Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Dried Cranberries and Dijon Vinaigrette
Easy and delicious Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Dried cranberries and Dijon Vinaigrette. This is my most popular and well-loved Thanksgiving side dish recipe!
Today’s recipe might be my absolute favorite Brussels sprout recipe (and I’ve made a lot of them). I shared these delicious fried Brussels sprout leaves yesterday, so trust me, that is saying quite a bit. As you can imagine, we ate a ridiculous quantity of Brussels sprouts leading up to this week. Like pounds and pounds of them.
Honestly, I’m pretty surprised I didn’t turn into a Brussels sprout…
And yet, despite our Brussels sprouts overdose, I would still happily munch on this roasted Brussels sprouts and squash dish all day long. For breakfast, lunch or dinner. Hot, lukewarm, cold. Seriously. It is the ultimate Thanksgiving side dish. It also happens to unknowingly check a lot of boxes: vegan, dairy free, gluten free, paleo, etc.
If you are looking for a roasted Brussels sprouts dish, this is the one you should make! A bold statement, I know, but one I am willing to stand behind. This recipe gets rave reviews.
I’m celebrating Thanksgiving with Connor’s family for the first time this year, and this dish quickly rose to the top of the list of Thanksgiving dishes that I offered to contribute. I’ll most likely force it on my family at Christmas too because, well, I’m bossy like that.
It is basically a three-for-one deal. You get roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, and cranberries in one single recipe.
The epitome of fall in an extremely low-maintenance, but flavor-packed dish. No need to prepare them separately or add more work to your plate. Oh, and you should use any leftovers (if you have them) on these creamy goat cheese grits the next morning.
Ok, so here’s the deal with this dish. If you’ve always hated Brussels sprouts, this is probably the recipe for you to try! I’m convinced that Brussels sprout haters have never tasted really good Brussels sprouts. I also realize that Brussels sprout haters might feel like punching me in the face for saying that.
As is the case with practically any vegetable, roasting is definitely my preferred cooking method, particularly for Brussels sprouts. Once roasted and caramelized, Brussels sprouts transform themselves into flavor-packed, crispy bites of veggie heaven.
In my opinion, the more caramelized they are the better.
To achieve this, I roasted the vegetables at a very high temperature (450 degrees Fahrenheit) for about 20 to 30 minutes. You’ll need a good-quality sheet pan to accomplish this.
Since the Brussels sprouts are halved and tossed with similarly sized chunks of butternut squash, they are able to cook very evenly together.
In the last five minutes of cooking time, the dried cranberries are tossed onto the baking pan to toast up a bit and concentrate in flavor.
Once the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash are roasted, they are tossed with a light and simple Dijon vinaigrette made up of only three ingredients: sweet rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, and olive oil. It could not be easier to throw together.
The recipe makes just enough dressing to very thinly coat all of the roasted vegetables. As in, you’ll barely be able to tell that the vegetables are dressed, but it gives the dish that little kick of flavor that totally takes it over the top.
If I had to describe this dish in one word, it would be balanced. Crispy, caramelized and slightly bitter Brussel sprouts, sweet and creamy butternut squash, tart and sweet dried cranberries, and a little hint of spiciness from the Dijon vinaigrette.
Makes you want to reach through the screen, right? Do me a favor and make this immediately.
Notes: This recipe makes just enough dressing for the entire dish, so if you decide to double or triple the roasted vegetable amount, be sure to double or triple the dressing as well!
Prepping Tips: If you are prepping ahead for Thanksgiving or bringing this to a friend or family members’ house, you can roast the vegetables ahead of time (you can blast them in a 350 degree Fahreneheit oven for 10-15 minutes just before serving) and wait to dress them until just before serving.
Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Dried Cranberries and Dijon Vinaigrette
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb butternut squash peeled and cut into ¾-inch chunks
- 1 lb Brussels Sprouts stems trimmed and sliced lengthwise in half
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
- ¼ cup dried cranberries unsweetneed or sweetened
Dijon Vinaigrette:
- 2 teaspoons Dijon mustard
- 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar or rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- two pinches kosher salt
- freshly ground black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F (232°C). Place the butternut squash chunks and halved Brussels sprouts on a large baking sheet. Drizzle them with the 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, and toss them with your hands to distribute the oil evenly.
- Sprinkle the vegetables evenly with kosher salt and pepper, and toss them again with your hands. Spread the vegetables out evenly onto the baking sheet. Roasting Tip: Place the Brussels sprouts cut-side down, this will allow them to caramelize more evenly against the surface of the sheet pan.
- Roast the vegetables for 20 to 30 minutes (time will vary depending on the size of your Brussels sprouts and butternut squash chunks), tossing them gently 1 to 2 times during the roasting time to ensure that they caramelize evenly on all sides. Scatter the dried cranberries onto baking sheet in the last five minutes of roasting time. Allow the pan to sit on a rack to cool slightly while you prepare the Dijon vinaigrette.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the Dijon mustard and rice wine vinegar. Slowly pour in the olive oil, whisking continuously with your other hand, until the ingredients are emulsified. Season with salt and pepper to taste.
- Gently place the roasted vegetables in a large serving bowl or platter. Pour on the Dijon vinaigrette and toss the vegetables gently until they are lightly dressed. Serve warm, lukewarm, or cold.°
Video
Tips for Success:
- Make Ahead Tip: If you are prepping ahead for Thanksgiving or bringing this to a friend’s house, the vegetables can be roasted ahead of time (you can blast them in a 350°F (176°C) oven for 10 to 15 minutes just before serving) and wait to toss them with the dressing until just before serving.
173 Comments on “Roasted Brussels Sprouts and Squash with Dried Cranberries and Dijon Vinaigrette”
To me there is not such a thing as “Broussel sprouts overdose”, I´m completely crazy about them, but you know? Spaniards (generally speaking) hates them an are hard to find. I get them frozen and those are harvested al the right point and “flash frozen”, tender and delicious. I never tried to roast the sprouts but tomorrow I will (skipping the squash)
I’d like to make this yummy dish for the thanksgiving potluck at work. No stove, could I reheat in the microwave? Also could I substitute sherry wine vinegar for rice wine vinegar?
This was a big hit at a recent dinner party. I used 1 and 1/2 pounds of brussel sprouts and a medium butternut squash. Made about 8 side dish servings. People loved it. I was looking for an easy way to dress up my everyday roasted vegetables and this recipe was perfect. Great make ahead too. I reheated a bit added the vinegrette and cranberries when I was ready to serve dimmer. Yum!
We enjoyed this lovely brusses sprouts and butternut squash recipe. It was quick and easy to make and was super tasty. Made for Best of 2015 Event. Thank you for recommending this dish Nancy.
I was asked to bring this for a side dish, how do you think it will stand up? should I put the dressing on when I get there? Thank you, Bonita
I made this for a dinner with friends and it was a huge hit! So tasty 🙂 Making it again for Christmas dinner with family.
So glad you enjoyed it! Thanks Ashley!!
This was amazing! I’m not a mustard fan so I made a vinaigrette with rice wine vinegar, juice from 1/2 an orange, s & p, and olive oil. Tasted lovely with the cranberries and gave everything a nice bite. It was really nice to have some lighter veggie options on the table this thanksgiving. Plus, since I was doing all of the cooking on my own this year, it was simple to have the veggies already chopped up the day before and dressing ready made then throw it in the oven 1/2 an hour before dinner time. Super simple and delicious!
This sounds fabulous! Love your idea! Thanks for sharing!
Great recipe! I made this for Thanksgiving, and everyone was picking at the veggies while waiting for everything else to cook. They were a big hit. I linked to your recipe on my thanksgiving roundup. https://yummyhealthyblog.wordpress.com/2015/11/25/healthy-thanksgiving-menu/
Made this for Thanksgiving. It was a big hit. I roasted the sprouts and the squash separately and then combined them because, try as I might, I never get two types of veggies to roast at the same speed! The sprouts were done in 15 mins, but the squash took much longer. Still, it worked out fine. I used a bit less oil when roasting without any loss of flavor, texture or browning. I served the mixture over long-grained wild rice, which made for a nice presentation…and a great dish for vegans.
You are a life saver. I was looking for a brussel sprout receipe and came across yours. And this will be on my Thanksgiving table tomorrow. Looks and sounds very yummy can’t wait to make it. God Bless You & HAPPY THANKSGIVING to you and yours.
I would like to make this for Thanksgiving on Thursday but I don’t have squash. Do you think I can use a pumpkin (I have one)? Also I only have fresh cranberries. Do you have any advice on cooking them to add to the dish? I’m French so all this is pretty new to me, but I’d like to make this to bring to my in-laws. Thanks
Hi Sophie! Is your pumpkin a regular pumpkin or pie (sometimes called ‘sugar’) pumpkin? If it’s a regular pumpkin, I don’t suggest substituting it, as they are significantly more watery and fibrous than butternut squash. If anything, I would substitute sweet potato (or yams?) if you have some on hand – or just leave out the butternut squash entirely, even though I personally love it. As far as cranberries, you should be able to add fresh cranberries to the roasting pan in the last 3-5 minutes of roasting – just watch it very carefully, as you want to make sure they don’t burn. Hope this helps!
Such gorgeous, simple colors! I’d love this as a side dish!
Do you think I would be able to substitue acorn squash instead of butternut squash?
Yes! Definitely. You would need to peel the acorn squash and try to keep it in similar size. I personally find acorn squash to be a bit more watery and fibrous in texture, so it won’t be quite as ideal for roasting (it might get a bit more watery) – but it should work!
Wouldn’t hurt to add pancetta, right? 🙂
Not at all! I like the way you think! 🙂
This was delightful! We all loved it. Is it plausible to use sweet potatoes vs. squash?
Definitely! I think you could follow the exactly same steps and it would absolutely work – please let me know if you try it!
how many servings is this brussels sprouts/butternut squash recipe? thanks – we want
to make it for T=day!
Hi Ann! If you look just below the recipe title, it shows the cook time and serving size. This recipe should serve 4 people (generously) and maybe 6 people (smaller side serving). If you’re serving a crowd, you can definitely double the quantity and roast them on separate racks. I would recommend swapping the sheet pans halfway through so that they all caramelize evenly! Hope this helps and I hope you enjoy it – one of my favorites!
I just saw this recipe on FB and I am sold. I love brussel sprouts and have a new found love for pumpkin. Marrying these two together is a great idea. I can’t wait to try it!
Made this tonight. It was delicious!!!
This looks divine! Is there a difference between using rice wine vinegar and just white or apple cider vinegar? Thanks so much for sharing!
Yes! They are made with different ingredients, but you should be able to substitute the rice vinegar in this with apple cider vinegar and it should be OK. Rice vinegar is a bit sweeter than white vinegar and is more nuanced in flavor!
My squash got really mushy. It was still delicious, but mushy. Did I do someting wrong?
Hmm…I wonder if your butternut squash was on the older side? Another possible reason why could be that the butternut squash was cut a bit too small and ended up overcooking by the time the Brussels sprouts were roasted properly? My next advice would be to reduce the cooking time slightly, as your oven might run a bit cold! I hope this helps!