Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Cranberries

Cranberries cozy up next to Brussels sprouts in this tangy side dish the whole family will love!

Nothing sings the song of the fall season to me like cranberries do. As it turns out, there’s a reason for that. These tart little rubies don’t ripen until the fall. And that, friends, is why they landed on Thanksgiving dinner tables throughout the U.S. in the first place (even if they are typically a little less “farm to table” nowadays).

I love cranberries, so I usually have a bag of the dried variety in my pantry to add to trail mixes, cookies, and the like. But the other day, I got to thinking, why do I only use dried cranberries in sweet dishes? The turkey and cranberry sauce combo is one of my all-time favorite flavor profiles, so it was time to do some experimenting.

This roasted Brussels sprouts recipe is a fine example of what can happen when you combine dried cranberries with a savory dish. This side includes dried cranberries in the final part of the roast, which accentuates the sweetness in the berries. The Brussels sprouts are roasted until they reach the perfect, caramelized texture, and the cranberries are the ultimate complement.

Are Roasted Brussels Sprouts With Cranberries Healthy?

The star of this recipe is Brussels sprouts, and you can’t get much healthier than that. This hearty cruciferous vegetable is packed with vitamins C and K, as well as potassium, iron, and fiber, while also being low in fat, calories, and carbs. Plus, the cranberries bring more to this recipe than a burst of flavor, as they also add some antioxidants. The olive oil provides healthy fats. All in all, this recipe makes the perfect healthy side dish to a main protein.

This dish is vegan, gluten-free, and relatively low-carb, too, which means lots of folks with different dietary needs can enjoy it.

Fun With Flavors

Unless we’re talking about floury baked goods, recipes aren’t meant to be rigid rules. They’re more like guidelines—especially when it comes to roasted vegetables. This recipe makes a bold move by adding dried cranberries to the pan, but there’s always something else to add that could really “tie the room together,” like the rug in The Big Lebowski. Here are a few good ideas.

• Feta cheese. Add some crumbled feta cheese a few minutes before the end of the roasting time for a zingy pop.
• Walnuts or pecans. Add a little extra protein! Toast chopped walnuts or pecans separately in a skillet, then add them to the finished pan of roasted Brussels sprouts and cranberries. Toss to combine.
• Crushed red pepper. For a spicy kick, add up to a teaspoon of crushed red pepper flakes to the oil before you toss the Brussels sprouts.
• A few squeezes of lemon juice. A little citrus on the finished pan will bring out the tangy notes of the cranberries and accentuate the sweet-and-savory qualities of roasted Brussels sprouts.
• Crumbled bacon. If you read my posts often, you might start to think I put crumbled bacon on everything. Well, that’s mostly correct, and this dish is no exception. Brussels sprouts are amazing with a little smoked bacon flavor, and the bacon will perfectly complement the cranberries, too.

Serving Suggestions

Brussels sprouts with cranberries make a great side dish at festive winter gatherings. If you’re planning on entertaining a crowd and need other sides to serve alongside this recipe, there are so many options! You can never go wrong with The Best Mashed Potatoes as a complementary side, along with a classic Roasted Chicken or even a fish dish like Baked Honey Cajun Salmon for a main course.

This dish is also incredible with the usual Thanksgiving side of Stuffing. Depending on the dietary restrictions of your guests, you can try these healthy stuffing options, like this Harvest Dairy Free Simple Vegan Stuffing or this Easy Gluten-Free Stuffing.

Recipe