A Healthy Side Dish For The Thanksgiving Table

Danielle grew up in the food world - specifically the Italian restaurant her grandparents owned in Syracuse, NY. She spent countless hours helping her grandmother in the restaurant, and annoying all of the cooks. Her studies at Syracuse University led her to a career in Advertising, but in 2009 she left the Ad world for culinary school at Newbury College. Shortly thereafter she joined the team at America’s Test Kitchen, first as a Photo Team Test Cook and then an Associate Editor for the Book Team. She contributed to 11 cookbooks including The How Can It Be Gluten Free Cookbook, The Quick Family Cookbook, and Foolproof Preserving. Danielle is now a freelance recipe developer and food writer who calls Brookline home. When not in the kitchen, she can be found running with November Project, hiking, dancing and, of course, eating to fuel all of that activity. But her favorite food is still pizza, the first thing her grandfather ever taught her to make.

November 15, 2018

Updated April 30, 2024

With all the decadence that’s served up at the Thanksgiving table (more sausage stuffing please!) it’s nice to have a side dish that tastes delicious and is also packed with some good nutrition. The ingredients may seem like a bit of an odd combination, but it really works. The delicata squash turns creamy while the Brussels sprouts get crispy, and the grapes add a hint of pleasant sweetness. Plus, you get your squash AND green vegetable out of the way in one easy side dish.

If you’re not familiar with Chinese five-spice powder, think of it as savory pumpkin pie spice. The warm spices pair particularly well with all the trimmings of a traditional Thanksgiving meal. Let this mingle on your plate with a spoonful of sweet-tart cranberry sauce to really push it over the top.

Holiday Spiced Roasted Vegetables
Serves 6

Note: This recipe can be doubled. Double all of the ingredients, place half onto a second large baking sheet and roast in the upper- and lower-middle positions in the oven, rotating sheets halfway through roasting.

Ingredients:

1 1/2 pounds Brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
1 1/2 pounds delicata squash, trimmed, halved lengthwise, seeded, and sliced 1/2-inch thick
12 ounces red grapes
1 shallot, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 teaspoon five-spice powder
1 teaspoon Kosher salt, plus extra for seasoning
Balsamic vinegar for seasoning
Ground black pepper for seasoning

Directions:

1. Heat oven to 400 degrees with rack in middle position. Combine all ingredients on a large sheet tray and toss to thoroughly coat in oil and seasonings. Roast until Brussels sprouts and squash are deeply browned, about 45 minutes. Use a rubber spatula to turn and stir the vegetables occasionally.
2. If serving this at Thanksgiving dinner, you can do step 1 up to 4 hours ahead of time. Set aside to cool, and refrigerate if desired (you don’t have to). Don’t cover if refrigerating. Return to oven for about 10 minutes to reheat before serving.
3. Transfer vegetables to a serving bowl, drizzle with balsamic vinegar and season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

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A Healthy Side Dish For The Thanksgiving Table

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