Description
A vibrant winter vegetable salad featuring roasted Brussels sprouts, butternut squash, cooked beets, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries, dressed with a choice of maple-lime dressing or balsamic glaze. Perfect as a festive side dish for holiday meals.
Ingredients
Scale
Roasted Brussels Sprouts
- 3 cups Brussels sprouts (raw, ends trimmed, yellow leaves removed)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
Roasted Butternut Squash
- 4 cups butternut squash (uncooked, peeled, seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes)
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- salt to taste
Other Salad Ingredients
- 2 large beets (pre-cooked at least 1 day in advance)
- 2 cups pecan halves
- 1 cup dried cranberries
Balsamic Glaze
- 1 cup balsamic vinegar
- ¼ cup honey or brown sugar
Maple-Lime Dressing
- 4 tablespoons maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lime juice (add 1 more tablespoon to taste)
Instructions
- Roast Brussels Sprouts: Preheat the oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Trim and halve the Brussels sprouts, then toss them with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt to taste. Arrange cut side down on the baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once during the last 10 minutes to ensure even browning and partial charring without burning.
- Roast Butternut Squash: Preheat oven to 375 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Toss cubed butternut squash with 2 tablespoons olive oil and salt. Spread in a single layer on the baking sheet and roast for 20-25 minutes, turning once halfway through until softened.
- Cook Beets: Place whole beets in a medium saucepan with water. Bring to a boil, then simmer uncovered or half-covered for 30-40 minutes until tender. Remove and cool completely, then peel and dice into small cubes. It is recommended to cook beets at least one day in advance to avoid color bleeding.
- Toast Pecans: Preheat oven to 350 F and line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Spread pecans evenly and toast them for 5-10 minutes until darker in color, checking frequently to prevent burning.
- Assemble Salad: In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, toasted pecans, and dried cranberries. Add the diced cooked beets last to avoid coloring the entire salad.
- Prepare Maple-Lime Dressing (Optional): Mix 3-4 tablespoons maple syrup with 1-2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lime juice to taste. Toss the salad ingredients (except beets) with this dressing and then add beets on top or drizzle dressing over the assembled salad.
- Prepare Balsamic Glaze (Optional): In a medium pan, combine 1 cup balsamic vinegar and ¼ cup honey or brown sugar. Cook over medium heat, stirring regularly until the mixture reduces by half and thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Drizzle glaze over salad without mixing. Use white balsamic vinegar to preserve color and add glaze just before serving if making ahead.
Notes
- Use white balsamic vinegar for the glaze to maintain the salad’s vibrant colors instead of darkening it.
- You can substitute high-quality aged Italian balsamic vinegar without reduction, using it sparingly as a drizzle.
- Another alternative dressing is to whisk together ¼ cup balsamic vinegar with 2 tablespoons olive oil and drizzle over the salad.
- To prevent pecans from burning when toasting, check them frequently after 5 minutes.
- Cooking beets a day in advance helps prevent their color from bleeding onto the salad.
- Roast Brussels sprouts and butternut squash simultaneously on separate baking sheets on the same oven rack to save time.
- The salad works wonderfully as a festive side dish for Thanksgiving, Christmas, and New Year’s Eve meals.
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 serving
- Calories: 250 kcal
- Sugar: 15 g
- Sodium: 150 mg
- Fat: 16 g
- Saturated Fat: 2 g
- Unsaturated Fat: 14 g
- Trans Fat: 0 g
- Carbohydrates: 24 g
- Fiber: 6 g
- Protein: 4 g
- Cholesterol: 0 mg
