Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries
Juliasalbum.com (submitted by Jamie)
Ingredients
- Roasted Brussels Sprouts:
- 12 oz Brussels sprouts ends trimmed yellow leaves removed, each sliced in half
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- ¼ teaspoon Salt to taste
- Roasted Butternut Squash:
- 1 lb butternut squash peeled seeded, and cubed into 1-inch cubes (I used butternut squash that was 7.5 inches long)
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 2 tablespoons maple syrup
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Other Ingredients:
- 8 oz pasta I used brown rice pasta so it is gluten-free
- 1 cup pecan halves
- ½ cup dried cranberries**
- 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar or glaze
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil optional
- Touch of dijon mustard optional
- Additional ideas:
- Add roasted red onion I roasted with the squash
- Pine nuts in place of pecans is a nice option.
Instructions
- How to roast Brussels Sprouts*
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine.
- Add Brussels sprouts cut sides down onto a parchment paper-lined baking sheet, and roast in the oven at 400 F for about 20-25 minutes. The cut sides should be nicely and partially charred but not blackened (see my photos).
- How to roast Butternut Squash
- Preheat oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.
- In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.
- Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until softened.
- Cook pasta
- While the veggies are roasted in the oven, bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add pasta and cook according to package instructions, usually about 10 or 12 minutes. Drain.
- How to toast pecans
- Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color.
- Assembly
- In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, cooked and drained pasta, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine.
- Salad dressing options
- There are 3 salad dressing options that you can drizzle over this butternut squash salad:
- Option 1. Drizzle the salad with balsamic glaze (store-purchased) or homemade. To make a balsamic glaze, combine 1 cup of balsamic vinegar + ¼ cup of honey or brown sugar and cook it down until reduced at least by half. Consistency should be thick enough to coat the back of the spoon but should not be overly thick.
- Option 2. Combine 3 or 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify.
- Option 3. Use 2 or 3 tablespoons of maple syrup as a salad dressing. Or, add 1 or 2 tablespoons of maple syrup to the previous 2 salad dressing options.
- Option 4. Your favorite store-bought Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. Or Pomegranate Vinaigrette or dressing.
Notes
(Recipe author note:) You can roast both Brussels sprouts and butternut squash on 2 separate baking sheets or on one large baking sheet at the same time, on the same rack in the oven – that’s what I did.
Note: pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterwords.
JAMIE'S NOTES:
*I cook brussels sprouts in Instant Pot or steam on stovetop mainly because I like them better, but any way works just fine.
**I'd hydrate the cranberries for a bit before adding.
When I make for myself, I just use a bit of balsamic for dressing, and didn't use oil in dressing or roasting to keep it lower in fat. I also add just a touch of dijon mustard. I actually liked it warm, too!
**I'd hydrate the cranberries for a bit before adding.
When I make for myself, I just use a bit of balsamic for dressing, and didn't use oil in dressing or roasting to keep it lower in fat. I also add just a touch of dijon mustard. I actually liked it warm, too!
No responses yet