This Delicata Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Bacon recipe is baked in the oven and perfect for breakfast, lunch, dinner or as a holiday side dish. In addition, this healthy Paleo recipe is Whole30 approved, unsweetened and easy to make.
One pan meals are the best! Agreed?
My favorite thing about them is how quick they are to prepare - chop up a bunch of vegetables, throw on some meat, season and bake in the oven.
This particular one-pan Paleo recipe is not only great for breakfast, lunch or dinner, but it's also perfect as a holiday side dish. In fact, it's one of the Whole30 Thanksgiving sides that I'm making for my family this year.
This Delicata Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Bacon recipe isn't only easy to make and Whole30 approved, but it also tastes fantastic. This is a recipe the whole family can enjoy. I mean, who doesn't love bacon 😉
Ingredients Needed:
There are a lot of flavor variations and ingredient alternatives for this recipe - which makes it highly customizable. But here's what I used:
- delicata squash
- brussels sprouts
- bacon
- onion
- garlic
- salt
- raw pecans
- dried cranberries
- sesame seeds
- fresh thyme
Do you have to use Delicata Squash?
I adore the flavor of delicata squash. In fact, if you're on the edge when it comes to whether or not you like squash, I recommend giving this variety a try. Delicata is sweeter than many squash varieties and it has a tender skin that can be cooked and eaten; meaning you don't have to go through the hassle of removing the skin (yay!).
That being said, pretty much any type of squash can be used for this recipe. For instance, butternut squash, kabocha squash or red kuri squash.
Other Recipe Substitutions
The base of this recipe is: squash, brussels sprouts and bacon. I recommend keeping these, especially the bacon. This recipe doesn't use any oil, so the bacon is a must.
Other than those three main ingredients, pretty much anything can be left out or substituted. Don't want garlic - leave it out. Have some fresh rosemary on hand? Then use that instead of thyme. Prefer walnuts over pecans? Go ahead and make the swap.
Just use what you have on hand and what your taste buds prefer.
How to Make Roasted Delicata Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Bacon
The method for making this healthy one pan meal is simple:
Prepare the Vegetables
First, prepare the vegetables.
Chop off the ends of the brussels sprouts, remove any wilted leaves and then cut them in half.
Next, wash the delicata squash, remove the ends and then cut the squash in half, length wise. Remove the squash seeds (you can save them for roasting), then cut the squash into ¼" thick pieces.
Peel the skin off the onion, cut it in half and then cut that half into eighths.
Combine Ingredients
Place all of the vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle on freshly pressed garlic and salt, then mix using tongs.
Spread the vegetables out on a baking sheet. Cut the bacon and place it over the vegetables.
Bake
Place the pan in the oven and bake at 375 degrees F for 35 minutes.
Then, take the pan out of the oven and add the pecans. Cook an additional 10-15 minutes.
Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle with sesame seeds, cranberries and thyme.
Serve
This dish is best served warm, but can be served cold as well.
How to Store Leftovers
Leftovers should be kept in an air-tight container in the fridge. They will last well up to one week.
More Paleo Thanksgiving Recipes
This Paleo Thanksgiving side dish would pair perfectly with many other recipes on my blog. Here are some more healthy sides and desserts:
Enjoy!
Delicata Squash, Brussels Sprouts and Bacon (Paleo, Whole30)
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 50 minutes
- Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes
- Yield: serves 4-6 1x
Description
This healthy Paleo side dish is perfect for Thanksgiving or an easy family dinner. This recipe is Whole30, grain free, dairy free and unsweetened.
Ingredients
- 1 medium delicata squash
- 1 lb brussels sprouts
- 1 package bacon
- ½ medium onion
- 2-3 cloves garlic
- ¼ tsp salt
- ½ cup raw pecans (optional)
- ¼ cup dried cranberries (optional)
- 1 tsp sesame seeds (optional)
- 1 tsp fresh thyme
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Prepare the vegetables: Chop off the ends of the brussels sprouts, remove any wilted leaves and then cut them in half. Wash the delicata squash, remove the ends and then cut the squash in half, length wise. Remove the squash seeds (you can save them for roasting), then cut the squash into ¼" thick pieces. Peel the skin off the onion, cut it in half and then cut that half into eighths.
- Combine Ingredients: Place all of the vegetables in a large mixing bowl. Sprinkle on freshly pressed garlic and salt, then mix using tongs. Spread the vegetables out on a baking sheet. Cut the bacon and place it over the vegetables.
- Bake: Place the pan in the oven and bake at 375 degrees for 35 minutes. After 35 minutes add pecans, then cook an additional 10-15 minutes. Take the pan out of the oven and sprinkle with sesame seeds, cranberries and thyme.
- Serve: best served warm, but can be served cold.
Nancy
I think this is a great combination of ingredients. I like my vegetables more caramelized, so 375 degrees didn't cut it for me. I turned my heat up to 400 and it cooked the vegetables more to my liking. I also recommend tossing the vegetables half way through roasting to get them to cook more evenly. I didn't have any sesame seeds, but used some pumpkin seeds which gave it a nice crunch. Overall a good recipe to get more vegetables into your life, which we could all use. Thanks!