Name: Honey Balsamic Roasted Acorn Squash and Brussels Sprouts
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Ingredients: 1 medium acorn squash; 12 small Brussels sprouts; 2 tbsp olive oil, (extra virgin); 2 tbsp honey; 1 tbsp Balsamic vinegar; 1/2 cup fresh cranberries; salt and pepper to taste

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This honey balsamic roasted acorn squash makes a tasty, colourful side dish for any special dinner. Takes less than 30 minutes to make. Great for holiday meals!

Comforting. Cozy. Warm and delicious! This side dish of Honey Balsamic Roasted Acorn Squash and Brussels Sprouts was part of our otherwise lackluster Tuesday night dinner, but it certainly could have been the star of a holiday dinner, too.

For being such a straightforward side, this vegetarian dish has amazing contrasts in flavour! And who can resist those colours, even if they just are squash and sprouts!

This recipe features a slightly sweet but tangy honey-balsamic glaze, creamy squash and tender roasted Brussels sprouts. Those roasted cranberries look like little jewels on top and add an element of surprise--always important in a recipe, in my opinion.

Honey balsamic roasted acorn squash with Brussels Sprouts and roasted cranberries.

I love recipes that feature butternut squash, like this Maple Dijon Roasted Butternut Squash and Butternut Squash Salad with Cranberries and Feta.

Serving different squash varieties is fun, too. Acorn squash slices have such beautiful shapes. Adding them to any side dish makes it more appealing. Try these tasty Garlic Parmesan-Crusted Roasted Acorn Squash slices, too!

🛒 Ingredients

Before we get to the full recipe for this roasted acorn squash with honey balsamic glaze, here are a few notes about the ingredients.

acorn squash: one medium squash for four servings
Brussels sprouts: choose the small ones so they'll cook at the same rate as the squash. If you have large sprouts, cut them in half.
extra virgin olive oil: to toss the veggies in before roasting
honey: adds a slightly sweet note to this dish
balsamic vinegar: adds rich, complex flavour
fresh cranberries: add a beautiful pop of colour and flavour
salt and pepper to taste

Half moon slices of acorn squash on a baking pan, ready to go into the oven to make roasted acorn squash. — An easy way to cut acorn squash.

How to cut acorn squash

While cutting an acorn squash can sometimes be difficult, I have found the easiest (and safest) way).

Cut the squash in half lengthwise through the centre from tip to stem, remove the seeds, then cut the halves into slices about three-quarters of an inch thick. It's easier than trying to cut all the way through the squash to make complete rings.

🔪 Instructions

Four easy steps to make this side dish of roasted acorn squash with honey!

Cut the squash into half rings and remove the seeds.
Transfer to a large bowl with trimmed Brussels sprouts, toss with honey, balsamic vinegar and olive oil and arrange on a prepared baking sheet.
Roast for 15 - 20 minutes, turning squash over once mid-way through, until the vegetables are nicely glazed and fork tender.
Add cranberries during the last five minutes. They'll burst quite quickly and add a beautiful colour to your dish.

Half moon slices of acorn squash and Brussels Sprouts on a baking pan, tossed with a honey balsamic dressing, ready to make roasted acorn squash.

Storage and reheating instructions

Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge. To reheat, preheat the oven to 350°F. Spread squash out on a baking sheet and heat for 5 - 10 minutes or until heated through.

While it's hard to get overly excited about something as simple as honey balsamic roasted acorn squash, I really hope you'll try this recipe. Pin it to save this idea for your next holiday dinner, or do like I did and have it on a Tuesday night!

Honey Balsamic Roasted Acorn Squash with Brussels Sprouts and cranberries — Roasted acorn squash makes an ideal side dish for holiday dinners!

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