Holiday Roasted Vegetables
These holiday roasted vegetables are an easy and festive side dish. Brussels sprouts, bacon, cranberries, and pecans are drizzled in maple syrup and then oven-roasted until golden. It couldn't be an easier dish to make, and it's ready in just an hour!
If you're looking for more ways to add brussels sprouts to your table, try making our roasted brussels sprouts with bacon, shaved brussels sprouts salad, or whole roasted brussels sprouts with garlic. It just wouldn't be the holidays without 'em!
Host a stress-free holiday dinner this year with these easy holiday roasted vegetables. They're both sweet and savory, with lots of amazing texture, and they're pretty much fool-proof to make.
Simply chop the vegetables and bacon, drizzle them with maple syrup, and pop them in the oven. Halfway through, add the rest of the veggies, cranberries, and pecans and roast until they're golden brown and crispy.
It's mostly hands-off cooking time so you can prepare the rest of your holiday menu while the oven does all the work. Since it's all made on one pan, clean-up is a breeze.
We don't use any oil because the bacon releases enough to cook the veggies. For a vegetarian version of this dish, use veggie bacon but add a tablespoon of olive oil to coat the veggies.
Holiday roasted vegetable ingredients
This sheet pan dish is jam-packed with holiday flavor. Here's what you'll need to make these Christmas roast vegetables:
- The vegetables: brussels sprouts, carrots, red onion, and garlic.
- Maple syrup – only pure maple syrup will do here.
- Fresh herbs, salt, and pepper – we use fresh thyme and rosemary, but feel free to use other herbs like oregano or sage if you prefer.
- Bacon – we don't use any added oil to the vegetables because once the bacon starts to cook, it releases enough oil to cook the veggies properly.
- Cranberries – for a festive pop of color and tartness because nothing says Christmas quite like cranberries.
- Pecans – pecans offer great texture and a warm nutty crunch. Walnuts also taste nice in this recipe.
How to make holiday roasted veggies
Thanksgiving roasted vegetables are such an easy and festive side dish, and they're healthy, too! Here's how to make them in a few simple steps:
- While your oven preheats, place the brussels sprouts and carrots on a baking sheet.
- Drizzle on the maple syrup, then sprinkle with fresh herbs, and season with salt and pepper. Spread them out in an even layer, and distribute the bacon throughout.
- Roast the vegetables for about 40 minutes, adding the cranberries, pecans, garlic, and red onion halfway through (we like to put the cranberries, pecans, garlic, and onions into one bowl so they can be added quickly and easily). You'll know this dish is done when the veggies are golden and the bacon is crispy. Transfer them to a serving dish and they're ready for your holiday table!
Full recipe instructions are in the recipe card below.
FAQS
Opt for regular bacon (as opposed to thick-cut) for a nice crispy texture.
To save time, chop all your vegetables up to a day ahead of time. Then all you have to do is roast them in the oven until golden and crispy.
Absolutely! Just be mindful of cooking time and try to chop them in a similar size so they cook evenly. Other root vegetables like parsnip, sweet potato, or butternut squash all taste great, too.
Yep, honey does work as a substitute for maple syrup, but it doesn't have the same rich flavor as maple syrup.
What to serve with holiday roast veggies
Tis' the season for gathering around a table with good food and a glass of wine. While these holiday roasted vegetables are the perfect festive side dish for Thanksgiving or Christmas, you may find yourself making them all winter long.
For an easy weeknight meal, pair them with a crockpot roast chicken or parmesan-crusted chicken and enjoy the leftovers for lunch the next day.
More holiday side dish recipes
Holiday Roasted Vegetables
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Ingredients
- 1 lb brussels sprouts, trimmed and halved
- 2 large carrots, sliced into ½ inch pieces
- 1 tablespoon maple syrup
- 1 teaspoon EACH: minced fresh thyme and rosemary
- ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper
- 4 strips bacon, sliced 1" thick
- ½ cup cranberries, fresh or frozen
- ¼ cup pecans
- 4 cloves garlic, sliced
- 1 medium red onion, quartered
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 425 degrees Fahrenheit. Add the brussels and carrots to a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper.1 lb brussels sprouts, 2 large carrots
- Add the maple syrup, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper and toss well. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer then sprinkle the raw bacon over the top.1 tablespoon maple syrup, 1 teaspoon EACH: minced fresh thyme and rosemary, ½ teaspoon EACH: salt and pepper, 4 strips bacon
- Roast the vegetables for 20 minutes. Remove the pan from the oven and add the cranberries, pecans, garlic, and red onion. Mix everything together and then return the pan to the oven for another 20 minutes, until the veggies are golden and the bacon is crispy.½ cup cranberries, 4 cloves garlic, 1 medium red onion, ¼ cup pecans
I’ve made this recipe a few times now, varying the veggies each time. Tonight’s version with broccoli, cauliflower, red onion and butternut squash was perfect! The sweetness of the syrup, saltiness of the bacon and tartness of the cranberries is a wonderful balance.
Being a vegetarian, I made this recipe with some changes. I added beets, for openers, and doubled the garlic, olive oil, and red onion. To add the umami I was after, I use 4 tsp of miso, 6 Tbsp of Tamari sauce, and 3-4 Tbsp herbs de Provence in place of the rosemary and thyme, which it contains. Finally a few drops of Liquid Smoke rounded it all out. It was a huge hit with everyone! Thank you, this is a keeper!
I’m about to make this tomorrow, but also confused by the bacon…should it be diced?
We slice the bacon into 1-ich (ish) pieces then put it on top of the veggies raw. 🙂
Great recipe. I really appreciated having the ingredients listed below each step. But I was a little confused by some of the directions. Nothing was said about whether the bacon was to be cooked ahead of time.
Sorry for that confusion! The bacon is added raw and cooks along with the vegetables.