These easy bacon cranberry Brussels sprouts and butternut squash veggies are tossed with tasty toppings and herbs. Serve this as a delicious roasted vegetable Thanksgiving side dish with quick, scrumptious toppings that will make it pop with flavor and texture.
The real super tasty finishing touch is that chopped crispy bacon we’ll toss in at the end when we’re done roasting everything up. I used thick cut applewood smoked bacon that I crisped up in the skillet and then cooled and chopped. My mouth literally waters just typing about it…
A Simple Sheet Pan Roasted Vegetable Thanksgiving Side Dish
When you roast the brussels sprouts and golden butternut squash in the oven, it releases sweetness and concentrates the flavors. That alone transforms the veggies into delicious and cozy bites. Adding these quick toppings makes them even more special, and it’s so easy to do.
Easy Cranberry Bacon Brussels Sprouts And Butternut Squash Side Dish
Dried cranberries add a touch of fruity sweet/tart flavor while pumpkin seeds bring in a little crunch, along with the bacon. They also add pops of color and create the perfect finishing touch for these easy bacon cranberry Brussels sprouts and butternut squash veggies. Let’s turn up the oven and roast ’em up!
How To Make Butternut Squash In The Oven
To cook your butternut squash in the oven, pre-heat your oven to 400 degrees F and prep your veggies for roasting while the oven warms up. Toss your peeled, seeded, and cubed butternut squash on a sheet pan with salt, pepper, and a drizzling of olive oil.
On a second sheet pan, toss together your trimmed Brussels sprouts in salt, pepper, and olive oil. I will place them both in a 400F degree oven at the same time, but I tend to keep them on separate sheet pans.
In my experience, I find that one is almost always done roasting sooner than the other. This gives you a little more control so that nothing is undercooked or overcooked.
Place both the butternut squash sheet pan and the Brussels sprout sheet pan in a 400 degree oven to roast.
Later on, we’ll toss everything together for serving. I like to put the veggies on separate sheets because the Brussels sprouts tend to cook up a tad sooner than the butternut squash. I can just remove the sprouts as they are finished cooking and leave the squash if it needs more time.
Remove Brussels sprouts when browned and soft on the outside (but with a little firm bite still on the inside). Toss these once throughout the cooking time so they can brown evenly and cook, about 20 to 25 minutes.
Remove butternut squash from the oven when tender and fork easily pierces the flesh. Toss them once in between so they get a little browned in different spots, about 30 minutes.
crisp some bacon in a skillet
While the vegetables roast, brown your bacon. I used a tasty thick-cut applewood smoky bacon that paired perfectly as a topping in these easy roasted veggies.
In a skillet, brown your sliced bacon until crisp and dark in color. Transfer to a plate with paper towels and let cool completely then chop into small pieces. Set aside.
add Toppings to roasted brussels sprouts + Squash
Now, for the tastiest finishing touches! That crisp chopped sweet and smoky bacon alone adds a big hit of mouthwatering flavor to the roasted veggies… A sprinkling of dried cranberries add perfect sweetness and ‘Pepitas’ add nice texture and a bit of crunch.
what are Pepitas?
When you buy a package of ‘Pepitas’ from the nuts and seeds section of the grocery store, you are basically getting roasted pumpkin seeds. They are the shell-free thin-skinned variety of green pumpkin seeds, as pictured above. These seeds only grow in certain varieties of pumpkins and do not grow with an outer shell. They do not require shelling as they basically form inside the pumpkin in the plain from you see above. They are lightly roasted and used in everything from salads, to granola, to easy recipes like the one we’re making now!
Serve Brussels Sprouts and Butternut Squash As A Delicious Thanksgiving Side Dish
Remove the cooked squash and Brussels sprouts from the oven. Let cool for 5 to 10 minutes and then, while still warm, combine them all onto one sheet or platter. Top everything off with the chopped crispy bacon, chopped dried cranberries, and pepitas/pumpkin seeds for delicious color and crunch.
I could honestly just eat this stuff out of a bowl by itself, but it makes a great Thanksgiving or holiday recipe side dish. It would be perfect alongside some roasted chicken or served up high with some roasted turkey and wild rice.
If you love autumn and holiday-inspired roasted recipes, you absolutely must check out these easy roasted beets and sweet potatoes with a zingy pomegranate drizzle…
I like to finish everything off with a dusting of minced parsley or fresh herbs like thyme, oregano, or rosemary. They too add pops of fresh herb flavor, but they also dress everything up with a bright pop of green.
Make these easy bacon cranberry brussels sprouts and butternut squash when you want some loaded veggies to complement your cozy holiday dinner. Use it as a quick, tasty, and elegant way to present sheet pan veggies for Thanksgiving dinner. They’re a little sweet, a little salty, and 100% scrumptious.
Bacon Cranberry Brussels Sprouts And Butternut Squash Thanksgiving Side Dish
Equipment
Ingredients
- 1 lb Bussels Spouts - Trimmed and cut in half
- 1 whole Butternut Squash - Peeled seeded and cubed
- 4 slices Bacon - I used thick cut applewood smoked bacon
- 1/4 cup Pepitas Pumpkin Seeds - the shell-free thin green variety
- 1/4 cup Dried Cranberries - chopped
- 1/2 tsp Coarse Sea Salt + Ground Pepper
- 3 tbsp Olive Oil
- Fresh Parsley or Thyme Sprigs - For garnish, if desired
Instructions
- Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees F. Arrange cubed butternut squash on a sheet pan and toss with pinches olive oil, salt, and ground pepper.
- Now arrange Brussels sprouts on a separate sheet pan and toss with olive oil, salt, and ground pepper. Remove Brussels sprouts when browned and soft on the outside but with a little firm bite still on the inside, tossing once throughout the cooking time so they can brown evenly cook, about 25 minutes.
- Remove butternut squash when tender and fork easily pierces flesh tossing them once in between, about 30 minutes.
- Brown the bacon slices in a skillet until crisp and dark in color. Transfer to a plate with paper towels to drain and let cool completely. Chop into small pieces and set aside.
- Remove the roasted butternut squash and Brussels sprouts from the oven and let cool for 5 minutes or so then combine them all onto one sheet or platter.
- Finish off by sprinkling on chopped crispy bacon, chopped dried cranberries and pepitas seeds for delicious color and crunch. Garnish with fresh parsley or sprigs of thyme, if desired. Serve immediately.
