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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 tablespoons maple syrup up to 4 tablespoons
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.
I already bought a lot of Acorn Squash. Can I substitute that for Butternut Squash?
Yes, you can use Acorn Squash, it will be very tasty too. You can also use sweet potatoes to substitute for Butternut Squash.
Can I use fresh cranberries
I would use sweet dried cranberries. Because this is mostly a savory dish, dried cranberries provide just the right amount of sweetness.
6 ads within the recipe itself not to mention those ads within the page itself. Isn’t that too many? It’s very difficult to read the directions especially with all the text based ads.
I almost skipped this but it looked so delicious I just printed it. I made it and will assemble today. I came back to leave a comment about the ads I don’t think I will be back due to all the ads within the recipe itself.
Thinking of making this at the last minute since I have most of the ingredients on hand...except the pecans. Do you think toasted almonds might work just as well?
Yes, toasted almonds will work just fine! The key word here is "toasted"! Make sure to toast the almonds, and they would taste great in this recipe! I made this with pumpkin seeds too: https://juliasalbum.com/maple-butternut-squash-roasted-brussels-sprouts-pumpkin-seeds-and-cranberries/
I made this for Thanksgiving 2017 to add to my dear SIL dinner he was preparing. It was a hit!! I prepared one with pecans and another with pumpkin seed/walnut mix. This dish has become a must have for us all including off holiday. Be forewarned, if you taste it upon completion, I hope you've made double portions, as I forgot to stop. Worthwhile, Google quick way to peel and dice butternut squash unless you're familiar as I wasn't. Happy Thanksgiving all
Debbie, thank you for taking your time to leave such a wonderful comment. Comments like yours make my day! So glad this dish has become a must have for your family. Happy Thanksgiving to you all! 🙂
Is this served hot or cold?
Best served warm. But I've served it cold and it was excellent. People commented on this site that they served this dish cold and everybody loved it!
Have you tried making it ahead then reheating?
Yes, you can make it ahead and reheat it. Don't add pecans until just ready to serve, to keep their texture intact.
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.
Do you serve warm or cold? Could I made a day in advance?
You can serve it either warm or cold. It will be excellent either way.
Yes, you can make it a day ahead. Don't add pecans until just ready to serve, to keep their texture intact.
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.
Served warm or cold?? I m making now for tomorrow so will have to fridge.
You can serve it either warm or cold. It will be excellent either way.
You can also reheat this dish, but make sure to add the nuts right before serving.
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.
Can this be made a day ahead?
Yes, you can make it a day ahead. 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.
Can I substitute walnuts? Would you recommend toasting them also?
Yes, you can use walnuts. I recommend toasting them too. Nuts get such a depth of flavor when toasted. Toasting improves the texture of nuts, too, making they crispy and crunchy.
This is a delicious recipe. I made this for my husband and children as they love brussel sprouts and squash, I don't. They loved it and I actually ate it and enjoyed it! 1st time ever I have actually liked brussel sprouts. So excited to share this recipe on Thanksgiving.
So happy you and your family liked this recipe! 🙂
Are raw pecans okay or should they be toasted?
Raw pecans are OK, but I do recommend toasting them lightly. Toasting makes them crispy and crunchy, even in a salad. Toast the pecans in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes, maybe a bit longer. Pecans can burn really fast, so watch them.
Raw pecans are definitely OK. But I do prefer to toast them just slightly.
In the video it says to bake the pecans. How long and at what temperature?
Toast the pecans in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes, maybe a bit longer. Pecans can burn really fast, so watch them. If toasting them at 400 F, toast them quick and watch them really closely, as they will burn faster.
Toast the pecans in the preheated oven at 350 F for about 5 minutes or a bit longer.
Are the cranberries sweetened or unsweet? I have dried unsweet cranberries, but was uncertain!
Thanks!
I used sweet dried cranberries. Because it's mostly a savory dish, sweet dried cranberries provide a nice sweet flavor contrast to all the savory ingredients.
Thanks! Today is the day....will be making this for Tgiving dinner!
Happy Thanksgiving!
This looks like a fabulous recipe, but WOW, that is an awful lot of calories for side dish. Any recommendations on making it a little less “heavy?”
You can use Sukrin Gold Syrup in place of the maple syrup. I have never seen it in a store though, I always have to buy mine online. You could also add a very small drop of maple extract to the Sukrin syrup. That's what I usually do. It's fantastic!
You would probably have to leave out the pecans. That is where the most calories are going to be. On the bright side they are very good for you! 🙂