🥦 Roasted Brussels Sprouts & Butternut Squash with Bacon, Cranberries & Feta

A fantastic sweet-savory side dish: crispy Brussels sprouts, caramelized butternut squash, smoky bacon, tart cranberries, and creamy feta. It’s especially good for holidays but easy enough for a weeknight dinner.

Serves: 6
Prep time: 20 minutes
Roasting: 30–40 minutes
Oven: 425°F / 220°C

Ingredients

Vegetables

  • 1½ lb (680 g) Brussels sprouts
  • 1½ lb (680 g) butternut squash, peeled and cut into ¾-inch cubes
  • ½ medium red onion, cut into wedges — optional
  • 3 cloves garlic, finely minced

Bacon

  • 6–8 slices bacon, chopped into small pieces

Seasoning

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 tsp salt
  • ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • ½ tsp smoked paprika
  • ½ tsp dried thyme
  • ¼ tsp garlic powder
  • ¼ tsp chili flakes — optional

Finishing ingredients

  • ⅓ cup dried cranberries
  • ⅓–½ cup crumbled feta cheese
  • 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
  • 1 tbsp toasted pumpkin seeds or pecans — optional

Optional honey-balsamic glaze

  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

1. Prepare the Brussels sprouts

Trim the tough ends from the Brussels sprouts.

Remove any damaged outer leaves.

Cut each Brussels sprout in half.

For very large Brussels sprouts, cut them into quarters.

Important: Try to keep the pieces approximately the same size so they roast evenly.

2. Prepare the butternut squash

Peel the squash and remove the seeds.

Cut it into approximately ¾-inch cubes.

Don’t cut the squash too small because it can become soft before the Brussels sprouts become crispy.

You can also buy pre-cut butternut squash to save time.

3. Prepare the bacon

Chop the bacon into approximately ½-inch pieces.

You have two options:

Easy method

Put the raw chopped bacon directly onto the roasting pan with the vegetables.

Extra-crispy method

Cook the bacon in a skillet over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, until partially crisp.

Drain briefly on paper towels.

I prefer the second method because it gives you very crispy bacon without overcooking the vegetables.

4. Season the vegetables

Place the Brussels sprouts and butternut squash in a large bowl.

Add:

  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • salt
  • black pepper
  • smoked paprika
  • thyme
  • garlic powder
  • chili flakes

Toss thoroughly until everything is evenly coated.

Don’t add the garlic yet.

Fresh minced garlic can burn during a long roast. We’ll add it later.

5. Prepare the roasting pan

Preheat your oven to:

425°F / 220°C

Spread the Brussels sprouts and squash onto a large baking sheet.

Very important:

Keep everything in one single layer.

Don’t pile the vegetables on top of each other.

If the pan is crowded, use two baking sheets.

Crowding causes the vegetables to steam rather than roast, which means you won’t get those delicious crispy edges.

6. Start roasting

Roast for approximately 15 minutes.

Remove the pan from the oven.

Give everything a good toss.

Add the minced garlic and partially cooked bacon.

Return the pan to the oven.

7. Finish roasting

Continue roasting for another 15–20 minutes.

The vegetables should be:

  • golden brown
  • caramelized
  • tender in the center
  • crispy around the edges

The Brussels sprouts should have some dark, roasted leaves.

The butternut squash should have caramelized edges while remaining intact rather than mushy.

8. Add the cranberries

Remove the pan from the oven.

Immediately sprinkle over:

⅓ cup dried cranberries

Toss gently.

I recommend adding the cranberries at the end rather than roasting them for the entire cooking time because they can become overly dry or burn.

9. Add feta

Transfer everything to a serving dish.

Sprinkle over:

  • ⅓–½ cup crumbled feta
  • chopped parsley
  • toasted pumpkin seeds or pecans, if using

Don’t mix aggressively after adding the feta. You want some nice pieces of white feta visible throughout the dish.

🍯 Optional Honey-Balsamic Glaze

This is my favorite finishing touch.

In a small bowl, whisk together:

  • 1 tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 1 tbsp honey or maple syrup
  • 1 tsp Dijon mustard

Drizzle lightly over the roasted vegetables.

Don’t use too much. The cranberries and butternut squash are already naturally sweet.

The glaze gives you a beautiful balance of:

sweet + tangy + salty + smoky + creamy.

⭐ How to Make It Extra Crispy

1. Dry the vegetables well

If you wash the Brussels sprouts, dry them thoroughly.

2. Use a large pan

Give the vegetables plenty of room.

3. Put Brussels sprouts cut-side down

When arranging them on the pan, place many of the Brussels sprouts cut-side down. They’ll develop a beautiful browned crust.

4. Don’t over-oil

Too much oil can make the vegetables greasy rather than crispy.

5. Roast at high heat

425°F / 220°C gives excellent caramelization.

6. Don’t add feta before roasting

Feta can dry out and lose its creamy texture.

7. Add cranberries at the end

This keeps them soft and pleasantly chewy.

🥗 Make It a Complete Meal

You can turn this side dish into a full meal by adding:

  • grilled chicken
  • roasted turkey
  • salmon
  • crispy chickpeas
  • quinoa
  • farro

For a vegetarian version, simply leave out the bacon and add smoked paprika + toasted pecans for extra smoky flavor and crunch.

Flavor combination

Brussels sprouts: earthy + slightly bitter
Butternut squash: sweet + caramelized
Bacon: smoky + salty
Cranberries: sweet + tart
Feta: creamy + salty
Balsamic glaze: tangy + slightly sweet

That combination is what makes this dish so addictive.