Butternut Squash Salad with Roasted Brussels sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries
If you want a healthy side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, or New Year's Eve, try this Butternut Squash Salad with Roasted Brussels sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries! is one of the best holiday side dishes you'll ever try! This salad is full of vegetables and nuts. It's healthy, gluten free, vegetarian, and packed with fiber!
Ingredients
Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
- 3 cups Brussels sprouts ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1/4 teaspoon Salt to taste
Roasted Butternut Squash:
- 1 1/2 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.