A delicious and easy recipe for orange glazed brussel sprouts with butternut squash! Tossed with sweet, tangy sauce, cranberries, and crunchy pecans.
Recipe Science
- The salted water not only seasons the Brussels sprouts but also softens the pectin in their cell walls, allowing them to cook faster.
- A quick blanch in salted water tenderizes the Brussels sprouts, and sautéing them in olive oil adds a caramelized finish.
- An orange glaze adds a sweet-savory balance that enhances the earthy flavor of Brussels sprouts, creating a sticky coating.
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Featured Comment 8
“Yum, yum, and YUM! I just love this flavor combo!”—Rachel
Why It Works
This orange glazed Brussel sprouts recipe is a delightful mix of flavors and textures, perfect for the holidays. The Brussels sprouts are blanched in salted water, tenderizing their dense cores and preserving their bright green color. After blanching, they’re browned on the stovetop, allowing natural sugars to caramelize, creating that crave-worthy, crispy texture.
The orange glaze elevates this dish, infusing each vegetable with a honey-citrus sauce enhanced by warm spices. This glaze adds a beautiful sheen and balances the slight bitterness of the Brussels sprouts with a sweet and tangy depth. Combined with sweet squash, dried cranberries, and crunchy pecans, make it a delectable side dish, especially to serve with roast turkey for Thanksgiving.
Ingredients You’ll Need
- Brussels Sprouts: When raw, Brussels sprouts have a nutty, earthy flavor and a hint of bitterness. Trimming the sprouts and cutting them in half exposes more surface area of the vegetable to cook efficiently.
- Orange Glaze: A sweet and savory mix of melted butter, honey, orange zest, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, thyme, black pepper, and ground cinnamon.
- Butternut Squash: Pieces of sweet and earthy butternut squash balances the bitterness of the cruciferous sprouts.
- Oil: Fruity olive oil is used to saute the butternut squash and brown the sprouts on the stovetop.
- Seasoning: The vegetables are seasoned with salt and pepper to enhance the flavor.
- Fruit: Dried cranberries add a sweet, tangy, and delightfully chewy flavor to the dish.
- Nuts: Toasted pecans add crunch to the vegetable side dish.
See the recipe card below for all ingredients and measurements (US and metric).
Ingredient Substitutions
This orange-glazed Brussels sprouts recipe is easy to customize! Try these tasty options:
- Brussel Sprouts Swap: Frozen brussel sprouts can be used. Briefly blanch them in the salted water to defrost and tenderize.
- Squash Substitute: Instead of butternut squash, try smaller honeynut squash, sweet potato, or kabocha. The Brussels sprouts with roasted delicata squash are also delicious.
- Sweeteners: Try maple syrup, agave, or brown sugar for a molasses flavor.
- Oil: Instead of olive oil, use avocado oil, coconut oil, clarified butter, or ghee.
- Fruit: Add dried apples, cherries, apricots, or raisins.
- Nuts: Add sliced almonds, cashews, peanuts, or walnuts. Pepitas or roasted pumpkin seeds provide a wonderful crunch.
How to Make Orange Glazed Brussel Sprouts
Step 1: Make the Orange Glaze
Whisk together the melted butter, honey, orange zest, fresh orange juice, apple cider vinegar, thyme, black pepper, and ground cinnamon. This mixture forms an emulsion that balances acidity, sweetness, and warmth.
Set the glaze aside to add at the end, allowing the flavors to meld with the vegetables’ caramelized surface for maximum taste impact.
Step 2: Cook the Butternut Squash
In a large sauté pan, heat olive oil over medium heat. Cook the diced butternut squash in olive oil over medium heat. Add salt to season and draw out moisture. Stir and then spread in a single layer. Let the squash cook undisturbed for 5 minutes to develop a light browning.
Stir and redistribute, cooking another 5 minutes, then continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until fork-tender—about 15 minutes in total. Transfer the squash to a bowl and set the pan aside for the next step.
Experimentation is Encouraged: Learn how to cook butternut squash in five different ways.
Step 3: Blanch the Brussels Sprouts
Blanch the sprouts in salted water for about 5 minutes to tenderize their dense cores while retaining their vibrant color. Drain thoroughly, shaking off excess water to prevent steaming during sautéing, which helps achieve optimal browning.
Step 4: Brown the Brussels Sprouts
Heat a tablespoon of oil over medium heat in the same pan used for the butternut squash. Place the blanched Brussels sprouts cut side down and sear until browned, about 3 minutes on each side.
Experimentation is Encouraged: Try roasted Brussels sprouts using my sheet pan technique. The sprouts are tossed in water, covered, steamed, and then roasted in the oven.
Step 5: Add the Orange Glaze
Lower the heat to low and return the butternut squash to the pan. Pour in the orange glaze and stir gently to coat. The glaze coats the Brussels sprouts, enhancing their natural flavors with layers of citrus brightness, subtle sweetness, and aromatic spices.
Step 6: To Serve
Just before serving, stir in the cranberries and pecans for a burst of flavor and crunch.
Frequently Asked Questions
To prepare Brussels sprouts for cooking, trim the stems and remove any tough or discolored outer leaves. Then, halve or quarter the sprouts for even cooking, depending on their size.
Raw Brussels sprouts have dense layers of leaves, and cooking helps soften the vegetable’s texture. A quick dip in boiling salted water called blanching does two things. They become more tender, and the color changes. The salted water flavors the vegetable and weakens the pectin that holds the plants’ cell walls together. This is important because overcooked vegetables turn a dull olive-green color. So, the faster you cook the sprouts, the more vibrant green it will look. Brussels sprouts take about 5 to 6 minutes of blanching, depending on size.
Serve This With
If you tried this Orange Glazed Brussel Sprouts Recipe, please leave a 🌟 star rating and let me know how it went in the 📝 comments below!
Orange Glazed Brussel Sprouts
Ingredients
Orange Glaze
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, melted
- 2 tablespoons honey
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- 3 tablespoons orange juice
- 2 teaspoons apple cider vinegar
- ½ teaspoon chopped thyme
- ¼ teaspoon black pepper
- ⅛ teaspoon ground cinnamon
Brussels Sprouts
- 1 pound brussels sprouts, washed, trimmed, and halved
- 3 cups diced butternut squash, ½" cubes
- 2 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- ¾ teaspoon kosher salt, divided
- ½ cup dried cranberries
- ½ cup pecans, toasted
Instructions
- Make the Orange Glaze – In a small bowl, whisk together the melted butter, honey, orange zest, orange juice, apple cider vinegar, thyme, black pepper, and cinnamon. Set aside.
- Cook the Butternut Squash – In a large sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon olive oil over medium heat. Add the butternut squash and ¼ teaspoon of salt, stir to coat in the oil, and spread out in a single layer. Cook for 5 minutes without stirring so the pieces begin to brown lightly. Stir and redistribute the pieces, cooking for 5 minutes. Stir again and cook until the squash is fork-tender, about 15 minutes total. Remove the squash from the pan and transfer to a bowl. Reserve the pan.
- Blanch the Brussels Sprouts – Bring enough salted water to cover the Brussels sprouts to a boil. Add the halved sprouts and cook until tender, about 5 to 6 minutes. Drain well and shake off excess water.
- Brown the Brussels Sprouts – Heat 1 tablespoon of oil over medium heat in the same pan used to cook the butternut squash. Sear the blanched sprouts cut side down until browned, about 3 minutes. Turn over and sprinkle the sprouts with ½ teaspoon of salt and cook for 3 minutes until browned.
- Add the Orange Glaze – Reduce the heat to low and add the butternut squash back to the pan. Add the orange glaze and stir to combine. Season with more salt and pepper if desired.
- To Serve – Stir in the cranberries and pecans right before serving and enjoy warm.
Notes
- Storing: Store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Reheating: Microwave in 15 to 30-second increments until warmed.
Nutrition Facts
Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000-calorie diet. All nutritional information is based on estimated third-party calculations. Each recipe and nutritional value will vary depending on the brands you use, measuring methods, and portion sizes per household.
Patricia Donnellan says
Can this be made ahead and frozen?
Jessica Gavin says
Hi Patricia- I don’t see why you couldn’t make the brussels sprout and butternut squash, freeze them and then defrost the night before in the refrigerator (or in microwave), and reheat with the orange glaze. Let me know how it turns out 🙂
Rachel @LittleChefBigAppetite says
Yum, yum, and YUM! I just love this flavor combo!
Jessica Gavin says
Thank you Rachel! I just saw your maple roasted brussels sprouts and sweet potatoes, a perfect healthy side!!!
Sallie says
Can I cook this Brussels sprout recipe in the InstaPot IF SO, FOR HOW LONG.
Jessica Gavin says
I haven’t tried it yet, but if I would make a guess: Cook the butternut squash on the saute setting following the recipe, transfer to another pan, and then I would cook the brussels sprouts whole with 1 cup of water for 2 minutes on high pressure and then quick release. Drain the water and saute the brussel sprouts until lightly browned and add back in the squash to warm. Let me know how it goes!
Claudia | The Brick Kitchen says
YES brussel sprouts are the best, aren’t they? Especially sautéed like this, and they go so well with other autumnal flavours like the honey glaze and pecans you have going on here. I haven’t used much butternut squash but it sounds like a lovely way to cook it, will have to give it a go! <3
Jessica Gavin says
I am LOVING brussels sprouts right now! I really like the combination of earthy, sweet and salty. Sweet potatoes are a good substitute too 🙂