Butternut Squash Pasta Salad with Brussels Sprouts, Pecans, and Cranberries

Step 1

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 2

In a medium bowl, combine halved Brussels sprouts, 2 tablespoons of olive oil, salt (to taste), and toss to combine.

Step 3

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).

Step 4

Preheat oven to 400 F. Line the baking sheet with parchment paper.

Step 5

In a medium bowl, combine cubed butternut squash (peeled and seeded),1 tablespoon of olive oil, maple syrup, and cinnamon, and toss to mix.

Step 6

Place butternut squash in a single layer on the baking sheet. Roast for 20-25 minutes, until softened.

Step 7

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.

Step 8

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.

Step 9

Toast the pecans for about 5 minutes (maybe a bit longer) in the preheated oven at 350 F until they get darker in color.

Step 10

Note: pecans burn really fast, so make sure to check the nuts after 5 minutes and frequently afterwords.

Step 11

In a large bowl, combine roasted Brussels sprouts, roasted butternut squash, cooked and drained pasta, pecans, and cranberries, and mix to combine.

Step 12

There are 3 salad dressing options that you can drizzle over this butternut squash salad:

Step 13

Option 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.

Step 14

Option Combine 3 or 4 tablespoons of balsamic vinegar and 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a small bowl and whisk to emulsify.

Step 15

Option 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.

Step 16

Option Your favorite store-bought Balsamic Vinaigrette dressing. Or Pomegranate Vinaigrette or dressing.