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Jump to Recipe·Print Recipe·★★★★★5 from 4 reviews
This is a popular recipe that was previously published on Robust Recipes. It has been updated for a better experience.
Halloween is two days away!!!
So let’s talk about Thanksgiving sides ha!
Actually this roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts are great anytime during the fall or winter. As in, anytime you can find butternut squash, Brussels sprouts, and pomegranates in season. Which is pretty much right now until the end of December. Pomegranates have a short season, at least here in the Midwest.
Grab them while you can because I tend to put them on everything this time of year. Little gems of color and flavor and crunch!
But really, this roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts with pomegranate does make a delicious, show stopping Thanksgiving side dish. Just look at those gorgeous colors!!!
I mean it could pretty much be the centerpiece of your table! Yes?
The Brussels sprouts are roasted to a crispy perfection while the butternut squash is roasted until it becomes tender. Last minute we add an orange honey glaze to the butternut squash for a hint of extra sweetness that just ups the flavor game of the butternut squash. Effortless, but really helps to make the entire dish.
Okay, so you’ve got tender butternut squash roasted with a honey orange glaze and the savoriness of the crunchy Brussels sprouts – all of that glouriousness is topped with pomegranate seeds, crunchy, juicy, and tart. Flavor and texture bomb in your mouth!!!
If you are making this roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts for Thanksgiving…the biggest food holiday of the year!! I left a few tips on which ingredients you can prep in advance to make the day of that much easier.
Also, I feel it’s my responsibility to tell you that if this dish gets cold on you before you can serve it, it’s still super delish. Yes, you lose out on the crispiness of the Brussels sprouts but the crunchy pomegranate seeds help to make up for that. Because let’s be honest, it can be a challenge to time everything perfectly so that all the dishes are served hot. So, I give you permission to let this one get cold, everyone will still love it!
Roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts is one of my most popular recipes on the blog this time of year. I am always surprised to see some of my older recipes with not-so-great pictures and poor recipe instructions do so well. Still, this post needed an update. Better photos, better instructions, and better cooking experience. You’re welcome.
Whether you make this recipe as a Thanksgiving side, or make it just because you want make the most of fall produce I hope you enjoy it as much as we do.
Thanksgiving is on it’s way, friends!!! Are you getting excited?!?!
Oh, and BTW…Happy Halloween. I’m jumping ahead a little bit on Holidays ha!
Roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts is the perfect side for Thanksgiving or any fall time meal. Orange, honey glazed butternut squash with crispy Brussels sprouts and crunchy pomegranate!
Ingredients
UnitsScale
3cups cubed butternut squash (about 1/2 large squash), peeled and chopped into cubes
1pound Brussels sprouts, ends trimmed off and cut in half
2 tablespoons olive oil
1/2 teaspoon salt
Orange glaze
2 tablespoons honey (or sub maple syrup for vegans)
2 tablespoons fresh squeezed orange juice (about 1/2 of an orange)
Pinch of salt
Topping
1 pomegranate, seeded
Instructions
Prepare: Preheat your oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Grease a large rimmed baking sheet and set aside. Prepare all your veggies as instructed above (see notes for tips on prepping these ingredients a few days in advance). Spread the Brussels sprouts and cubed butternut squash on the baking sheet. Toss with the olive oil and salt until well coated. Spread the veggies out, separating the butternut squash form the Brussels sprouts and placing the Brussels sprouts cut side down.
Roast: Roast for 15 to 20 minutes and toss each veggie making sure they stay separated and the spouts stay cut side down. Return to the oven and roast for another 10 minutes.
Make the orange glaze; While the veggies are roasting make the glaze by whisking the orange juice and honey (or maple syrup in a small mixing bowl), set aside.
Finish roasting : Once the sprouts are crispy and the butternut squash is mostly tender remove the sprouts from the pan into a dish to set aside. Toss the butternut squash in the orange glaze and return it to the oven to roast for another 5 minutes.
Finish: To serve toss the still warm Brussels sprouts with the butternut squash and sprinkle with the pomegranate. Serve immediately. Best served warm, but also still good cold or room temperature.
Prep ahead tips: -peel and cut butternut squash up to 3 days in advance -peel and seed the pomegranate up to 3 days in advance -cut Brussels sprouts up to 1 day in advance -make the orange honey glaze up to 1 day in advance
There could be a few reasons why your roasted butternut squash is turning out soggy: Overcrowding: If you overcrowd the baking sheet with butternut squash pieces, they will release more moisture and steam, making it difficult for them to roast properly.
Place them face down and resist the urge to move them around. A searing hot baking sheet with the brussels cut side down is the key to crispy brussel perfection.
Like soggy steamed Brussels, Brussels sprouts that are dry and chewy are no good either. This could be caused by using too little oil for roasting. You need a nice coating of oil—enough to make the heads shiny or if they're cut, enough oil to get inside the folds of some of the leaves.
The other secret to ridiculously crispy Brussels sprouts is tossing them in plenty of oil. We like to use olive oil, but plain vegetable oil is great too. If the sprouts are well-coated, they'll caramelize and char instead of simply softening in the oven.
You don't have to peel it before roasting. That's right. You do not have to suffer through peeling an entire slippery butternut squash if you're going to roast it. The skin is perfectly safe to eat, and it's hardly noticeable after a nice roast in a hot oven.
In a large bowl mix the cubed squash, garlic cloves and ginger with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the spice mix. Season with salt and pepper and scatter in a single layer in a roasting tray. Place in the preheated oven and cook for 30 minutes until tender all the way through.
Unlike other vegetables, Brussels sprouts can be parboiled (even a day ahead) to reduce the roasting time without hurting their texture. That means the sprouts can be popped in the oven while the meat is resting before carving. Of course, if the main course is grilled or pan-cooked, the oven will be free for roasting.
Place the sprouts cut-side down: Trim and halve the sprouts and roast them with their cut side against the baking sheet. The cut side will caramelize beautifully while the outer leaves crisp.
To prepare brussel sprouts, you should rinse them well or even soak them if you have enough time. Trim the bottoms and outer leaves off, then cut them in half to prep them for roasting.
To guarantee great texture, do both! Trim and halve your brussels, then blanch and thoroughly dry them, and then roast at a high temperature until the outer leaves are starting to blacken. Moisture is the enemy of crispiness.
For best results, soak your Brussels sprouts in salt water. Not only does salt act to tenderize the dense sprouts, but it will also help to season them all the way through. It won't take a lot -- just add 1 tablespoon of salt per 1 quart of water and toss in trimmed and halved Brussels sprouts.
They are one of my favorite veggies in the whole wide world! When overcooked, Brussels sprouts turn mushy and release excess sulphur (the thing that makes cabbage and Brussels sprouts smell like cabbage and Brussels sprouts)—not good eats.
A slow-growing, long-bearing crop, Brussels sprouts should be planted in early spring, or mid- to late summer for a crop that matures in the fall. The small heads mature best in cool and even in light frosty weather. Spring planting is also fine in cooler climates.
Don't be shy with oil when roasting veggies. Stick with olive oil or grapeseed oil, but avocado, canola, or vegetable oil work fine too. Just make sure there's enough fat on the brussel sprouts (and the pan) to help them get crispy. A good rule of thumb is at least 1 Tbsp olive oil per pound of brussel sprouts.
The key to avoiding watery butternut squash is to roast it rather than steam it. Steaming butternut squash causes the vegetable to absorb more water and doesn't impart much flavor. Roasting the squash prevents this and caramelizes the vegetable's natural sugars, adding another layer of flavor to your dish.
Squashes behave very differently when cooked in the oven or on the stovetop. Generally, a squash that is roasted in the oven is going to have a much softer texture, one that can get mushy if mixed with other ingredients, but making it ideal for a purée, soup, or being mashed.
A good ½-inch thick disc is perfect, because it becomes tender in the oven, but doesn't turn to mush. If you prefer a more crisp-tender texture, I recommend slicing the rounds even thicker. The other key to avoiding mushy squash is just not over-cooking it.
When picked immature they are usually watery and poor in flavor. Flavor is also better after some cold weather, but remember they are not frost-hardy. Butternut should have lost all its green color and turned a distinct tan before being harvested and cured.
Introduction: My name is Chrissy Homenick, I am a tender, funny, determined, tender, glorious, fancy, enthusiastic person who loves writing and wants to share my knowledge and understanding with you.
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