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    Home » Sides » Butternut Squash and Cranberries with Balsamic Glaze

    Butternut Squash and Cranberries with Balsamic Glaze

    Nov 3, 2023 · by Valentina · 13 Comments

    This post may contain affiliate links.

    Jump to Recipe

    In this fall recipe, Butternut Squash and Cranberries are roasted in a honey-balsamic glaze with rosemary and sage. The variations you can make with this recipe are endless, and it's a fantastic Thanksgiving side dish that’s lovely for the whole holiday season.

    Ceramic black serving bowl with roasted orange squash and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

    This beautiful dish is like fall on a sheet pan.

    Butternut squash and cranberries are the stars of this festive fall dish, but you can use essentially any winter squash and/or root vegetable you want. And any combination thereof.

    The Ingredients

    fresh procuce, including pumpkin, carrot, apple, sweet potato, Kabocha squash, parsnip and butternut squashAbove: Pumpkin, Kabocha squash, carrots, parsnips, butternut squash, pear, apple, orange, persimmon and sweet potato. The recipe here includes butternut squash and cranberries with onion, garlic cloves and carrots -- however, everything pictured can work in variations of the recipe. (See Substitutions and Variations below.)

    • Butternut squash - Try to select a firm squash that's heavy for its size, with an intact stem and smooth, dull skin.
    • carrots - Look for firm, plump carrots, preferably without little roots on the bottom.
    • onion - Choose onions that are firm, heavy for their size and without bruises.
    • garlic - Look for firm heads of garlic without any soft spots or green shoots, which are an indication it's old and likely bitter.
    • fresh cranberries - During the fall and winter seasons, fresh cranberries should be available in the produce section of most markets. If it's off season, they'll be in the freezer section.
    • fresh sage and rosemary - Fresh herbs should be perky without brown or yellow areas.
    • balsamic vinegar - Use your favorite.
    • honey
    • Dijon mustard - I use a smooth Dijon. If you want a very slight crunch, use whole grain Dijon.
    • extra virgin olive oil - I like this one.
    • salt
    • black pepper - Preferably freshly ground.

    Substitutions and Variations

    • Butternut squash. You can substitute butternut squash with sweet potatoes or any orange/winter squash like Acorn, Kabocha, Kuri, Delicata or Pumpkin -- or any combination thereof. (Cooking times will vary slightly.)
    • Carrots. Turnips and parsnips would also be delicious. I often use a variety of all three.
    • Fresh cranberries. Though this is a savory dish, butternut squash and cranberries make a delicious sweet-tart combination. You can substitute fresh cranberries with dried cranberries if you'd like. (Add them when you add the glaze to the squash.)
    • Rosemary and sage. You can substitute rosemary and/or the sage with thyme or oregano.
    • Spicy version. Add ⅛ teaspoon Cayenne pepper to the glaze.
    • Various fall and winter fruits go really well with the squash, carrots and cranberries, like apples, pears or Fuyu persimmons. Cut them into bite-sized pieces and add them to the sheet pan at the beginning of the roasting time.
    • To add a bit of zip, squeeze an orange over the squash when you add the glaze.
    • Skip the honey if you'd like to keep it a bit less sweet.

    Recipe Tips

    • If you use frozen cranberries, thaw them before adding them to the recipe.
    • When mixing the glaze, if you notice the honey isn't incorporating because it's too thick, warm it for a few seconds in a microwave. This way the glaze will coat the squash evenly.
    • If you prefer smaller pieces of garlic, you can mince it, but add it after the first 20 minutes with the glaze. (The tiny pieces might burn if they're added earlier.)
    • If you know your oven doesn't heat evenly, turn the sheet pan every 10 minutes or so.
    • If you are doubling the recipe, use two sheet pans. If you crowd too much on one pan, you won't get the caramelization we're going for.

    How to Make it

    - Preheat the oven to 475°F and adjust a rack to the center.

    - Peel and cut the butternut squash, carrots and onions into bite-sized pieces.

    Half of a butternut squash being peeled with a Chef's knife on a cutting boars.
    Butternut squash cut into bite-sized pieces with a Chef's knife on a wood cutting board.

    - Smash and peel, and cut the root ends off of the garlic cloves.

    Smashed garlic cloves on a dark wood cutting board with a paring knife.

    - Add the squash, carrots, onions, cranberries and garlic to a sheet pan.

    Sheet pan with raw chopped orange squash, onions, carrots and cranberries with fresh herbs.

    - Toss with just enough olive oil to coat them. Sprinkle with the rosemary, sage and a pinch salt and pepper. Toss again and spread the ingredients into a single layer.

    Sheet pan with raw mixed and chopped orange squash, onions, carrots and cranberries with fresh herbs.

    - Place the pan in the preheated 475°F oven and roast for 20 minutes. At this point it should be sizzling and just starting to caramelize.

    - While the squash is roasting, in a small bowl, whisk the balsamic vinegar with the Dijon, honey and olive oil.

    - Remove the pan from the oven after the 20 minutes and drizzle all but about 1 tablespoon of the glaze over all of the ingredients. Use a flat-edged spatula to mix them.

    Sheet pan with roasted orange squash, onions, carrots and cranberries with fresh herbs and a metal spatula.

    - Return the pan to the oven and roast until everything is nicely caramelized, about another 20 minutes.

    Sheet pan with roasted orange squash, onions, carrots and cranberries with fresh herbs.

    - Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of the glaze and season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary.

    Serving Suggestions

    • This side dish is great with roasted chicken. My two favorites to serve with it are Apple-Bacon Roasted Chicken and Blackberry Butter Roasted Chicken.
    • Butternut squash and cranberries is an excellent Thanksgiving dish. Just imagine a bite of it mixed with Bacon Roasted Thanksgiving Turkey on your fork!
    • If you let the dish cool to room temperature, it can turn into a fabulous hearty winter salad. Just add lettuce (Butter lettuce is perfect), or fresh spinach leaves. The balsamic glaze will become the dressing. And add crushed pecans on top for a little crunch.
    Close up of ceramic black serving bowl with roasted orange squash and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

    More Winter Squash Recipes

    • Red Kuri Squash Soup
    • Stuffed Honeynut Squash
    • Roasted Butternut Squash Chili
    • Chicken Butternut Squash Lasagna
    • Spinach-Sausage Stuffed Spaghetti Squash
    • Butternut Squash Pie with Nut Crust

    Can you make it ahead?

    • The glaze can be made a couple of days ahead of time. (Keep it at room temperature.)
    • If you’re making it for a holiday gathering (or dinner any time), the entire dish can be made a day ahead. (Just heat it through in a 375°F oven before serving.)

    I hope you love this recipe as much as my family and I do!

    Ceramic black serving bowl with roasted orange squash and a sprig of fresh rosemary.

    Butternut Squash and Cranberries Recipe

    Valentina K. Wein
    In this fall recipe, Butternut Squash and Cranberries are roasted in a honey-balsamic glaze with rosemary and sage. It's a fantastic thanksgiving side dish that’s lovely for the whole holiday season.
    5 from 4 votes
    Print
    Prep Time 20 minutes mins
    Cook Time 40 minutes mins
    Total Time 1 hour hr
    Course Side Dish
    Cuisine American
    Servings 4
    Calories 216 kcal

    Equipment

    • sheet pan
    • flat-edged metal spatula
    • small whisk

    Ingredients
     
     

    • olive oil
    • 2 pounds Butternut squash* peeled, seeded and cut into bite-sized pieces
    • ½ pound carrots, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
    • 1 cup yellow onion, cut into a large dice
    • ¾ cup fresh cranberries
    • 6 medium-sized garlic cloves, peeled and smashed with root ends trimmed
    • 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, washed and dried, finely chopped
    • 1 tablespoon fresh sage, washed and dried, finely chopped
    • salt and freshly ground black pepper

    For the glaze

    • 2½ tablespoons balsamic vinegar
    • 1 tablespoon honey
    • 2 teaspoons Dion mustard
    • 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil

    Instructions
     

    • Set oven. Preheat the oven to 475°F and adjust a rack to the center.
    • Prep the ingredients. Add the squash, carrots, onions, cranberries and garlic to a sheet pan. Toss with just enough olive oil to coat all of the ingredients. Sprinkle with the rosemary, sage and a pinch salt and pepper. Toss again and then arrange everything in as close to a single layer as possible.
    • Begin roasting. Place the pan in the preheated 475°F oven and roast for 20 minutes. At this point it should be sizzling and just starting to caramelize.
    • Make the glaze. While the squash is roasting, in a small bowl, whisk the balsamic vinegar with the Dijon, honey and olive oil. (If your honey is especially thick, warm it for a few seconds in a microwave so it blends in easily.)
    • Add glaze and continue roasting. Remove the pan from the oven after the 20 minutes and drizzle all but about 1 tablespoon of the glaze over all of the ingredients. Use a flat-edged spatula to mix them. Return the pan to the oven and roast until everything is very nicely caramelized, about another 20 minutes.
      Drizzle with the remaining tablespoon of the glaze and season to taste with salt and pepper if necessary. (Here's How to Season to Taste.)
    • Serve!

    NOTES

    Nutritional information is only an estimate.

    NUTRITION

    Calories: 216kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 4g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 54mg | Potassium: 1095mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 16g | Vitamin A: 33638IU | Vitamin C: 58mg | Calcium: 164mg | Iron: 2mg
    Keywords great for Thanksgiving, vegetarian Thanksgiving recipes
    Have you tried this recipe?I'd love to see it on Instagram! Tag me at @cookingontheweekends or leave a comment & rating below.

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    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. arj

      November 23, 2018 at 12:20 am

      5 stars
      I made this for Thanksgiving as my main vegetarian option, and enjoyed it with all the traditional sides (rest of family had turkey and enjoyed this as a side). I regretfully ignored the advice to spread out the veggies and roast on sheet pan and instead did it in a casserole dish and regretted that the veggies didn't get that full roastyness (more steamed than roasted). The fall flavors were fantastic. Today I'm going to puree this with veg stock and see how it holds up as a soup. It was a bit fussy cutting up all the hard squashes, so I think next time I will go for the pre-cubed squashes you can buy in the deli or freezer section. Thank you for a very unique recipe!

      Reply
      • Valentina

        November 24, 2018 at 8:24 am

        I'm so happy this was a hit. Thanks so much for writing in. I'm sure it'll make for a delicious soup. ~Valentina

        Reply
    2. valentina

      November 23, 2018 at 12:49 pm

      Thanks so much for sharing! I'm so happy it was a hit! And puréeing the leftovers for a soup is a fabulous idea! I'll have to try that next time too. Hope you had a wonderful Thanksgiving!~ Valentina

      Reply
    3. Eha

      October 15, 2021 at 4:51 pm

      It may be spring here and we may not have Thanksgiving or Halloween but I do love the sound if this recipe ! It may be difficult to access fresh cranberries as these are not a common fruit here . . . but we'll give it a go . . . would love to taste this in 'real' life !!!

      Reply
      • valentina

        October 17, 2021 at 6:34 pm

        Hi Eha. You can try this with dried cranberries, too. I hope you do try it "in real life." Enjoy! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    4. Mimi Rippee

      November 05, 2023 at 9:37 am

      This is fabulous!!! Perfect for Thanksgiving. And winter!

      Reply
      • Valentina

        November 06, 2023 at 1:24 pm

        Thanks, Mimi. Hope you love it! 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    5. Marissa

      November 05, 2023 at 10:11 am

      5 stars
      What a festive and delicious vegetable dish for the fall! Perfect for the Thanksgiving table too!

      Reply
      • Valentina

        November 06, 2023 at 1:25 pm

        Thanks, Marissa. This one will be on our Thanksgiving table. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    6. Monique Morin

      November 05, 2023 at 6:05 pm

      5 stars
      This was so delicious! My family loved the combination of flavors so much and insisted that I keep this recipe in our favorites category. I will definitely make this again!
      Thank you!

      Reply
      • Valentina

        November 06, 2023 at 1:23 pm

        Hi Monique. Thanks for writing in, and I'm so happy you liked this recipe! So awesome that your family collectively has a "favorites" category of recipes. I love that. 🙂 ~Valentina

        Reply
    7. David Scott Allen

      November 08, 2023 at 7:07 am

      This is like a jewel box — so beautiful! And I love it with the vinaigrette — maybe I could get Mark to try this even though it has fruit and honey!

      Reply
    8. Kristy Murray

      November 08, 2023 at 2:19 pm

      5 stars
      I cannot think of a better dish for Thanksgiving than this recipe. It looks and sounds absolutely fabulous. I definitely want to have this on my table this year.

      Reply

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    Hi, I'm Valentina, certified chef, owner, recipe developer and photographer at Cooking on the Weekends. I'm also a mom of two boys and a Los Angeleno. I use seasonal whole foods to create unique and comforting recipes for casual entertaining.

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