I made this exactly according to the recipe and it is delicious. Thank you for a vegetable dish that everyone will eat!
Cathi, you are so welcome! Glad this recipe will be enjoyed by all! Happy Thanksgiving!
Hi Julia,
I made this around Halloween for my fiance and I, and we both loved it but want to try something different...
If I substitute sweet potatoes for butternut squash, do I need to change anything about the amount used and/or cooking time?
Bernadette, you don't need to change a thing if you want to use sweet potatoes! Just follow the recipe as is! Sweet potatoes are delicious in this recipe (I've tried it!) - you'll love it! 🙂
made it as recipe suggested. everyone raved about it. awesome recipe, thanks Julia!
Hadley, you are very welcome! So glad everyone liked it! 🙂
Would acorn squash work instead of butternut? It's all I could find at the store. I really wanted to make this for Thanksgiving!
Lisa, I don't think acorn squash would work. First, because it's so hard to peel it. And, second, because its texture is softer than butternut squash.
But, sweet potatoes would work great!
This looks delicious! I need to add another veggie for the vegetarians in my family - do you think shallots would work? Or do you have another veggie that you would recommend? Thanks!
Renee, shallots would be delicious. How about beets? See this recipe:
https://juliasalbum.com/winter-vegetable-salad-with-butternut-squash-brussels-sprouts-and-beets/
Can you make this with fresh cranberries?
Danielle, fresh cranberries would be way too tart! This can work with cranberry sauce or cranberry relish (just a small amount) - others have commented that that's what they did. Even though, I am not sure if that changes the presentation because the cranberry sauce or relish can be watery.
I love this recipe! It is a beautiful, colorful dish too! Have you made it a day before serving?
Thank you, Angie! You can make it ahead. I've done it and a lot of people who've made it have done it, too.
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 pecans if you make this ahead. Add them right before serving so that they remain crunchy.
3)
Serve this dish at room temperature, warm or hot if you like. Not refrigerator cold. Reheat it briefly in the microwave just to bring it to room temperature.