Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash with Dijon Vinaigrette

I am obsessed with this side dish.  It is one of the few things I went back for seconds on at Thanksgiving, and has become one of my go-to side dish recipes—particularly when I need to feed a big group.

The hands-on time is minimal, just prepping and chopping the veggies.  After that, you briefly toss in olive oil, season, and pop it in the oven.  The vinaigrette takes all of two minutes to put together, so this is a perfect dish to make when you need to focus on other things in the kitchen.

One of the best things about this dish is that you can easily make it ahead, and it warms up and travels well.  The flavors feel indulgent, but it’s still really healthy…which was one of the things we needed this Thanksgiving.  I looked at our family’s Thanksgiving dish list and realized there were no green vegetables (no, green bean casserole doesn’t count!).  So I whipped this bad boy up, and it got rave reviews.

You can also easily increase or decrease the amounts to feed only a few people or a horde.  Basically, this is the perfect side dish and you need it in your life right this minute.

Preheat the oven to 450 F.  Line your baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.

Peel and dice your butternut squash into bite-size pieces (if you’re not sure how to do that easily, I have a handy guide).  Trim the stems off your brussels sprouts, then cut in half.  If they’re bigger, cut into quarters.  I keep the leaves when I can, but you’ll need to keep a close eye on them when they’re roasting, as they’ll be done in about 5 minutes (and they’re disgusting if they burn).

In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash chunks and halved brussels sprouts with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Use your hands to make sure they get coated evenly.  Then spread the vegetables out evenly onto the baking sheet—I recommend putting the brussels sprouts cut-side down so they caramelize better this way.  Also, make sure everything is nicely spread out and has some room to breathe.  If the pan is really crowded, split it into two pans, or else everything will just get soggy instead of roasting nicely.

Roast the veggies for 20 to 30 minutes.  Keep an eye on any brussels sprout leaves that may have made their way in, because they’ll get crispy and burnt after about 5-10 minutes (if this is the case, pull them off the sheet early).  Exact roasting time will depend on the size of your vegetable pieces and your oven.  Every 10 minutes or so, gently stir the veggies around with a spatula to make sure they roast and caramelize evenly.

In the last 5 minutes of baking time, toss the dried cranberries in there and stir everything around.

 

Once the vegetables are out of the oven, make the 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.

Put the roasted vegetables in a large serving bowl or platter and pour on the Dijon vinaigrette.  Toss the vegetables gently until they are lightly dressed, and serve.  You can serve warm, lukewarm, or cold.

Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash with Dijon Vinaigrette

This makes just enough for a light dressing, so if you increase the quantity of vegetables make sure you increase the dressing proportionally

• 1 lb of butternut squash, peeled and cut into 3/4-inch chunks
• 1 lb of brussels sprouts, stems trimmed and sliced lengthwise in half (or quarters, if they’re fairly large)
• 2 tablespoons of extra-virgin olive oil
• 3/4 teaspoon of kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 1/4 cup of dried cranberries

Dijon Vinaigrette:

• 2 teaspoons of Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon of rice wine vinegar (or rice vinegar)
• 2 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil
• Two pinches of kosher salt
• Freshly ground black pepper

1. Preheat the oven to 450 F. Line a baking sheet with foil for easy cleanup.
2. In a large bowl, toss the butternut squash chunks and halved brussels sprouts with the 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt and pepper.  Use your hands to make sure they get coated evenly.  Then spread the vegetables out evenly onto the baking sheet—I recommend putting the brussels sprouts cut side down so they caramelize better this way.  Also, make sure everything is nicely spread out and has some room to breathe.  If the pan is really crowded, split it into two pans, or else everything will just get soggy instead of roasting nicely.
3. Roast the veggies for 20 to 30 minutes.  Keep an eye on any brussels sprout leaves that may have made their way in, because they’ll get crispy and burnt after about 5-10 minutes (if this is the case, pull them off the sheet early).  Exact roasting time will depend on the size of your vegetable pieces and your oven.  Every 10 minutes or so, gently stir the veggies around with a spatula to make sure they roast and caramelize evenly.
4. In the last 5 minutes of baking time, toss the dried cranberries in there and stir everything around.
5. Once the vegetables are out of the oven, make the 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.
6. Put the roasted vegetables in a large serving bowl or platter and pour on the Dijon vinaigrette.  Toss the vegetables gently until they are lightly dressed, and serve.  You can serve warm, lukewarm, or cold.

Pro 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 an oven at 350 F for 10-15 minutes just before serving) and wait to toss them with the dressing until just before serving.

Original recipe from A Beautiful Plate