Maple Dijon Roasted Butternut Squash & Brussel Sprouts

This easy salad is made with roasted butternut squash and brussel sprouts. It’s finished with a maple dijon glaze, pecans and cranberries, all of which add incredible flavor and texture. This is the perfect holiday side dish idea for Thanksgiving or Christmas! 

Alright, brace yourself we are officially into the good part of this holiday entertaining series. And first up are my epic holiday side dishes! Main dishes are definitely the star on a dinner table, and if you haven’t made my easy Thanksgiving turkey recipe yet you are missing out. But every star is part of a constellation, and let me tell you, this constellation of recipes is going to blow your mind or taste buds wide open!

Why You’ll Love Butternut Squash + Brussels Sprouts

• Classic fall flavors: In my opinion, when I think “holiday sides” I think brussels sprouts, sweet potatoes and butternut squash. Butternut Squash is really popular for a small portion of the year, and this is that time!
• Simple ingredients: You’ll only need a few easy-to-find ingredients to make this recipe.
• Easy prep: One of the things I love most about this salad is how easy it is to put together. It’s a low-effort, big-reward side dish.
• Festive enough for the holidays: Between the ingredients, incredible flavors, and gorgeous finished results, this side is the perfect option for Thanksgiving or Christmas dinner.

How to Cut Butternut Squash

One of the things you’ll need for this recipe is butternut squash. You can buy pre-cut squash at the grocery store, or you can buy a whole squash and prepare it yourself. If you decide to prep your squash, here’s how to peel and cut it:

1. Pick out your squash. 
2. Remove the top and bottom. Using a sharp chef’s knife. Slice 1/4″ off the top of the squash and 1/4″ off the bottom of the squash. This gives you a little more stability when you are peeling your squash. I like place it on a large wooden cutting board.
3. Remove the skin. Here’s where it’s your choice. If you have a really nice set of knives (I have these) then you will be fine to cut the skin with a knife. However, the easiest way to peel a squash is to use a vegetable peeler (like this) and peel from top to bottom.
4. Cut in half. Once your butternut squash is peeled, with it still staying straight up (fat side on the bottom). Cut the squash in half from top to bottom. Using a spoon, scoop out the seeds and discard them.
5. Slice the squash. Lay the butternut squash flat side down on a cutting board and make 1″ slices (you’ll end up with 1″ thick half moons and then a couple of crescent shaped slices)
6. Cube the slices. Now, make 1″ slices horizontally, you’ll end up with 1″ sticks. To finish, cut those sticks into 1″ cubes or 1/2″ cubes depending on your recipe. 

How to Cut Brussel Sprouts

You’ll also need brussels sprouts for this recipe. Here’s how to prep those:

1. Remove the tops and bottoms. If you see any wilted or discolored leaves, discard those as well.
2. Slice in half. Next, slice each Brussels sprout vertically to create two halves.
3. Make a cut in the bottom of each base. This is an optional step, but super helpful in terms of getting perfect results. Flip the brussels sprouts so the flat side is facing up and quickly make a small slit at the base of each brussel sprout with your chefs knife. This will ensure you have even roasting and browning!

How to Roast Butternut Squash and Brussels Sprouts

For this recipe the butternut squash, sweet potatoes and brussel sprouts are all roasted together. Here’s how to do it:

• Preheat your oven to 425 degrees F.
• Mix up the ingredients. Combine the prepped veggies with some oil and seasonings.
• Spread vegetables out on a baking sheet in a single layer. Don’t crowd the pan, use two baking sheets if necessary.
• Bake for 15 minutes. Toss the vegetables around, then bake an additional 15 minutes.

Once they are slightly browned and have a nice caramelization from roasting on the baking sheet add everything into a large bowl. Now, here comes the good part, the maple dijon glaze. Drizzle the maple dijon sauce over the roasted veggies and toss to coat them in the sweet savory deliciousness and top with pecans and dry cranberries. 

Voila! You have yourself one amazing holiday side dish that I guarantee everyone will devour in minutes!

Recommended Tools

• Chefs Knife: if you’re going to start cooking more often, a great chefs knife is a must have investment. 
• Large Wooden Cutting Board: another investment that is worth it, you will use this all the time
• Y-Vegetable Peeler: I find the grip on these is easier and it does a great job.
• Baking Sheet: I really like the non-stick kind because I find that I’m not having to scrap my proteins or veggies off the the sheet and it still gives a nice caramelization.
• White Baking Dish: I like to serve a lot of my recipes on white, it really makes the color of the food pop and it keeps things simple.

Serving Suggestions

• The BEST Dry Brine Thanksgiving Turkey
• 1 Hour Garlic Herb Butter Roasted Chicken
• Mustard Crusted Pork Chops with Bourbon Glazed Apples

More Holiday Sides

• Honey Soy Roasted Brussel Sprouts
• Healthy Cranberry Apple Brussel Sprout Salad
• Harvest Butternut Squash Farro Salad
• Shaved Brussel Sprout Salad with Lemon Vinaigrette

** This post does contain affiliate links. Thank you for supporting Joyful Healthy Eats.**

Print