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”
Laura, this recipe looks AMAZING; delicious and beautiful! I’m planning to double it for a friendsgiving I’m attending this weekend. A few questions:
– If I wanted to add pancetta, would you recommend cooking it for the entire time with the squash and sprouts or just adding toward the end along with the cranberries?
– If making ahead of time and reheating just before serving while at the party, how long would you recommend cooking initially and at what temp? Would you cut down the initial cook time since I’ll be warming just before serving at the party? Just want to make sure the squash doesn’t get mushy…
Thanks for your help! Can’t wait to make this!
Hi Kristen! So happy to hear that you’re planning on making this recipe. If you wanted to add pancetta, I would recommend adding it at the beginning – although it would really depend on what size that it is cut to, so it’s hard for me to say for sure (I haven’t personally tried it with pancetta, but it should work). You might want to reduce the olive oil a bit, because the pancetta will render and release fat. If in doubt, you could also cook it separately in a pan and toss it all together at the end.
As for making it ahead, I would reduce the cook time by about 5 or so minutes (same temperature), and rewarm in a 350-375 degree oven just before serving. The squash shouldn’t get mushy, it’s more the Brussels sprouts that won’t be quite as crisp if you’re making it ahead. This dish still tastes great at room temperature (or even as leftovers), so I’m confident it will still be good, but it’s obviously best if made just before serving. Alternatively, you could prep everything separately and roast the veggies as the turkey is resting on the countertop before carving. Hope this helps!
Made this for Thanksgiving and everyone loved it. Hesitated to add the Dijon vinaigrette dressing but so glad I did as it added a very light additional flavor. Will become an annual Thanksgiving side.
OMG???? I made this last year for first time. I’ve never liked squash, but decided to just go with it for Thanksgiving because everyone has different tastes! It was immediately devoured and raved about! Thank you for sharing your AWESOME recipe!!! I’m prepping it again for another year!
This makes me so happy!!! Thank you for taking the time to leave feedback, it means a lot! xo
This is a great recipe. You can make it ahead of time which is key for holiday entertaining. The only thing I changed was I only used half of the mustard. Next time I would set the oven at 425, not 450. Highly, highly recommend
Can I use delicata squash instead of butternut?
Yeah! I don’t see why not! Just be sure to cut the delicate in a similar size, so that everything cooks evenly (or just watch the roasting time a bit more carefully, as it might not take quite as long). Hope this helps! 🙂
This recipe looks delicious! Do you think I could use chunks of carrot instead of the butternut squash? Thank you for the recipe and your advice 🙂
Yes! Definitely. If your carrots are huge, you might want to cut in half lengthwise. Otherwise, I would leave them in whole form, then cut into 1-1/2 inch chunks. I would reduce the roasting time slightly too. Hope this helps! If you have the time, I’d love for you to come back and leave a review/notes if you make it! Thank you!
Thank you! I will definitely come back and leave an update and review!
Thanks so much for this – looks wonderful! Do you think you could substitute romanesco for Brussels sprouts?
Definitely, I don’t know if texturally, it’s quite as good of a match for the squash – but I don’t see why flavor wise it wouldn’t still be as good!
Hi! I absolutely love how this recipe looks and I look forward to making it! My question is, how spicy is the sauce? I am making this as a vegetarian side to a lamb dinner and the vegetarians coming to the dinner aren’t spicy friendly. Could you please recommend something I could use instead of the mustard or maybe use less of the mustard?
Sorry to bother you with another question about it, it really does look beautiful.
Thank you!!
It’s not at all spicy, promise! There really is minimal mustard used, and I’ve never gotten that feedback from anyone. If anything, the mustard simply adds a slight tang and balances out the roasted vegetables really well. I highly recommend making it as is! Hope this helps!
Just made this tonight for a meal prep topping to go on my arugula, baby kale & spinach lunch for the week. I added in thin siced almonds left over from Thanksgiving with the dried cranberries and turned the oven off to let cool but still toast the almonds a bit. Total winner! Also perfect for vegan family dinner night in January!
Made the dish for Thanksgiving with only a slight worry that all may not like. True to your word however, everyone loved it. So easy and SO delicious – Thank you Laura!
Our belong to a local food co-op group and our surprise vegetables were bbq Russell sprouts and butternut squash. As a last minute impulse have decided to make your version to my family thanksgiving dinner. Thank you for sharing a fun and different recipe. Will report back.
What do you think about using fresh cranberries??
I think it *could* definitely work, but I would be very careful if you add them to the sheet pan during roasting (in terms of time). I prefer the more delicate (less sour) flavor of dried in this to be honest. The oven temperature is very hot, so you don’t want to accidentally burn them if they’re fresh. If you do try it – please report back! 🙂
This recipe is so wonderful. I’ve made it several times and it’s always a hit.
Would it be a disaster if I used frozen Brussels sprouts?
Hi Shannon! *repeating this from above* Unfortunately, I wouldn’t recommend this at all. Frozen Brussels sprouts will never roast properly (due to the excess moisture from freezing) and are generally lacking in texture/flavor. I don’t seem to ever have trouble finding fresh Brussels sprouts though – do you live in the US? You’ll usually find them separated or on the stalk. Occasionally you can even find halved Brussels sprouts in a bag, but I don’t like those as much because they are older and less fresh.
Wow I made this for dinner tonight and it was delicious!
Yay! It’s one of my favorites. Thanks for the feedback Kathleen!
I made this for my boyfriend for thanksgiving this year and can honestly say I was really surprised by how good this was. I don’t like brussel sprouts and tolerate butternut squash so your description kinda got my hopes up that this would magically make me love both lol. I was skeptical after tasting the dressing on its own cause it tasted terrible, but once cooked this was so good! I even took leftovers with me to eat at work. I can’t believe I found a way to enjoy brussel sprouts and butternut squash.
This was amazing!
Yay! Thanks for taking the time to leave your feedback! Happy Thanksgiving!!
Made these for Thanksgiving dinner. They were a huge hit and will go onto our holiday menu favorites list.
Can you sub rice vinegar for red wine or apple vinegar or will it ruin the flavor?
You can, but rice vinegar is a bit sweeter! If anything, balsamic might be a better option but you could certainly do it with red wine or apple and it should turn out fine either way!
I make this a couple times a year – THANK YOU! I do often add toasted walnuts – sometimes whole, sometimes chopped for a little crunch – I’ve done toasted almonds too which were also tasty. Day after I add pulled turkey or chicken right into a little dish of this and heat up for a leftover lunch and it’s DELISH!